Bute, Corlaich

NS06NE 172 06781 69866.

Survey of Deserted Settlements, Isle of Bute.

Further to the brief note published previously (DES 1992, 62), the survey continues, with site visits and documentary research. All sites are being measured and photographed, although a considerable number have still to be visited. To maintain uniformity a record form is completed for each site, with a brief description, including an indication of the reliability of the information. Air photographs (courtesy NMRS) have been used to locate many sites. Others have been identified only on early maps (courtesy the Bute Estate Office). Research of documentary records, such as the Statute Labour Lists, Hearth Tax, Census Data, has generated considerable additional information, including family names, date of foundation or desertion. Information is uneven, because records are not equally available for all areas. The majority of the settlements are post-medieval farm sites. Of several anomalous remains, some are earlier, while others, because of location and form are unlikely to be domestic structures. The records are held in the Bute Museum, The basic list has been forwarded to NMRS and some sites now have NMRS numbers.

Sponsors: Bute Antiq Natur Hist Soc; St Andrews Heritage Services.

A Hannah and E Proudfoot 1994.

NS 0678 6986 Site 197 Curloch

On the north bank of the burn, above the main road, are the remains of this small steading, first recorded in 1808. Foundations of two rectangular buildings, much disturbed and partly ploughed out, are still visible. There was no house on the site in 1780, but the buildings are shown on the 1st OS map (still occupied) and on the 2nd (1896) unoccupied.

E Proudfoot and A Hannah 2000

This site was noted during a coastal zone assessment survey undertaken by CFA Archaeology Ltd to characterise the state of coastal erosion and the threat it poses to cultural heritage sites. A gazetteer in the report included a note of existing records and new sites when discovered. Where the site was located, notes included condition, period/date and recommendations.

Commissioned by The Scape Trust and Firth of Clyde Forum on behalf of Historic Scotland.

Cressey and Johnson 2004

NS 0678 6986 Settlement remains: Located just inland of main road, on N bank of burn. There are foundations of 2 buildings much disturbed and ploughed out, aligning downhill. There is a sycamore tree at top edge. There was a small steading in record from 1808.

Information from Bute Natural History Society Deserted Settlement Survey (1991-9).

(RCAHMS WP000273)

This farmstead was formerly noted as NS07SE 13 due to an inaccurate grid reference; a new record (NS06NE 172) was created on the correct map sheet during this project.

This rectangular building, its walls reduced to grass-grown stone footings, is situated in the corner of a pasture field 670m SE of Stuck farmsteading. The building is not depicted on May's estate map (1780-84), but a farmstead called 'Corlaich', which comprised a partly roofed range standing on the SE side of a large yard, is shown on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire and Buteshire 1869, Sheet CXCIV). It was described in the contemporary Name Book as 'an old cottar house belonging to the farm of Ardmaleish, the property of the Marquis of Bute' (No.5, p.24). The steading had been completely abandoned by the end of the 19th century, when only part of the unroofed range was depicted on the 2nd edition of the map (1897, Sheet CXCIV.SW).

Visited by RCAHMS (GFG, JBS) 5 May 2009.