Rogie

The website text produced for Rogie webpages on the Forest Heritage Scotland website (www.forestheritagescotland.com).

Introduction: A lovely little world of its own

This is how Nan Bray, from New Zealand, recalls growing up on Rogie farm during the Second World War.

Rogie farm lies close to the abandoned township of Rogie. In the 1940s only the McQueens still lived there; they were Nan's only neighbour. As a young girl Nan often felt isolated. Rogie was not easy to travel to, so few people visited. They did not even have electricity or a telephone.

In the past, however, Rogie had been a thriving farming community. Historical records show that in 1792 at least twelve families were living and paying rent at the township of Rogie.

At this time the township was part of the Coul Estate owned by the MacKenzies. In 1795 George MacKenzie inherited his father's land, fortune and title and, soon after, began to evict farming tenants from his land.

Mackenzie cleared Rogie in 1808. Shepherds moved in to the area instead to work on the new sheep farms. Nan Bray's memoirs tell us that over the following century many families, including her own, moved to New Zealand and Canada to find a new life.

The remains of the township are still visible spread across the Torrachilty forest clearing. Yet evidence of more may still be hidden within the trees and grassland surrounding them. Why not explore it for yourself?

People Story: The plan of mice and men....

Sir George McKenzie's obituary in the local newspaper described him as a landlord who was....

[i]

" substantially kind and liberal and disposed towards improvements",[/i]

Inverness Courier, November 9, 1848

Today it is difficult to see how he could be both.

Sir George MacKenzie held strong views about the need to improve the way that land was farmed in the Highlands. He did not believe that his small farm tenants had the money or capability to adapt to new ways of farming. These tenants, like the families at Rogie, were removed and replaced with large sheep farms.

Yet Mackenzie recognised that the people he moved would not like his actions. He even invested in a wool factory to create more jobs for those who lost their farms, but it was unsuccessful and closed.

Sir George MacKenzie believed that these changes would make more money and help the economy of the Highlands.

Ironically, Dr John MacKenzie noted that Sir George's tenants were hard workers, who always paid their rents. This MacKenzie believed that Sir George made more money with the old tenant system than he did from his so called [i]"improvements"[/i], the sheep farms.

If this was true it would seem that all Sir George's grand plans were for little gain, but caused a lot of people's lives to change completely. It is only fair to note, however, that Dr John MacKenzie went bankrupt trying to keep the old tenant system on his own land.

In an area of perhaps half a square kilometre and centred on a rounded hill to the north of Rogie Farm and the railway line there are the remains of a large enclosure and 5 discrete settlements. The composition of the settlements is variable, some have just 1 building and 1 enclosure, others have several buildings with up to 2 enclosures. The central focus is the hill, around which there are the remains of a discontinuous stone and turf wall, several clearance cairns lie within the enclosure particularly in the NW part. The settlements are contiguous with the enclosure wall at varying intervals. The whole area has been grossly disturbed by forestry, having been planted with trees, felled, ploughed and replanted again. In addition the drainage has been substantially disturbed by forest roads and tracks - many areas, which would in the past have been well drained, are now marshy. The township is shown on the 1st edition OS map as 1 partially roofed building, 14 unroofed buildings, 6 enclosures and a head dyke. The enclosure and surrounding wall with a few associated features are described first followed by each settlement the structures of which have been grouped together. The individual settlements/farmsteads are described from the northeast working in an anticlockwise direction and are numbered A to F - see plan

Enclosures (NOSAS survey site nos 54, 49 and 50)

54 Enclosure/Wall - NH 43746 59852 (SW corner/junction) A discontinuous wall defines an enclosure some 400m x 200m in size, it is now mostly planted with young trees but in the north part there are some open grassy ploughed areas. In the SW and W the wasted dry stone wall is clearly defined and 0.5m in height. To the north it is ploughed out and barely discernable. The east and south part appears to have been destroyed by the forest roads. To the south of the area and just SW of a prominent crossroads there are two features:

49 Clearance cairn - NH 44063 59918 A large cairn piled up against a prominent boulder.

50 Possible enclosure - NH 44046 59910 Two parallel stone and turf banks running parallel and 7m apart may be the remains of an enclosure. They are 0.7m height, have a spread of 2m and length of 12m. The whole area was overgrown with bracken at time of recording.

