Loch Achonachie

Distilling sites and potentially associated structures situated on a shoulder ground characterised by rock outcrops and dense heather ground cover above the enclosed fields at Drumindarroch farm to the NE. There are at least four probable still bothies and two other structures distributed above the N bank of the Allt na Criche (NOSAS Site Survey Nos 199 – 204 and 228). Presumably these features were associated with the production of illegal whisky

Building (201) at NH 41825 551 is situated on the edge of birch woodland, on the NW side of a small un-named burn. Partially scarped into the slope it measures 6.75m x 3.75m internally between stone footings with a semi circular recess c1m in diameter in the N corner, and open ended at the S. There is also evidence of a fire pit adjacent the entrance and a stone lined cistern within.

Some 100m distant from 201 is a small D-shaped building (199) situated on the S side of the small valley at NH 41804 55044, much overgrown and concealed beneath an overhanging crag which projects some 0.8m along its length. It measures 3.5m x 2.6m between substantial stone and turf walls which stand 0.6m high with an entrance 0.6m in width.

Further E tucked away in a small re-entrant below an outcrop is a small rectangular building located amid birch woods and dense heather at NH 42247 55056. It measures 4.5m x 2.5m internally between dry stone walls that survive largely intact to 0.9m in height and 0.8m thick. There is an entrance in the W corner of the S wall. Within the SE corner of the building is a small conical chamber, 0.6m in height and with the arc around the base measuring c.1.2m, tapering to the top where there is a sub-square aperture of 0.3m diameter.

The most remote building (202) at NH 41527 54867 is located on the S side of the un-named burn that flows through the enclosure of Drumandarroch some 400m further W of the other buildings recorded within this group. Rectangular in plan it is scarped into the slope and measures 6m x 3m internally with a small raised platform at the SE end measuring 1.5mx 0.9m. A later feature, a small animal pen with well constructed drystone walls been built into the NW end. It measures 2m x 1m and stands to a height of 1m.

Two other small rectangular buildings are located along the N bank of the Allt na Criche around the contour 90m amid an area of birch woods (203) and (204) at 203 NH 41978 54858 and NH 42174 54938 respectively.

Building 203 is built into a steep slope and measures 8m x 4m internally. The rear wall stands to a max height of 2m with side walls between 0.5 and 0.7m in height. It is open on the SSE side with a slight watercourse outside the N end.

Building 204 is located in a small ravine amid dense heather. It too is partially scarped into the slope and measures 5.5m x 3.5m internally between stone walls 0.5m thick that stand up to 1m high in places, open at its S end with an entrance at the NE corner.

There is a curving arc of wall incorporated into the NE wall.

There is a fragmented length of stone dyke (228) (NH 42180 54930 (NE end) to NH 42013 54842 (SW end) that runs parallel with the Allt na Criche on its S side. The construction is variable being a well built free-standing faced wall of quarried stone up to 1m high in places but elsewhere no more than a line of large boulders or absent entirely where the burn has undercut it.

This was probably once the boundary between the Scatwell and Fairburn Estates. On the 1st edition OS map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxxvii) it is the old boundary between Urray and Contin Parishes whereas the present boundary follows the Allt na Fainich some 300m to the SE. It may be significant that the wall only exists along the stretch of the burn which is closest to the distilling sites - perhaps the Scatwell owners turned a “blind eye” to the illicit activities, whereas the Fairburn landowners were less tolerant, although the wall may also mark the limit of the land associated with the farmstead at Seileach Mor (NH45SW_2) since it terminates at the N end at a point where a ruined fence crosses the burn.

Information from North of Scotland Archaeological Society