Garbeg

NH53SW 14 centred 51347 32170

Centred at NH 5138 3214, is a settlement of seven huts ('A' to 'G') with field system.

This settlement is separated from NH 53 SW 11 by a wet gully and from NH 53 SW 10 by a rocky ridge. An association with them however is suggested by an extensive ruined wall following an irregular course which crosses the gully from NH 53 SW 11, skirts the N side of the settlement and continues to cross NH 53 SW 10 to the NE of hut 'D'. It is joined occasionally by walls associated with these settlements. These are undoubtedly the irregular lines of stones described by Grant.

Huts 'A' to 'E' are situated on a SW-facing-and 'F' and 'G' are on a shelf in a N-facing slope. Each hut, apart from 'B', is formed by a spread stone wall and the hut dimensions, except for 'B', are given between wall centres.

Hut 'A' is oval measuring c. 12.0m NW to SE by c.10.0m transversely, with the wall spread to c. 2.5m all round. The 'simple' entrance, in the SE, is c. 1.5m wide. About 6.0m from the W side of the hut is an arc of five contiguous boulders.

'B' is visible as a circular platform set into the slope and measuring c. 8.0m in diameter. It is bounded on the SW side by a considerable build up surmounted by traces of walling and in the NE by a back scarp. The 'simple' entrance, c. 1.5m wide, in the SE is in the break between the excavated and built up areas of the platform and is flanked on the S side by a prostrate slab.

'C' is circular measuring c. 14.0m in diameter with the wall spread to c. 2.5m on the upper NE arc, where there are two inner facing stones, widening to c. 3.5m on the lower SW arc. The 'simple' entrance in the ESE, at the change of slope, is c. 2.0m wide.

'D', built up on the slope, is circular measuring c. 10.5m in diameter. The wall is of indefinite width. The entrance is not apparent - the SE arc is mutilated.

'E', set into the slope, is oval measuring c. 12.0m from the NW through the 'simple' entrance, c. 1.5m wide in the SE, by c. 10.0m transversely. The wall is of indefinite width.

'F' is oval measuring c. 14.0m NW to SE by c. 12.0m transversely. The NW arc is almost destroyed and the wall is spread to c. 3.0m elsewhere. The entrance is not apparent.

'G' is oval measuring c. 12.0m from the W through the 'simple' entrance, c. 1.0m wide in the E, by c. 10.0m transversely with the wall spread to c. 3.0m all round.

The field system is defined by stone clearance heaps, lynchets and walls forming fields averaging about 30m by 20m.

Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (R L) 25 February 1970

NH53SW 14 centred 51347 32170

There are at least seven hut-circles disposed across a broad, heather-grown, terrace, five of them (URQ97 69-73) lying in a loose group to the N of a minor tributary of the Allt Tarbh and two close together to the S (URQ97 78-9). A few small cairns are visible around the hut-circles and another small group lies on a terrace to the N. A field-bank forms a large enclosure around the hut-circles.

Six of the hut-circles were identified previously by the OS, and the seventh (URQ97 72) was located in the course of the present survey An additional hut-circle depicted by the OS (E) could not be found on the date of visit.

OS A (URQ97 73, NH 5141 3220). Slightly oval on plan, this hut-circle measures 9.8m from NNW to SSE by 8.6m transversely within a wall reduced to a bank 2m in thickness and 0.5m in height. The bank expands in thickness to either side of the entrance, which is on the SSE. A boulder reveted mound of stones lies beside the WSW arc of bank; it measures 9.8m from N to S by 6.5m transversely and may an outshot or the remains of an earlier structure.

OS B (URQ97 71, NH 5137 3222). The remains of this hut-circle comprise little more than a slight platform dug into the slope on the N, with slight traces of a low bank along its lip. It measuring 6.7m in internal diameter and a shallow depression in the edge of the platform on the SE may mark the position of the entrance.

OS C (URQ97 69, NH 5136 3219). Slightly oval on plan, this hut-circle measures 11.9m from NW to SE by 11m transversely within an earth and stone bank spread to 2.5m in thickness and 0.4m in height. The entrance is on the SE and the interior is dug into the slope on the NW.

OS D (URQ97 70, NH 5135 3216). This hut-circle measures 9.8m in diameter within an earth and stone bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.4m in height. The entrance is on the S and the interior is slightly sunken.

OS E (URQ97, NH 5137 3211). Nothing was visible at this location at the date of visit.

OS F (URQ97 78, NH 5144 3207). This hut-circle is oval on plan and measures 10.3m from NE to SW by 8.5m transversely within a stony bank spread to 2.8m in thickness and 0.4m in height.

OS G (URQ97 79, NH 5143 3205). This hut-circle measures 7.7m in diameter within a stony bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.4m in height. The entrance may have been on the E.

In addition; oval on plan, this hut-circle (URQ97 72, NH 5138 3220) measures 10.4m from N to S by 8.1m transversely within an earth and stone bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The entrance is on the S.

At least five small cairns, the largest of which measures 4m in diameter and 0.4m in height, are scattered across the terrace occupied by the hut-circles. On a terrace higher up the hillside to the N (NH 5147 3233) there is a group of six small cairns lying to both sides of a field-bank that crosses the terrace from E to W and encloses the ground around the hut-circles. The bank can be traced from the W side of the unnamed tributary of the Allt Tarbh to the NE of the hut-circles, running roughly W for about 400m before turning to the S and extending along the E bank of the main arm of the Allt Tarbh until it is lost in dense birch woodland. Further S the bank emerges from the denser woodland and contours round the S flank of a knoll to the S of the hut-circles, before it fades away in amongst an area of rock outcrop about 200m short of the unnamed tributary from which it sprang; this burn may form the E side of the enclosure. This enclosure may be part of a larger system of enclosures extending to the E (NH53SW 10) and W (NH53sW 11).

(URQ97 69-73, 78-9)

Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 4 September and 7 October 1997.