A. North-East settlement (NOSAS survey site nos 32 - 39) centred on NH 4416 6007 - comprises 4 buildings and 2 enclosures. The drainage of the settlement has been grossly affected by the construction of the road, it is now very marshy. Known as MacQueens Croft.

32 Building - NH 44253 60095 An L-shaped building with an outshot close to and on the west side of a small burn. The main compartment is rectangular and aligned NE-SW. It measures 8 x 3.5m internally and is recessed into a knoll at its SW end where the well made stone face of the gable is 1.5m high. The remaining stone wall footings are 0.5 - 1m high and 0.8m thick. There is an entrance in the centre of the SE wall.

The outshot to the SE is 4 x 4m and the walls are very wasted being 0.3m high with a spread of 1.5m. The structure is overhung with trees.

33 Building - NH 44209 60062 This rectangular structure on a slight knoll is aligned NE-SW and measures 6 x 2.5m internally. The remains of the substantial dry stone walls are 0.5 - 1m in height, the gable to the west is 1m high, and have a spread of 1.5m. Planted with trees. There may be an outshot to the SW indicated by truncated walls at the corners and a grassy platform c4.5 x 3m.

34 Enclosure - NH 44196 60045 An irregular shaped enclosure roughly 14 x 11m in the centre of an overgrown marshy area. There are substantial stone walls up to 1m height with a spread of 2m. The whole is overgrown with reeds and brambles. There is a possible entrance in the west of 2m width.

35 Building (alternative name - MacQueens croft) (figures 6 and 7) - NH 44165 60069 The main building of this settlement. It is the westernmost of 2 with an enclosure, 37, to the rear. The building has 2 compartments and an outshot to the SW. It has an internal measurement of 11m x 3.5m, with the main compartment to the west being 6m in length. The tumbled dividing wall is 0.5m high and has a spread of 1m. The walls are of dry stone construction, double faced and 0.7m in thickness. The rear wall is generally 1m in height and turfed up on the outside. The NE gable is 1.5m high and the SW 1.2m. The front wall is tumbled for the main part, 0.5m high and with a spread of 1.5m, although the eastern area is better preserved and there is an entrance into the NE compartment.

The outshot to the SW is more roughly constructed with walls to a height generally of 1m, it measures 3m x 2m and has an entrance in the E corner next to the main building.

This building is thought to be MacQueens croft. A photograph taken in the 1920s, is attached.

36 Building - NH 44169 60078 Immediately to the north of 35 this building on the same NE-SW alignment has 2 compartments and an overall internal measurement of 13m x 3.5m. The west compartment is better preserved and measures 5m x 3.5m. The walls are of dry stone construction, double faced and 0.7m in thickness. The SW gable is 2m in height, the rear NW wall 1 - 1.2m high, the SE wall 0.8m high and the dividing wall is 0.5m high. There is an entrance 0.7m wide at the E end of the SE wall. The NE compartment is 7m x 3.5m and much more wasted, although the rear wall is 1m in height and the NE end has an external height of 1m. Otherwise it is generally 0.3m high. A large part of the SE wall is missing (alternatively this may have been a wide entrance).

37 Enclosure - centred on NH 44157 60079 An irregular enclosure to the rear/northwest of buildings 35 and 36. It is roughly 25m x 15m and is bounded by the remains of a stone wall, 0.5 -0.8m high in the NE part but much more wasted in its SW part. A line of trees are growing along the wall. The internal area is grassy and deeply ploughed but not planted

38 Clearance cairn - NH 44126 60107

39 Cup marked stone - NH 44057 60095 details of this feature are included with the main group of cup marked stones 350m to the SW

B. Middle North settlement (NOSAS survey site nos 40 - 44) - centred on NH 4400 6012. Comprises 4 buildings, one corn drying kiln and 1 enclosure. Much of the area is marshy, the drainage having been affected by the construction of forest roads.

40A Enclosure - centred on NH 44004 60103 A rectangular enclosure aligned NNW-SSE is 18m x 13m. It is surrounded by a moss covered wall which is, for the most part, of stone. The general level of the enclosure is raised above that of the surrounding ground which is marshy. The height of the wall is generally 1m on the outside and 0.5m on the inside. A number of trees are growing along the line of the wall. This is most probably a garden.

