Archaeology Notes
Event ID 717874
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/717874
NF19NW 21.00 1010 9930 (Centred).
NF19NW 21 will be a synopsis of the history, of the Kilda Village followed by brief descriptions of selected structures numbered NF19NW 21.01 - 21.45
See also NF19NW 15 (NF c. 101 995) Medieval Village and NF19NW 7 for souterrain.
Extends onto map sheet NF09NE.
Scheduled as 'St Kilda village and related structures... the core area of human occupation on St Kilda, in the area around Village Bay'. [Scheduling order also includes various monuments within sub-numbered series].
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 21 May 2002.
NF 101 993 Fieldwork has identified the site of the clachan which pre-dates and was not totally destroyed by the familiar 1830s 'improvement' layout of crofts and blackhouses set along a 'street'. Thirteen possible or probable structures are identifiable, centring around the present House 9; sometimes they partly underlie 1830s structures, elsewhere they take the form of sub-rectangular or slightly boat-shaped hollows or platforms. At the S end of the clachan is a 'dished area', evidently a public space which compares well in detail with the drawing made by Acland in 1812.
Sponsor: University of Wales Lampeter - Dept of Archaeology
A Fleming 2002
NF 101 991 (centre) Scheduled Monument Consent required watching briefs of various works at the MoD base on Hirta in 2001. The replacement of more than 200m of the fuel pipeline across the croftlands S of the road led to the recovery of residual artefacts from the disturbed ground. These include about 80 sherds of hand-made pottery (Iron Age or later), as well as some 19th/20th-century artefacts. Work at the septic tank revealed previously disturbed ground and no archaeological features or finds.
Report to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: NTS.
M Taylor 2002a
NF 101 991 (centre) As part of the Management Agreement with Historic Scotland, the monuments within Village Bay were recorded and monitored, and certain cleits, dykes and enclosures were repaired in 2001 under supervision by members of the two volunteer work parties. Detailed work included the completion of the identification of around 300 cleits for active management, and the production of a report on cleit preservation, as well as rapid assessments of coastal erosion and the deposition of builders' debris within some of the roofless structures along the village street.
Report to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, NTS.
M Taylor 2002b
NF 101 991 (centre) As part of the Management Agreement with Historic Scotland, the monuments within Village Bay were recorded and monitored, and certain cleits, dykes, drains and enclosures were repaired under supervision by members of the volunteer work parties which went out to St Kilda in 2002.
A photographic survey of the coastline in Village Bay was carried out and compared to images taken in 1999. The survey indicated erosion along the NE side of the bay. Two sherds of hand-made pottery were recovered and a layer of burning noted in an exposed section.
The annual monitoring of cleits across the island was carried out and the photographic survey of them continued.
Report to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, NTS.
S Bain 2002
NF 101 993 (centre) Standing structures in the Village Bay area, mostly of 19th and early 20th-century date, were searched for artefacts and manuports in July 2003. Finds include: numerous beach pebble manuports of varying size, some exhibiting a variety of damage; stone pestle/hammers based on beach pebbles; fire-cracked stones in two main concentrations, with general thin scatter; fragments of flat querns; and fragments of rotary quern, including three in cleit 84.
Report lodged with Western Isles SMR.
Sponsor: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
A Fleming 2003
NF 101 991 As part of the Management Agreement with Historic Scotland, the monuments in Village Bay were recorded and monitored. Stretches of the head dyke were photographed, as were a number of cleits. Sections of walling, cleits and cleit roofs were repaired, and drains cleaned out under archaeological supervision by members of volunteer work parties.
Coastal erosion was monitored, which indicated progressive erosion along the NE section of Village Bay.
A small exploratory excavation to determine the method of build was carried out within Blackhouse X.
Report to be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, NTS.
S Bain 2003
NF 101 991 A watching brief was carried out in August and September 2003 during the re-excavation of a water pipe trench across Village Bay. The trench was excavated for a distance of approximately 360m through previously disturbed deposits, except in two small sections. This revealed a deep cultivated soil. No artefacts were noted in situ.
Report to be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, NTS.
S Bain 2003
NF 101 991 (centre) A survey of the coastline in Village Bay was carried out to assess the impact of erosion on possible archaeological deposits. The survey indicated minimal erosion along the NE side of the bay.
The annual monitoring of cleits across the island was carried out and the photographic survey of them continued. A photographic survey of the head dyke was also progressed.
A small excavation around House 6, Main Street, Hirta, was carried out in advance of a new drain. A large number of late 19th/early 20th-century artefacts were recovered, suggesting that the area behind and to the W side of the house had been used as a midden.
A portion of thatch, including surviving heather rope, was noted within the wall core of Blackhouse F.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsors: HS, NTS.
S Bain 2004
St Kilda Artefacts and Manuports Project
Survey
NF 101 993 (centre) Standing structures in the Village Bay area, mostly of 19th- and 20th-century date, were searched for artefacts and manuports in June and July 2004. Finds include pounder/grinders, Skaill knives, flaked cobbles, cores and fire-cracked stones; also rotary quern fragments and half a trough quern.
Report lodged with Western Isles SMR.
A Fleming 2004
A coastal erosion study carried out on the island between 2003 and 2005 revealed that there had been a metre of erosion in the 3 year time period and many structures on the coast were in danger of being completely destroyed.
S Dennis 2005
A survey was carried out by the National Trust for Scotland on over 300 cleitean (singular cleit) on St Kilda. They are double-walled, drystone-built oval or rectangular structures, used primarily for storage of food and fuel resources. Many have survived well after being abandoned in 1930 when the islands were evacuated. The survey recorded their condition, construction and location.
M Taylor 2001
