Poll Luachrain

NM55NE 4 centred on 5935 5720

(NM 594 572) Poll Luachrain. Remains of 2 houses, a shieling in the 18th century

and later woodland. Period of occupation uncertain but deserted by 1836. Outline of another house, technically in Sornagan (NM55NE 7) at NM 593 573.

P Gaskell 1968

Two unroofed buildings are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1875, sheet xxxix). Three unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 18 May 1998

A township, situated on a N-facing slope between the Abhainn Poll Luachrain on the W and unnamed burns on the NE and N, was noted during a pre-afforestation survey of the NE part of the Drimnin Estate. There are at least four buildings (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.43a, 49a and 50), a possible building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.52, a possible structure (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.54) and a sub-circular platform (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.55) as well as a series of small enclosures, or yards, and areas of unenclosed rig bounded by a discontinuous head-dyke on the N, S and W (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.42 and 47).

Two of the buildings are situated on the NW-facing slope overlooking the Abhainn Poll Luachrain. The E building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.50a), at NM 5942 5712, is rectangular with externally rounded corners and measures 8.35m from NW to SE by 4.6m with 0.7m wide drystone walls standing up to 1.3m in height where best preserved on the N. the entrance appears to be in the SW wall. Small areas of rig (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.50b and c) lie to the N and S of the building. The second building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.49) lies to the W, at NM 5941 5712. It is a massively-built rectangular structure with externally rounded corners and measures 10.3m by 5.4m with 0.7m wide drystone walls standing up to 2.3m in height where best preserved no the W. A third building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.56) lies to the NW of the summit of a low rise, at NM 5953 5711. It measures 8,8m from NW to SE by 4.1m with a 0.6m thick wall standing up to 0.65m in height. To the SE, at NM 5955 5710, there is a sub-circular platform (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.55) measuring 7.8m from N to S by 6.55m. It is levelled into the slope on the SE and built out and revetted on the downhill angle. What may be a small roughly-built rectangular structure (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.54) is set against the slope behind the platform. It is boulder-built on three sides and measures 4m from NW to SE by 3.2m.

The fourth building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.43) is situated to the W of the township outside the head-dyke, at NM 5928 5725. The remains are very overgrown and comprise a round-angled single compartment structure measuring 6.65m from E to W by 4.35m and stands up to 0.55m in height. A further possible building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.52a) lies to the S of the township at NM 5940 5707. It measures 16.1m from NW to SE by 6.2m with a 1.5m wide bank standing up to 0.2m in height.

The extent of the township is marked on the N by discontinuous head-dyke (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.47) overlooking an unnamed burn and on the W, overlooking the Abhaiin Poll Luachrain, by further stretches of dyke (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos. 42, 45 and 46). A stretch of dyke to the S of the township, (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.60; at NM 5968 5705) may be a continuation of the head-dyke. There are a number of small, discreet, plots of rig cultivation within the head-dyke as well as an isolated patch of rig outside to the S at NM 5962 5700.

J G Robertson December 1997; NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.42-61, 71-74