Skye, Balmaqueen, Kilmaluag

NG 4370 7490 (centred on) A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out on 26 July 2011 at 7 North Duntulm prior to the construction of two houses. The survey identified a range of features, which mostly consisted of well preserved post-medieval settlement remains, representing multiple phases of occupation and building. The structures included houses, byres, boundary dykes and kale yards. The only prehistoric feature recorded was a possible cairn of Neolithic or Bronze Age date.

A programme of mitigation works, designed to record and investigate some of the remains prior to their destruction, and to safeguard sites on the periphery of the development, was undertaken 9–11 November 2011. Evaluation trenches were opened over three structures and a watching brief was maintained during the excavation of access routes, sceptic tank locations and associated pipelines.

A 4.5 x 2.5m trench was opened over house site C4. The trench exposed areas of well-built paving, a paved route through a doorway and an underlying drain. The location of the drain through the entrance and a soakaway for the drain in the interior of the building suggested that the structure was used as a byre before it was modified for residential use. The modifications included the thickening of the front, N-facing wall to house two splayed windows, a chimney at the W end of the building and associated hearth furniture.

A thick layer of ash and charred wood discovered overlying the floor provided evidence of a serious fire. At some stage after this event the two windows were blocked with stone and it is possible that the building was again used as a byre or store. Small finds recovered during the excavation included ceramics which suggested occupation during the latter half of the 19th century, and continued use of the building into the early 20th century.

The evaluation of structure A3 revealed a stone built structure, which was revetted into sloping ground, with a cobbled floor and internal dividing wall. Few small finds were recovered during the excavation and the building is thought to have functioned as a byre. The remaining structures and features identified across the site will not affected by the proposed development.

Archive: Highland HER, RCAHMS and WCAS (intended)

Funder: Mr and Mrs Reitsma

West Coast Archaeological Services, 2011

Information from Oasis (westcoas1-108590) 15 September 2011

NG 4370 7490. A small-scale archaeological excavation and watching brief was carried out at 7 North Duntulm on the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye, in advance of the development of two new house sites. The work was undertaken in terms of the mitigation strategy recommended by West Coast Archaeological Services following a detailed archaeological survey of the proposed development sites carried out on 26th July 2011