To the south of the enclosure there are two lengths of wall within a plantation of young trees, it is difficult to determine their extent, but they are probably associated with this settlement:

B Wall - centred on NH 44068 60084 This curvilinear wall is 23m in length and aligned NW-SE, it is 0.3-0.5m in height, and has a 2m spread.

C Wall - centred on NH 44046 60070 and at right angles to 40B this wall has been greatly disturbed by forest ploughing.

41 Building - NH 43998 60114 A rectangular building, aligned ENE-WSW, with 2 compartments. The east compartment is better preserved and has internal dimensions of 5.5 x 3m. The dry stone walls are double faced, 0.8m thick, and generally 1m in height, although the east gable is 2m high. There is an entrance at the west end of the south wall and a nice pair of cruck slots, opposite one another in the long walls. The west compartment is much more wasted with the walls being 0.3-0.5m height, although at the west end, where it is recessed into the bank, the stone face is 0.8m high.

There are two lengths of wall abutting; the one to the north stretches for 7.5m in a NNW direction and is of stone and turf construction, 0.5m high, the one to the south is of turf, it is 7m long and 1m in height. Both of these walls may be all that remains of an enclosure shown on the 1st edition OS map, the rest of it having been destroyed by the construction of the forest road nearby.

42 Building - NH 44001 60120 This is the main building of the settlement, it is aligned E-W and has internal dimensions of 16m x 4m. The internal area is raised above that of the surrounding land and is divided into 2 equally sized compartments by a setting of upright slabs 0.4m in height. The west compartment appears to be the main one, the walls here are generally 0.8-1m height (1-1.5m outside) but the west gable is 1.6m. On the outside this gable is 2m high and has complex buttressing, with a stone plinth 4m x 1.5m x c1.5m height covered by tumble.

The east compartment walls are generally 0.5m high (0.8m outside) although the east gable is 1m high (1.3m outside), and here again there appears to have been a form of “buttressing” supporting the gable. Internally there is an obvious drain, 0.4m deep, down the centre of the compartment and an entrance at the west end of the south wall.

An outshot to the east, in the form of a level platform, 2.5m x 2.5m, with a stone edge of 0.3m height may be a former building on this site. It is set at a slight angle to the main building and may indicate the line of an earlier building.

42A Building - Immediately to the north of 42, turf footings of what may be small building can be seen. It has the form of an L shaped turf bank, 0.3-0.5m in height with a spread of 1.5m.

43 Kiln and barn - NH 44009 60135 Aligned E-W this structure has an overall measurement of 7m x 3m. The kiln is of dry stone construction and well preserved, it is generally 1.6m high. The bowl has a diameter of 1.8m and it is 0.5-1m deep although although there is tumbled material inside. Unusually there are two flues in the straight west face which is 1.1m in height. The south one appears blocked although it can be probed to a depth of 0.9m, it has an aperture of 1m width x 0.3m height externally, narrowing to 0.3m width x 0.1m height. The north flue is 0.5m wide, 0.2-0.4m depth and 1m in length. Externally there is an abutting feature on the SE side of the structure, this has the form of a rising ramp of large stones and may have been steps up to the top of the kiln.

The internal area of the barn to the east is raised above the level of the surrounding ground. It is 6m x 2.5m internally and the remains of the walls are 0.3-0.5m height inside (0.6-1m outside). There is an entrance 0.7m in width at the east end of the south wall.

44 Building - NH 44021 60123 A few metres to the SE of the kiln the very wasted remains of this structure appear as a rectangular marshy depression. The structure is aligned ENE-WSW and has an overall measurement of 9m x 4m. Several large moss covered boulders outline the walls of the structure; the rest of the walls may have been robbed. The walls have a height of 0.5-0.6m inside (0.2-0.5m outside). There may be an entrance in the south wall.

