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Garbeg
Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Field System (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric), Rig And Furrow (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Site Name Garbeg
Classification Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Field System (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric), Rig And Furrow (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Drumnadrochit
Canmore ID 12628
Site Number NH53SW 10
NGR NH 5166 3193
NGR Description Centred NH 515 319
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/12628
- Council Highland
- Parish Urquhart And Glenmoriston
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Inverness
- Former County Inverness-shire
NH53SW 10 centred 515 319
There are numerous hut circles and tumuli in a corrie about 600 yds long by 400 yds wide opening towards the N, off the Drumbuie Burn. The corrie is covered with heathery hummocks and bogs. One of the lines of stones, common in Glen Urquhart (NH53SW 14) crosses the corrie.
A Grant 1883
Centred at NH 515 319, on the S-facing slope of a sheltered valley (almost certainly the corrie referred to by Grant) is a settlement of eight huts (A - H) with a field system.
Except for 'D' and 'H' all the huts are oval. Each is formed by a stone wall spread to a regular width all round. All hut dimensions are given between wall centres.
Hut 'A', set into the slope, measures c. 10.5m from the WNW through the entrance in the ESE by c. 8.5m, with the wall spread to c. 2.0m. The outer wall face of contiguous stones set on edge is visible round the N arc. The 'simple' entrance, c. 1.0m wide, is between the excavated and built up areas of the platform.
'B', set into the slope, measures c. 12.0m from the NW through the ill-defined entrance in the SE by c. 10.0m with the wall spread to c. 2.5m. Four outer wall facing stones are evident round the SW arc.
'C', on a shelf, measures c. 9.5m from the N through the ill-defined entrance in the S by c. 8.0m with the wall spread to c. 2.0m.
'D', set into the slope, is a circular, measuring c. 10.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c. 2.5m. The entrance is not apparent.
'E', the best defined, measures c. 14.0m from the NW through the 'simple' entrance, c. 1.5m wide, in the SE, by c. 11.5m, with the wall spread to c. 2.5m.
'F', on a shelf, measures c. 10.5m from the NW through the 'simple' entrance, c. 1.0m wide in the SE, by c. 9.0m with the wall spread to c. 2.5m. Inside the hut at the rear is a slight raised platform. A field wall skirts the N side.
'G', set into the slope, measures c. 15.0m from the NW through the entrance in the SE, by c. 13.0m with the wall spread to c. 3.0m. A few outer facing stones are visible round the S arc. The 'simple' entrance, c. 1.5m wide, is in the break between the excavated and built up areas of the platform. A lynchet approaching from the SW ends near the entrance.
About 55m WSW of hut 'G' is a rock-strewn platform 'G.1', set into the S-facing slope, which is possibly the stance for a hut of which no other trace survives.
'H' is mutilated, almost the whole of the E side being destroyed by a stream. It measures c. 13.0m N-S with the wall spread to c. 2.5m round the remaining portion. The entrance is not apparent.
The field system is marked by stone clearance heaps, lynchets and extensive walls, with a field of typical size adjacent to hut 'C', measuring about 30m square. The line of stones (A Grant 1888) is part of an extensive ruined wall (see NH53SW 14).
'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D' - divorced survey at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (R L) 26 February 1970
Huts 'D' to 'H' surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (A A) 7 December 1971
Field Visit (7 October 1997 - 4 November 1997)
NH53SW 10 centred 515 319
Eleven hut-circles are disposed across gently undulating ground bisected by two unnamed tributaries of the Allt Tarbh; one (URQ97 85) is an unusual oval structure with a sunken interior (see also NH53SW 7). The middle and lower reaches of the burn are enclosed by a field-bank taking in at least 12 ha. and there are two groups of small cairns and a patch of rig on well-drained ground.
Eight of the hut-circles have been noted before and are referenced with the lettering used by the OS in their description. The other three are new discoveries.
OS A (URQ97 75, NH 5188 3214). This hut-circle measures 7.2m in diameter within turf bank spread to 1.5m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SE and the interior is dug into the slope on the N.
OS B (URQ97 76, NH 5189 3212). This hut-circle measures 7.5m in diameter with a turf bank spread to 1.5m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SE and the interior is dug into the slope on the N.
OS C (URQ97 77, NH 5175 3212). Oval on plan, this hut-circle measures 6.6m from NNE to SSW by 5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.5m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SSE.
OS D (URQ97 84, NH 5175 3199). This hut-circle measures 8m in diameter within a stony bank spread to 1m in thickness and 0.3m in height.
OS E (URQ97 85, NH 5166 3183). Oval on plan, with a sunken interior, this hut-circle measures 11.2m from NNW to SSE by 8m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2.4m in thickness and 1m in height. The entrance, on the SSE, steps down in to the interior from the surrounding ground level.
OS F (URQ97 145, NH 5141 3191). Oval on plan, this hut-circle measures 7.8m from NNW to SSE by 6.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.7m in thickness and 0.4m in height. The entrance is on the SSE and the interior is dug into the slope on the N.
OS G (URQ97 83 NH 5144 3185). This hut-circle measures 12m from NNW to SSE by 11m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SSE and the interior is dug into the slope on the N.
OS H (URQ97 82 NH 5133 3170). This hut-circle measures 8m in diameter within an earthen bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the S.
Three additional hut-circles were recorded:
Oval on plan, this hut-circle (URQ97 81, NH 5139 3184) measures 9.1m from E to W by 7.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.5m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SW.
This hut-circle (URQ97 146, NH 5169 3200) comprises a platform, with a well-defined lip on the S, which measures 7.7m from E to W by 6m transversely within a fragmentary stony bank no more than 0.3m in height.
This hut-circle (URQ97 147, NH 5175 3205) comprises little more than a platform dug into the slope and measuring 5m in diameter and 0.4m in height. The entrance is on the SE.
Some of the hut-circles lie with the area enclosed by a field-bank. This takes in the middle and lower reaches of two unnamed tributaries of the Allt Tarbh and describes a roughly C-shaped area measuring about 300m from NW to SE by at least 400m transversely. The line of the bank along the NW side of the valley is lost amongst rock outcrop, but can be traced E from the western burn (NH 5161 3204) before turning SW (NH 5181 3196) to run along the E side of the eastern burn. Two groups of small cairns are disposed across well-drained ground amongst the hut-circles; four lie in the group to the SW (NH 5140 3178) and at least nineteen in that to the NE (NH 5172 3200). The largest of the cairns measures about 4m in diameter and 0.3m in height There is a patch of rig, measuring about 4m between furrows on a terrace between the W side of the enclosure and the westernmost tributary (NH 5150 3184); its NW side may be bounded by another field-bank.
(URQ97 75-7, 81-5, 145-7)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 7 October and 4 November 1997.
