Loch Poll

NC12NW 24 centred 1004 2967

A farmstead comprising two stone-built buildings, two turf enclosures, an area of lazy-bedding and a some clearance cairns within a head-dyke above the SW shore of Loch Poll, was recorded by Headland Archaeology during a pre-afforestation survey. The larger building (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4d) lies just within the head-dyke, at NC 1004 2967. Engulfed in heather, the building measures 14m from NW to SE by 5.1m overall. The walls are 0.75m wide and stand up to 1m in height. There is a small annex, roughly 2m long and 2.8m wide, on the SE end, which, on analogy, with other buildings of this type may represent a corn-drying kiln although no such structure could be discerned.

The second stone-built building (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4e) lies about 50m to the SE at NC 1009 2963. It measures 8.7m from NE to SE by 5m overall and is overlain at the NE end by an oval sheepfold, measuring 3.5m by 4.6m internally. A subrectangular turf enclosure (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4g) lies, about 60m to the NE at NC 1013 2967, on a grass-covered shelf. It measures 9.3m by 5m overall. Two sides of a second turf-built enclosure (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4h) lie a few metres to the N. The turf and stone head-dyke, which measures between 0.8m and 1.2m in width and stands up to 1.3m in height where best preserved, extends from a rock outcrop near the loch shore along the lower NE-facing slopes of Cona Chreag and around the nucleus of the farmstead at its S end. Four clearance cairns scattered were observed within the head-dyke and there are traces of lazy-bedding (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4i) to the S of the buildings (at NC 1012 2961).

Outside the head-dyke , at NC 1001 2963, there is a large subrectangular enclosure (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4j) which measures 15m by 12.5m within a heather-covered bank 1.7m wide and up to 1m high. A small turf-built structure (NMRS MS 899/63, no.4k), measuring 3.5m by 2.9m within a low bank 0.7m to 0.9m wide and 0.3m high, lies to the SE at NC 1006 2962. Areas of peat cutting lie above and behind the head-dyke.

C Lowe and M Dalland (Headland Archaeology) 18 December 1997; NMRS MS 899/63, no.4a-k

Site recorded during a short-notice pre-afforestation survey undertaken of 2 sqkm of land at Cona Chreag, on the Stoer Common Grazings near Drumbeg.

NC 100 297 (centre) Settlement; enclosures; lazy beds; clearance cairns (NC12NW 24).

Possibly the earliest elements of the archaeological landscape here are represented by the extensive and structurally diverse abandoned settlement. The place-name evidence, presumably preserved in the loch name, Loch Poll, also suggests that the settlement is possibly of some antiquity. Derived from the Old Norse bolstadr (farm), and preserved in its Gaelic-Scandinavian hybrid form (boll/poll/pool/bo), the bolstadr place-names have been considered as indicators of early Norse settlement.

Two substantial boundary dykes are also presumably related to the exploitation of the landscape by the inhabitants of the settlement. These inter-loch dykes, economical of effort in their construction, presumably functioned as boundary marches for the control of stock. The possible shieling mound may also have been exploited from the settlement.

A full report has been lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

C Lowe 1998