C. NW Settlement (NOSAS survey site nos 59 - 65) centred on NH 438 601- Comprises two farmsteads within 100m of each other. The NE farmstead has 2 buildings, a corn-drying kiln, an enclosure and a small pen (61 – 65). The SW farmstead has 1 building and 1 enclosure (59 – 60).The remains of the dry stone walls of both farmsteads are in the main, quite low and between 0.8-1m in thickness, they are moss covered and possibly robbed of their stone. The NE farmstead is on a level shelf which slopes off to the north and west. The SW farmstead is on level ground within the forested area close to a small burn

61 Building/Possible Byre - NH 43796 60120 An L-shaped building, on a ENE-WSW alignment, comprising 3 compartments:

- The main, largest compartment, to the west, measures 7.8m x 3.8m internally, with the extension to the NW of an additional 4.4m x 3m. The dry stone walls in the south and west part are 0.2-0.3m high whilst those to the north are 0.6m high externally and that at the north end of the extension is 1.2m. A few features were noted - 1. An entrance in the SE wall possibly 1m in width, although the surviving aperture suggested 1.8m in width. 2. A stone edged drain in the E part of the compartment is 0.3m wide x 2m length x 0.2m deep. A possible further one is seen in the west part, see plan. 3. A regular moss covered stone plinth to the rear/N of the building. It measured 2m length x 0.6m width x 0.5m height. It may have been buttressing for the wall.

- The central compartment measures 1.8m x 3.8m and has an entrance of 1.2m in width in the south wall. The walls are very variable in height from 0.2-0.7m.

- the east compartment is 4.4m x 3.6m internally and the walls are 0.3-0.5m high. A stone edged drain 0.4m wide x 1.8m length x 0.3m deep occupies a central position. Adjacent to the east a roughly circular depression 1.6m diameter x 0.4m deep may be a stank or a sump.

To the SE of the building a terrace runs along the length of the building. It is 2m width in the west part and 1.2m in the east part. It is bounded by large boulders with a drop 0.3-0.5m to a marshy depression which appears to be man-made. The marshy depression is 8m N-S x 16m SW-NE narrowing at the NE end. It has steep banks to the south and east.

At the SE corner of the building a stone lined void, 0.2 x 0.2m x 0.8m depth may be the socket for a timber post. At the NE corner, the wasted turf and stone wall of enclosure 54 abuts 62.

62 Building - NH 43787 60116 A rectangular building on a NNW-SSE alignment, probably the main dwelling house of the farmstead. It measures 13.8m x 3.4m internally. The remains of the dry-stone walls are 0.4-0.5m high in the south part but 1-1.2m at the north end. There are two entrances, both 1m in width, in the east wall

63 Corn-drying kiln and barn - NH 43778 60124 A rectangular structure on a sloping E-W alignment comprising two parts - the bowl and the barn:

- the bowl at the east end is recessed into the slope. It is c 0.5m deep but filled with tumble. A defining edge of stonework is seen in places and possibly a scarcement, 0.5m in width, around the upper edge.

- the barn is 9m x 3.2m internally and recessed at its east end where the face of the kiln is 0.8m high, tumble obscured any flue that might exist. The stone walls at the east end were 1m in height internally but barely discernable externally. At the west end they were 0.6-0.8m high, both internally and externally. An obvious entrance, 0.7m in width, existed at the west end of the south wall and a possible drain was 0.3m deep.

64 Enclosure - NH 43783 60108 A rectangular enclosure on a NNW-SSW alignment measures 11m x 6m internally. The remains of crudely built stone walls on three sides are largely tumbled but generally 0.5m high and with a spread of 1.5m. There is no evidence of a wall on the east side but this may have been provided by the west wall of building 62. To the west a possible track ran up the hill along the outside of the enclosure and at the north end the wall of enclosure 54 curves off in a southerly direction.

65 Pen - NH 43770 60102 Situated in an angle of wall 54 a few metres to the west of the settlement. This small pen is aligned N-S and measures 3m x 1m. The walls are of single stone thickness and are 0.6-0.7m high.

59 Building - NH 43731 60050 A rectangular structure on a NE-SW alignment measures c7.5m x 2.5m internally. The remains of the dry stone walls are generally 0.5-0.6m high and have a spread of 0.8m. There is a considerable amount of tumble in the NE end of the building and an entrance, 0.7m wide in the SE wall. The building is grass and moss covered and has been planted with trees

60 Enclosure - NH 43742 60042 A few metres to the south of 59, this enclosure is in a sheltered position close to a small burn. It abuts the wall of the main enclosure 54 and is D shaped, on a WSW-ENE alignment and measure 13m x 12m internally. The remains of the dry stone walls which are 0.3-0.7m high and have a 1-1.5m spread are more substantial in the north and east parts.

