Balloch

NO19SE 6.00 centred 193 935

There are the footings of an enclosed depopulated township, named Balloch at NO 193 935 in an upland glen between 1,100ft and 1,600ft OD.. It comprises about 46 buildings, 8 small enclosures, 2 corn-drying kilns, but no lazy beds. Reason and date of depopulation not known but probably due to the introduction of sheep in the early 19th century. Revised at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (N K B) 26 October 1967

A township comprising thirty-five unroofed buildings, three of which are long buildings and two of these have outshots, two roofed buildings, seven enclosures and a head-dyke is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire 1869, sheet lxxxix). Thirty-nine unroofed buildings, four enclosures and the head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 24 March 1999.

A walkover survey of features within the head dyke of the area known as Balloch settlement on Craig Leek and Meall Gorm, Invercauld Estate, was carried out in May 2004, prior to a native woodland regeneration scheme on the site.

The settlement had been recorded and partly surveyed by the RCAHMS. Balloch is not marked on Roy's map of 1747-55, which is not definitive but suggests that the settlement dates from the later 18th century. It would seem to have been depopulated due to the introduction of sheep in the early 19th century. The main aim of the survey was to identify and record outlying features which did not appear to have been recorded previously.

The settlement comprises seven settlement clusters spread along the valley between Craig Leek and Meall Gorm, on either side of the Felagie Burn. The survey identified a number of previously unrecorded features, including a small water mill on the E side of the burn at NO 18767 93707.

Report to be lodged with Aberdeenshire SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsor: Invercauld Estate.

J C Murray and H K Murray 2004.