Allt Dubh, Scatwell

The Allt Dubh is a small tributary of the River Conon, 1 kilometre to the SE of Scatwell House. The area is on a N facing slope and part of the Little Scatwell Estate. At the foot of the burn, where it merges with the river, there is a collection of houses, formerly known as Blackburn, which include an old Schoolhouse. The burn of Allt Dubh runs through a small wooded valley, descending from SW to NE, it is c.2 kilometres in length. Its upper reaches are quite complex with many small burns merging from the surrounding hills. To the south the moorland rises to a height of 400m and to the N the area is bounded by Cnoc Dubh and the former lands of the Scatwell Estate. The majority of the area is wooded with open birch in the lower part to the south of the burn, and planted conifers in the upper part to an altitude of 150m. Thereafter there is open heathery moorland with birch and Scots Pine following the burns.

Ariel photographs from 1950 indicate that the upper part of the Allt Dubh had been recently felled. There are many tracks, probably used for extracting timber, the remains of which still exist today.

Within the lower part of the Allt Dubh valley the remains of three discrete farmstead units (principally NOSAS site survey numbers 119, 123 and 160) have been identified. They form part of a wider distribution of ten small farmsteads which are ranged throughout the valley. Associated with the farmstead buildings are areas of improved ground, enclosures, numerous turf and stone dykes, clearance cairns, a kiln (122A) and still bothy (161).

This summary record incorporates NOSAS site survey numbers 118,119,122,123, 160-162. Further details of these and other associated sites can be found in the Strathconon Phase 1 Report (pages 41-44) produced by the North of Scotland Archaeology Society and appended to this record.