Garbeg
Cairn (Prehistoric), Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Enclosure(S) (Period Unknown), Field System (Prehistoric), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric)
Site Name Garbeg
Classification Cairn (Prehistoric), Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Enclosure(S) (Period Unknown), Field System (Prehistoric), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Drumnadrochit
Canmore ID 12629
Site Number NH53SW 11
NGR NH 51151 31775
NGR Description Centred NH 51151 31775
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/12629
- Council Highland
- Parish Urquhart And Glenmoriston
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Inverness
- Former County Inverness-shire
NH53SW 11 centred 51151 31775
Centred at NH 510 321 is a settlement of six circular stone-walled huts (A to F) with a field system.
The hut diameters are given between wall centres.
Hut 'A' is mutilated, measuring about 9.5m in diameter with the wall spread to about 2.5m all round. A few inner and outer facing stones are evident but insufficient for accurate measurement. The 'simple' entrance, in the SE, is about 1.2m wide.
'B' set into the foot of a W-facing slope, is mutilated, measuring about 14.0m in diameter. It is defined by a scarp in the NW arc, a wall spread to about 2.5m in the SW arc widening to about 4.0m in the SE arc. The NE arc is almost completely destroyed. An outer facing stone is evident in the E. The widening of the wall in the SE may represent the S side of a 'clubbed entrance', which faces onto a group of seventeen cairns (See NH53SW 15 for enlargement of 'B' & cairns)
'C', measures about 14.5m in diameter with the wall spread to about 2.5m at the rear splaying to about 4.0m at the 'clubbed' entrance in the E. Almost the whole of the N arc is destroyed, elsewhere it is denuded. A field wall joins the hut in the WSW. Another approaches the S arc from the SE and appears to have joined the hut, but mutilation at this point makes this uncertain.
'D', set into an E-facing slope, measures about 11.0m in diameter with the wall spread to about 2.5m at the rear widening to about 3.5m at the entrance, about 1.0m due to build up rather than a 'clubbed entrance'. 'E' is mutilated and measures about 12.0m in diameter. The NW arc is virtually destroyed, elsewhere the wall is spread to about 2.5m. A few outer facing stones can be seen on the S arc. The 'simple' entrance, about 1.5m wide, is in the SE.
'F' is 8.5m in diameter with the wall spread to about 2.5m all round. A few outer facing stones can be seen round the S arc. The 'simple' entrance, about 1.0m wide, is in the ESE.
The "huts" seen on APs at NH 5060 3231 are vegetation marks combined with stone clearance heaps. The field system is marked by stone clearance heaps, lynchets and extensive walls, with fields varying in size from about 60m by 40m to 25m by 10m.
'A' 'B' and 'F' Divorced Survey 1/10 000 scale.
Visited by OS (R L) 25 February 1970
Two more huts 'G' and 'H' were found.
'G' is visible as a levelled area at the base of a slight natural scarp with traces of a wall around it measuring about 25.0m between its centres. The entrance is not evident.
'H' levelled into an E-facing slope measures about 9.0m between the centres of a rubble wall spread to about 2.5m. The inner wall face is visible intermittently in the E arc. The entrance in the E is ill defined.
Rubble from the wall has spilled into the hut in the W.
Huts C,D,E,G & H surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (A A) 7 December 1971
Field Visit (3 September 1997)
NH53SW 11 centred 51151 31775
There are at least seven hut-circles, an enclosure and a cairn disposed across undulating, predominately improved, ground to the N of Garbeg and between the Culnakirk Burn on the W and an unnamed tributary of the Allt Tarbh on the E. A cemetery of round and square barrows (NH 53 SW 15) lies within the group of hut-circles which also embraces at least 220 small cairns and a field-system.
The hut-circles have all been identified by the OS; one (OS E) lies in a dense coniferous plantation and although it was not located on the date of visit, Mr Younie, the farmer, stated that it had been left clear of trees during planting.
OS A (URQ97 59, NH 5067 3201). This oval hut-circle measures 7.6m from NW to SE by 6.8m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.6m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the SE.
OS B (URQ97 234, NH 5108 3224). This hut-circle lies on the W edge of the cemetery of round and square barrows (NH 53 SW 15). It measures 11.1m from ESE to WNW by 10.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2m in thickness and 0.5m in height. The entrance is on the E. The purpose of a bank that extends across the interior from NNE to SSW is unknown.
OS C (URQ97 65, NH 5112 3185). Slightly oval on plan, this hut-circle measures 11.5m from N to S by 10.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2.3m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The bank expands to 3.1m in thickness on both sides of the entrance, which is on the E. A field-bank abuts the S arc of the wall.
OS D (URQ97 238, NH 5123 3169). This hut-circle measures 7.5m in diameter within a stony bank 2.3m in thickness and 0.5 in height.
OS E (NH 5075 3158). Not visited in dense coniferous plantation.
OS F (URQ97 61, NH 5108 3253). This hut-circle is slightly oval on plan and measures 7.1m from NNE to SSW by 6.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.5m in thickness and 0.3m in height. A shallow dip in the crest of the bank on the W may mark the location of the entrance.
OS G (URQ97 66, NH 5115 3177). Previously recorded as a hut-circle, this enclosure is situated in a slight natural hollow and has a sunken interior. Slightly oval on plan, it measures 12m from N to S by 11m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2.3m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is 5m wide and opens externally into a larger enclosure on the N. Both enclosures may have been for penning stock enclosure.
OS H (URQ97 237, NH 5122 3174). This hut-circle measures 7.6m in diameter within a wall reduced to a bank 2.3m in thickness and 0.4m in height. The entrance passage is on the E and is lined with boulders. The interior is dug into the slope on the W.
The field-system extends across the undulating ground to the N of Garbeg and comprises four conjoined enclosures, each taking in about 3.3ha. A sequence of construction can be inferred from the relationships of the fields; the northernmost is the earliest, while the other two fields have been added in sequence to the S. The cemetery of round and square barrows (NH53SW 15) lies near the centre of the northernmost field. Several smaller subsidiary enclosures lie within the southernmost field, and were perhaps stock enclosures used in conjunction with an enclosure previously recorded as a hut-circle (OS G, URQ97 66). At least 220 small cairns, the largest of which measures about 5m in diameter and 0.4m in height, are disposed in five loose groupings; about 20 on a ridge to the W (NH 5063 3201), at least 100 around the cemetery (NH 5100 3223), and at least 30 and 60 on the ridges to the SSW (NH 5091 3187) and S (NH 5109 3178) of the cemetery respectively. On a ridge immediately to the E of the Culnakirk Burn, which forms the W boundary of the field-system, there are at least three banks, set parallel to each other about 15m apart. They lie amongst another scatter of small cairns and may have formed a series of plots (NH 5045 3205).
What is probably a burial cairn (URQ97 144; NH 5115 3205) is situated on a slope immediately to the E of the crest of a ridge, beside one of the field-banks, and to the S of the cemetery of round and square barrows. It measures 5.5m in diameter over an intermittent kerb of boulders and 0.4m in height; its centre has been robbed.
(URQ97 59, 61, 65-6, 144, 234, 237-8)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 3 September 1997.
