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General Tam's Smokehouse: Survey
Date October 2012
Event ID 935050
Category Recording
Type Measured Survey
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/935050
South elevation: The south-facing elevation comprises a main build of sub-angular blocks of basalt (whinstone). The elevation measures 5.9m long and stands to a height of 1.4m at its east end and 1.5m at its west end. The wall is essentially a double skin wall faced with basalt with a rubble core. The quoins framing the door opening comprise large sub-rounded dressed blocks of basalt. On average these measure 0.4m x 0.3m x 0.3m. The segmented arch above the doorway comprises eight individual blocks of buff-coloured ‘rattlebag’ which is a very friable agglomerate and easily weathered. The top of the wall is very irregular and loose owing to the penetration of ivy roots.
North facing elevation: The interior north-facing elevation is constructed using the same stone as on the outer south-facing elevation. The interior door quoins are irregular and slightly more angular in character than those on the south-facing elevation. The interior segmented arch comprises eight ‘rattlebag’ stones, one of granite and one of sandstone. At the east and west ends of the wall its toe is abutted by infilling stonework that has been used to fill the gap formed between the rear wall and the sloping natural outcrop. The infilling stonework on the east side comprises medium sized blocks of angular basalt which almost resembles drystone walling. On the west side the infilling blocks are much larger.
Interior Plan: The floor plan is roughly triangular in shape with a slightly straighter base on the natural rock. The rock itself is a basalt outcrop. On the east side of the floor, the natural wall kinks inwards. The gap between the natural rock and the main elevation has been infilled with the aforementioned stonework.
The arch itself appears to be intact but it is suffering from weathering. The use of different stones within the interior of the arch is probably purely practical but the use of a lighter coloured contrasting stone on the exterior south-facing elevation is intentional.
