Rogie

Rogie Township, sheepfold, possible buildings and ford (NOSAS survey site Nos 01 - 07, 31 and 75) (alternative name, Balnain (Roy map)) GR centred on NH 4418 5931

The site, 3km to the NW of the village of Contin, comprises the farm and associated structures in the immediate vicinity. The present Rogie Farm is situated on the broad haugh of land to the NE of the Blackwater River, where its tributary, the Rogie Burn, joins it from the NE. There are several enclosed fields which are marshy and prone to flooding, a problem that continues to the present day. The farm is on the NW bank of the Rogie Burn and is probably on the site of the township of Balnain, marked on the Roy map. The farmhouse is occupied and comprises several roofed buildings. Of interest are two “Yankee” sawmills and a platform to the rear/north of the main building. A ford crosses the burn to the south of the farmhouse. The farm is marked as having several roofed buildings and a sheepfold on the first edition.

The site comprises two distinct groups of features:

- 50m to the west of the farm buildings there are the much wasted remains of a kiln, a possible building and two pits, probably all that remains of the old township. A well constructed ford and silage pit have also been included here:

05 Kiln and barn - NH 44137 59297 This building occupies the west end of a knoll. It is rectangular and comprises two parts. The upper part, the barn, measures 4.5m(NNE-SSW) x 3m, the prominent walls to E and W are 0.4m in height and have a spread of 1m. The lower part to the SSW consists of a steep face with some set stone composition 5m in length and 1.5m in height.

06 Building - NH 44168 59304 The wasted remains of this building are on a WNW-ESE alignment and measure c6.5m x 4.5m overall. There are two compartments, the most obvious to the east is roughly circular, internal diameter 2m and has surrounding turf walls 0.2m high and with 1m spread. The west part is more wasted and appears as two circular depressions, of 1.5m and 2m diameter, although surrounding turf banks can just be discerned. There is an entrance at this end.

07 Pits - NH 44178 59313, 1.5m diameter and 0.2m deep, and NH 44183 59310, 2m diameter and 0.2m deep.

31 Pit/possible silage pit - NH 44188 59414 On a S facing slope in a field to the NW of the farm, an oval pit is on a N-S axis and measures 9m x 6m internally. Raised banks define its east and west edges and it has stone clearance and rubbish dumped in it.

75 Ford - NH 44278 59253 A rectangular area of cobbling is seen in the bed of the burn under the southmost concrete bridge to the south of the farmhouse. It is well preserved, measures c10m (NE-SW) x 6m and is made up of rounded stones generally 20-30cms in diameter. It is bounded on its SW/downstream side by a degraded timber kerb and on the SE side it disappears under the retaining bank of large rounded boulders which supports the abutments of the present bridge.

- 250m to the NW of the farm buildings there is a sheepfold and the remains of 2 possible buildings;

02 Sheepfold - NH 44056 59460 Largely intact rectangular enclosure measuring 29m (WNW - ESE) x 23m. Walls of dry stone construction are up to 1.5m height. There are 2 entrances in N wall and 2 short tumbled sections in E and S wall.

01 Earth bank/Track - To the west of the sheepfold, just south of the modern forest road and within the field, there are two lengths of earth bank, one on either side of the gate into the field. These appear to bound the old track on its south side. At this point the track has taken a more direct line than the modern track today.

03 Possible Building - NH 44029 59443 A rectangular structure on a NE-SW alignment with internal measurement of c5m x 3m. Appears as a platform with a turf wall, 0.2m height and 1-1.5m spread, surrounding on 3 sides (open to SW) and with rounded corners. There is a similar structure, 04, a few metres to NE.

04 Possible Building - NH 44034 59447 Similar to 03 but smaller, this structure is square 2m x 2m internally, Walls of turf have a height of 0.2m and spread of 1-1.5m

To the south of these 2 structures there is a curving earth bank which may be associated. It is 10m in length 0.3m in height and has a spread of 1.5m