Archaeology Notes

Event ID 819012

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/819012

NH64NE 120.00 6538 4583 to 6500 4644 LIN 19

Extends onto map sheet NH64NW.

NH64NE 120.01 NH 653 460 Hand Crane

NH64NE 120.02 NH 6541 4666 to NH 6544 4597 Branch railway

NH64NE 120.03 NH 6529 4602 South Jetty

NH64NE 120.04 NH 6503 4635 North Jetty

For Clachnaharry Sea-Lock Basin (to NW), see NH64NW 30.03.

For Clachnaharry Railway Swing Bridge (adjacent to NW), see NH64NW 33.

For associated canal offices (NH 64943 46439) and Telford commemorative plaque, see NH64NW 86.

For Muirtown Swing Bridge (NH 65359 45828), see NH64NE 143.

Muirtown Basin [NAT] (at NH 6519 4519)

OS 1:10,000 map, 1992.

This basin, which was constructed principally for the Inverness trade, was nearly completed by 1807. It

had undergone a change of plan in order to measure 800 yards by 140 yards. In area it covers 20 acres.

J Lindsay 1968.

This is a massive basin which required much stamina to dig. In area 20 acres, it measures 800 yards by 140 yards and was originally planned by Telford to be a second harbour for Inverness. However, it never succeeded in achieving its potential, as the size of boats rapidly became too large for it. At the N end of the basin is the Clachnaharry Works lock (NH64NW 30.02). A US naval base was established in the basin during the First World War, from which minesweepers went out to lay the Northern Barrage between Orkney and Norway, the mines and sinkers being brought across the Atlantic and shipped through the canal from Corpach.

G Hutton 1992.

This feature is clearly marked as Muirtown Basin on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1874, sheet iv), on the 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1907, sheet iv), on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1992) and on the OS Basic Scale raster map (ND).

Information from RCAHMS (MD) 3 October 2001.