South Cuil

Ordnance Survey maps and old photographs.

Walking around and within the buildings: photographs: measured.

The first (1875) and second (1897) editions of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire and Buteshire, sheet xliii)show considerable differences between the distibution and number of buildings in the region of what are now Nos 2 and 3 South Cuil. A photograph taken by Erskine Beveridge on 14th July 1883 shows both buildings (along with the northern end of 1 South Cuil. From these it is possible to deduce that the four original houses on South Cuil were built between 1871 and 1883.

In the photograph no dormer windows can be seen in the farmhouse of No:3 so these must have been added at some later date. Another photograph shows themn to be present in 1935. Part of the building is a byre and here slots in the tops of the walls for rafters can be seen. The present rafters sit on the wallheads. It is a stone built house with two rooms on the ground floor and two on the upper level which is reached by a steep staircase. There are hearths in each of the ground floor rooms and another was probably present in the more northerly of the upper rooms. Integral with the dwelling area is a byre with a cobbled floor with a byre drain. The roof is of Ballachulish slate. The corners are square. At some time a wooden porch on the west front and a corrugated lean-to at the north end were added. Running water was introduced in 1935 when a bathroom was incorporated into the lower level. Electricity arrived in 1953.

Across the road that leads to 4 South Cuil is the barn for No:3. (NM9837/5514). The lower level is a steading with a byre and an open-fronted implement shed. Both have cobbled floors. In the byre there is a double byre drain. There are two external ventilation squares on the east wall of the byre and four between the byre and the shed. There is a window on the south wall which leads on to a ruinous outshot. There is evidence that there was some sort of other addition at the west end which, from a photograph taken in the 1920s, looks as if it was wooden. The upper level was a barn but was much modified about 20 years ago. It has four ventilation slits on the north wall and a window high on the west. It is entered by a door on the north wall which is reached by external stone steps which look as if they were added at a later date. There does not appear to have been a door on the opposing wall. The roof is of Ballachulish slate. Adjacent to the east end of this building there is a stone walled enclosure which looks as if it might represent the remains of one of the buildings shown on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire and Buteshire 1875, sheet xliii).