Allt Na Baranachd

As part of the Cairngorms Communities Heritage Partnership the farmstead at Allt Na Baranachd was surveyed by RCAHMS and members of the local community using plane-table and self-reducing alidade, producing a 1:500 plan of the site.

Visited by RCAHMS (ECB, IP, PJD), 5 June 2013

This township is situated on the summit of an ESE facing ridge overlooking Loch Insh and the Spey Valley. It consists of at least seven buildings and two adjacent enclosures which are located on a natural terrace immediately above the present tree-line. These are attached externally to the NE side of an incomplete polygonal enclosure containing rig and furrow, stony field banks and a scatter of at least fifty clearance cairns.

The larger of the external enclosures is rectilinear on plan and occupies the SSW end of the terrace (centred NH 81143 05576). It measures about 60m from NNE to SSW by 25m transversely over a grass-grown roughly coursed rubble wall. There are gateways at each end of the NNE wall linking the two most southerly buildings in the township.

The most southerly building (A) is situated close to the leading edge of the terrace (NH 81164 5600). It measures 15.1m from NNE to SSW by 4.6m transversely over grass-grown rubble walls 0.9m thick and 0.3m high. The external corners at the SSW end are rounded and there are two entrances on the SSE offset SSW and NNE of the centre. The interior has been divided into two compartments, the most northerly of which has been rebuilt to form a separate structure. This measures 7.3m from NNE to SSW by 4.6m transversely over partly grass-grown roughly coursed rubble walls 0.6m thick and 0.7m high. Its external corners are squared and the entrance on the ESE offset NNE of the centre is reused. The grass-grown foundations of a pen are situated in the NE corner of the S compartment.

A second building (B) is situated 13m to its WNW close to the back of the terrace (NH 81152 05613). It measures 14.2m from NNE to SSW by 4.9m transversely over roughly coursed rubble walls 0.7m thick and 0.9m high. There is a single entrance on the ESE offset NNE of the centre. A faint scarp within the interior suggests the building was divided into two compartments, the lower being at the NNE end. A midden measuring 5.2m from NE to SW by 3.2m transversely up to 0.2m deep is situated SE of the entrance. The WNW side of the building overlies a grass-grown stony bank, which may represent an earlier phase or an extension of the wall forming the WNW side of the large rectilinear enclosure to the SSW. A crude pen has been constructed from rubble in the S corner of the building.

A third building (C) is situated 10.5m to the ENE (NH 81170 05625). It measures 10.6m from NNE to SSW by 4.8m transversely over grass-grown stony banks 1m thick and 0.3m high. There is an entrance on the ESE offset NNE of centre. A porch is represented by a faint earthwork to its ESE.

The WNW wall of this building is overlain by the S section of the ESE wall of a trapezoidal enclosure which is situated to its W (centred NH 81163 05635). This measures about 25m from NNE to SSW by 15m transversely over grass-grown roughly coursed rubble walls 1m thick and 0.9m high. There is an entrance on the SSW offset ESE of centre. The N corner of this enclosure overlies a stony bank descending the slope, which forms part of the enclosure delimiting the formerly cultivated ground of the township.

A kiln barn (E) straddles the leading edge of the natural terrace 10.5m ESE of the SSE corner of this enclosure (NH 81183 05614). It measures 10m from WNW to ESE by 5.3m over grass-grown roughly coursed rubble walls 0.9m thick and 0.5m high. The kiln bowl situated at the WNW end measures 1.8m in diameter and 1.2m deep. There is a shallow rebate around its upper edge; while the barn to the ESE has a central entrance on the SSW.

A second kiln is situated 33m to the NNW (NH 81179 05655). It measures 5.6m from NNE to SSW by 4.5m transversely over rubble walls 1.5m thick and 0.4m high. The neatly coursed rubble kiln bowl measures 1.2m in diameter and 0.6m deep, while traces of a flue are visible on the ESE.

The kiln overlies the WNW end of an earlier structure which is rectangular on plan, but very poorly preserved (NH 81185 05653). It measures 14.5m from WNW to ESE by 6.8m transversely over grass-grown stony banks 1.7m thick and 0.2m high.

Another building (F) is situated at the back of the natural terrace 7.5m NNE of the kiln (NH 81188 05670). It measures 13m from NNE to SSW by 4.3m transversely over heather and grass-grown rubble walls 0.7m thick and 0.5m high. There are two possible entrances on the ESE, the better preserved being that at the NNE end of the building which is approached by path from the ESE marked by a shallow hollow.

The earliest building (G) on the terrace is represented by a poorly preserved, sub-rectangular structure which is cut-back into the rising ground immediately SW of the trapezoidal enclosure and overlain by a green track approaching from the N. (NH 81148 05633). The enclosure has truncated its NE end, although a short stump of its SE side still projects NE of its WNW wall. What remains of the building measures 17.1m from SW to NE by 7.8m transversely over a spread grass-grown stony bank on the SE that is 2m thick and 0.3m high. However, the whole building gradually narrows towards its SW end which is rounded.

The two enclosures and three of the buildings (NH 81164 5600, NH 81152 05613, NH 81188 05670) are shown attached to the incomplete polygonal enclosure on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map and each of the buildings is represented as roofless (Inverness-shire 1872, sheet lxxxvii). However, they are shown roofed on the 2nd edition (Inverness-shire 1903 sheet lxxxvii).

Visited by RCAHMS (ATW, IP), 1 November 2013