Coire Molach

NJ 07231 18123 A walkover survey was undertaken, 4 – 5 December 2017, in advance of a woodland creation scheme. A total of 16 sites were recorded, including clearance cairns, possible prehistoric cairns, an enclosure system, post-medieval structures and alignments of shooting butts.

The desk-based assessment indicated that survey by RCAHMS in 2006 identified several significant prehistoric sites, consisting of hut circles and a field system (NJ01NE 42 and NJ01NE 48); however the present surveyors’ assessment of the same locations differed considerably.

NJ 07553 17089 (NJ01NE 42) This area (Tom na Moine) was surveyed thoroughly and the sites noted by the RCAHMS were not located. Nor was there conclusive evidence for a large area of clearance cairns to the NE, although the overall landscape was stony in places. At the time of the survey, the ground conditions offered good visibility, although under dense heather, and the surveyors were well-experienced in such landscapes. While the present survey identified a possible new hut circle site, all of the locations remain unconvincing and are interpreted as highly questionable. This may be due to mislocation of the site grid references, complete degradation of the sites since 2006 or misidentification during the earlier survey. It seems more likely that the grid references were incorrect as the area surveyed in association with the sites did not appear to have been covered in tree-throws.

Another area (Coire Molach) covered during the survey contained reference to a field system, of more than 200 cairns located by RCAHMS in 2006 (NJ01NE 48 at NJ 06948 17916). While there was dense heather on the site during survey, most of the huge number of small, amorphous mounds were believed to have been naturally formed spreads and mounds of stone within the hummocky landscape. However, most significantly, the surveyors identified 12 definite built stone cairns within this area, clearly different from the natural landscape. A group of five of these cairns were found in an alignment within sight of each other between 380 – 390m OD. Under dense heather, the group of cairns were similarly built, stone cairns 6 – 7m in diameter and standing up to 1m high. More substantial that most prehistoric clearance cairns, the sites were interpreted as probably prehistoric with a potentially different use – ie burial(?).

To the NE of the area of cairns, the landscape of Coire Molach contained a large sub-oval enclosure stone/turf dyke with internal separations. It was interpreted as potentially late medieval in date due to its absence on historical mapping. The enclosed landscape contained occasional stony mounds but not relics of the 200 stone cairns noted by the 2006 survey. It is thought that the 2006 site description may have been misinterpreted or that the landscape condition deteriorated in the intervening decade.

Other sites recorded included remnants of post-medieval sites: isolated stone buildings S of Lynebeg and NE of Toberaie and two very degraded stone structures E of Lainchoil.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Private individual

Lynn Fraser and Mary Peteranna – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 19)

In December 2017 AOC Archaeology Ltd undertook an archaeological walkover survey the results of which (Report on AOC Project No. 70253; DES 2018, p.102-3) called into question the findings of a survey undertaken there in 2006 by RCAHMS.

HES visited the site in July 2019 to check discrepancies between the two surveys and confirmed that, apart from a previously un-noted round-house platform, the field system was as described in 2006. Further, of the twelve artificial mounds identified by the AOC survey as probable prehistoric burial-cairns, the HES surveyors found no good evidence for their selection either in terms of the size of any particular cairn or its location. The AOC survey also identified a putative hut circle (AOC Report, p.24, No.11) which the HES surveyors believe is a combination of natural features.

Visited by HES Survey and Recording (JRS, AMcC) 2 July 2019.