Torr Breac

NN79NE 12 7944 9860

A farmstead, comprising one roofed and one unroofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1872, sheet cii). An enclosure is shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1994).

Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 19 July 1996.

A farmstead, on the NW-facing slope of Torr Breac, was recorded during a pre-afforestation survey on the Killiehuntly Estate. The farmstead comprises three buildings, three smaller structures and three enclosures.

The northernmost building (NMRS MS 899/171, no.3a), which is situated on a low knoll, measures 11.5m from N to S by 3.5m, defined by low, turf-clad stony banks spread up to 2.5m in width and 0.4m in height. It is not depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Invernesshire 1872, sheet cii). The other two buildings lie to the S. The W building (NMRS MS 899/171, no.3b), measures 8.5m from N to S by 3.5m with walls ranging in width from 0.7m to 0.9m and standing up to 0.7m in height. The entrance is in the NE corner. The building is depicted, roofed, on the 1st edition of the OS map. The third building (NMRS MS 899/171, no.3e) measures 8.5m from N to S by 3.5m with 0.7m to 0.9m wide walls standing up to 0.6m in height. The entrance is in the middle of the W wall and there is a single partition within. The building is depicted, unroofed, on the 1st edition of the OS map.

A polygonal enclosure, measuring 20m by 12m defined by an earth and stone bank spread up to 1.6m in width and standing up to 0.6m in height, lies between the latter two buildings. Two small hollows and a small C-shaped structure lie some 10m S of this enclosure.

The farmstead is set within an elongated enclosure, measuring 175m from N to S and ranging from 25m to 85m across. On three sides the enclosure is defined by a 3m wide, turf-covered stony bank standing up to 0.7m in height and bounded by a 1.8m wide and 0.5m deep ditch on the E side. The W side of the enclosure is, however, defined by an upstanding stone dyke which is interrupted by a later enclosure with attached hut (NMRS MS 899/171, no.3b). A small subrectangular enclosure (NMRS MS 899/171, no.3c) lies immediately outside the enclosure to the S.

A bank runs southwards from the SE corner of the enclosure for some 120m terminating beside a track. Two small rectangular structures abut the E side of this bank.

M Dalland and T Holden (Headland Archaeology) 25 June 1999; NMRS MS 899/171 no.3