D. Middle west settlement (NOSAS survey site nos 55 - 58) - centred on NH 4375 5992 This settlement comprises 3, possibly 4 buildings, and an enclosure.

55 Building - NH 43737 59878 This small rectangular building, 40m to the south of the main group, abuts the wall of enclosure 54 and is grossly overgrown with trees, heather and moss. It is roughly square and measures c4m x 4m internally. The walls have been crudely constructed of stone and are better preserved on the west side where they are 0.5m high. This building is marked on the FES.

56 Building - NH 43745 59917 A small rectangular building a few metres to the south of the main building 57. It is aligned WNW-ESE and measures c4m x 3m internally. The dry stone walls are of rough construction, generally 0.5m high and 0.6m thick. There is a possible entrance, 0.8m in width, at the east end of the S wall.

57 Building - NH 43742 59919 This the main building is just 1.5m to the north of 56 and on the same alignment. It measures c6.5m x 3.2m internally. The remains of the dry-stone walls are 0.6m in height and 0.7m thick, but the west gable which appears to be largely intact and is 1.4m high and the east gable is 0.8m high. There is an entrance, 0.6m width, in the centre of the S wall.

57A Possible building - NH 43756 59921 This may be an outshot to the east of 57. Circa 11 metres to the east of 57 and slightly offset there is evidence of a further building in the form of a well built dry stone “end” wall. It is 0.7m high, with 1m spread and is 4m in length. In between this and 57 there is a slight rectangular depression, c 6m x 3m with a barely discernable low turf wall to the north. The extent of the building is difficult to make out because of forest ploughing and planted trees.

58 Enclosure - NH 43773 59920 A roughly square enclosure to the east of 57 and 56 measures c14m x 14m. It is surrounded by a substantial dry stone wall which in all probability has clearance material dumped in it. The wall is generally 0.4-0.5m high and has a spread of 1.5m but the west wall is 0.6m high. The enclosure is grassy, has been ploughed but not planted with trees

76 Enclosure - NH 43976 59607 Situated on the south side of a bracken covered knoll to the south of the railway and just 120m to the SW of the level crossing, the very wasted remains of the stone walls of this enclosure are seen. It appears to be roughly rectangular although its extent at the west side is uncertain. It is on an ENE-WSW alignment and c15m x 9m. The walls are obvious on the E and S side and are roughly 0.3m high, less obvious to the west and north. The whole area is significantly disrupted by forest operations with deep pits, brashings and newly planted trees overall.

E. SW settlement and quarry (NOSAS survey site nos 51 - 53 also 47 and 48) Centred on NH 4373 5977 This settlement of one building and one enclosure occupy a broad wooded knoll to the SW of the main enclosure, 54, a further small enclosure and a stretch of wall on a nearby knoll to the east has been included. A quarry, possibly associated with the railway, has also been included.

51 Quarry - NH 43742 59806 Probably associated with the railway and of more recent origin than the settlement which is situated immediately to the SW

52 Building - NH 43733 59777 The rectangular building aligned N-S and measuring 8m x 3m internally. The dry stone walls are double faced, 0.8m thick and generally 0.6m in height. Although the north gable, which is almost intact, is 1.6m high - it has a large alcove, 0.5m width x 0.6m height x 0.6m depth. There is an entrance of 0.7m width in the east wall. The building was very much overgrown with bracken at time of recording.

53 Enclosure - centred on NH 43687 59760 A large rectangular enclosure aligned ENE-WSW is roughly 100m x 50m and occupies a large undulating knoll. The surrounding stone wall is most evident in the west and north where it is generally bracken covered and c0.3-0.5m in height. It is not evident in the south part although there is a short turf stretch to the south of building 52

47 Wall - NH 43783 59756 (S end) A 28m length of wall crosses a west facing slope on the opposite side of the forest track to the east of building 52. It is 0.4m high, has a spread of 0.6m and is generally very wasted. It may have been part of an enclosure. The wall may continue to the south around the hill on the north side of the road, but the rest of the wall has been destroyed by forestry tracks and the railway.

48 Enclosure - centred on NH 43800 59736 A few metres to the south of 47 this square enclosure is was greatly overgrown with bracken at the time of recording. It is 11m x 11m internally and the wasted stone walls which are quite evident are up to 0.4m in height.