Iresgoe

ND34NE 41 ND 35575 45137

This farmstead, which stands at the W edge of an area of rough pasture about 180m W of steep, sea-cliffs, comprises two ranges and a much smaller structure. The northernmost range (YARROWS04 605), which is orientated WNW and ESE, contains two compartments, and its clay-bonded walls survive to wall-head height. The WNW compartment was probably a barn, since there are two doorways in its SSW side, the westernmost one opposing another on the NNE. The much smaller ESE compartment has an entrance at the SSW end of the ESE gable.

The second range (YARROWS04 606) stands immediately SW of the first; it is aligned E and W, and its NE corner almost touches the SSW wall of the first range. This range contains three compartments, the two at the W end forming a dwelling and the other a byre. The W compartment of the dwelling has a window in its S side and a fireplace in its W gable, but no external doorway. It is linked to the E part of the dwelling by a doorway at the S end of the shared mid-gable. This E compartment has a window in its S side and a fireplace in the E gable, at the S end of which is doorway that links this compartment with the byre. The byre has a doorway at the W end of its S wall and another at the S end of its E gable.

The third building (YARROWS04 607) is situated immediately SSE of the SE corner of the byre. It measures 3.8m from NNE to SSW by 2m transversely within walls 0.6m in thickness and up to 1.2m in height. There is an entrance close to the NNE end of the ESE side.

Both ranges are depicted roofed on the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1876, sheet xxx; 1907, sheet xxx), but neither map shows the third building. Iresgoe is described in the Ordnance Survey Name Book (Caithness No. 13, p. 287) as 'Four Crofter's dwellings in the vicinity of the Goe or Creek from which they derive their name; occupied by James Falconer and others, the property of Mrs B Innes, Thrumster'.

(YARROWS04 605, 606, 607)

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 10 August 2004