Skye, Cnoc Armadail

NG 6410 0700 (centred on) and NG 6300 0550 A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out 21 October 2010–22 February 2011, in advance of a woodland creation scheme. The work was undertaken to assess the nature and extent of any archaeology likely to be affected by the scheme and to inform recommendations for the protection and management of any sites.

The survey identified a significant number of new sites including 38 farmsteads/houses, 11 byres/bothies, 11 small enclosures and kale yards, 1 corn-drying kiln, 83 shielings, 1 possible still, 15 large field enclosures, 84 field boundaries/dykes and 36 areas of rig and furrow cultivation. The majority of these structures had been constructed from turf, with only a small proportion of the farmsteads and shielings built from stone. The only prehistoric site was a hut circle.

The survey of the area has revealed a complex of small settlements, individual farmsteads and houses, and their associated ancillary buildings, enclosures and cultivation plots, possibly relating to several phases of occupation and the use of the wider landscape through transhumance activities. The location of some of the farmsteads and more nucleated areas of settlement appear to relate to the abandoned and cleared townships of Leanigarry, Ostaigmhor and Ostaigbeg, which had been identified from estate and OS maps.

The large numbers of shieling structures identified within the survey areas at Kilbeg indicate the important role of the transhumance economy. While often considered as ancillary to the main townships, it is clear that shielings should be considered an equally important counterpart to the main settlements.

Archive: Highland HER, RCAHMS and WCAS (intended)

Funder: Clan Donald Estates, Armadale, Skye

West Coast Archaeological Services, 2011

OASIS Id: westcoas1-96347

An area of shieling huts and dykes were noted during a field survey in advance of woodland scheme, sites Nos. 127-31, 139-42, 200-9.

127-a Shieling Turf and stone double-cell shieling (bracken-, grass- and moss-covered) on E facing slope, measuring 7m NW-SE over walls spread to 1.0m, surviving to 0.5m high. NW cell measures 4m by 3.5m. SE cell measures 3m diameter with SE entrance 0.8m wide (NG 62771 05378).

127-b Shieling Turf and stone single-cell shieling (bracken-, grass- and moss-covered) on E facing slope, measuring 3.5m E-W by 3m over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.4m high. No visible entrance (NG 62752 05385).

127-c Shieling Turf and stone multi-cell shieling (bracken-, grass- and moss-covered), on E facing slope, consisting of 5 cells the largest of which measures 8m E-W by 5m over walls spread to 1m, surviving to 1m high. The other cells measure 3m by 5m, 3.5m by 4m and 4m by 5m (NG 62728 05363).

128 Shieling Turf and stone single-cell shieling (heather- and grass-covered), measuring 5m diameter over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.5m high (NG 63024 05286).

129 Shieling Turf and stone single-cell shieling (heather- and grass-covered), measuring 5m diameter over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.5m high (NG 62932 05400).

130-a Shieling Turf rectilinear shieling under grass, bracken and moss, measuring 5.5m N-S by 2.2m over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.5m high. Located on grassed terrace to SE of small burn (NG 63152 05510).

130-b Shieling Turf enclosure attached to shieling located S of rectilinear shieling. Amorphous-shaped, measuring 9m N-S by 5m over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.5m (NG 63157 05505).

131-a Shieling Turf double-cell shieling (grass-, rush- and heather-covered), measuring 8.5m NW-SE over walls spread to 1.2m, surviving to 0.6m high. The SE cell measures 3m diameter and the NW cell measures 5.5m N-S by 4.5m with a possible entrance 1.m wide in the NW corner (NG63148 05547).

131-b Shieling Turf shieling (grass-, rush- and heather-covered), measuring 4.5m N-S by 3.5m over walls spread to 1.0m wide, surviving up to 0.5m high. There is a possible entrance 0.6m wide in SE corner of structure (NG 63154 05548).

131-c Shieling Located on grassy knoll is a possible turf shieling (grass-, heather- and rush covered), measuring 4m NW-SE by 3m over walls spread to 1.0m, surviving up to 0.2m high (NG 63143 05560).

131-d Shieling Located approximately 25m NW of Sites 131a-c is a rectilinear turf shieling (grass-, heather and moss-covered), measuring 7m NW-SE by 3.5m over walls spread to 0.8m, surviving to 0.3m high (NG 63122 05570).

139 Enclosure Located on the south side of the base of a steep slope to the SE side of a burn within an area full of boundary dykes is an amorphous-shaped turf and stone enclosure covered in heather, grass and moss. The enclosure measures 14m E W by 13m N-S over walls 0.8m wide and surviving up to 0.6m high. There is an offset entrance located in the S side of the structure measuring 2m wide (NG 63662 05536).

140 House Located on a SE-facing slope to the NW side of small burn are the degraded remains of a house under bracken, grass and moss. The rectilinear stone and turf house measures 13m NW-SE by 6.5m over walls spread to 1.5m and standing to 1.2m max. There is an entrance, 0.9m wide, in the NE wall located 3m from the SE end, and a possible partition wall is located 5m from the NW end of the structure (NG 63670 05570).

141 Bothy Located in heather-covered terrain with a NE aspect, to the NE of a prominent grassy knoll and a post/wire fence, are the remains of byre or bothy under grass, bracken and heather. The turf rectilinear structure measures 10m E-W by 3.5m over walls spread to 0.8m and surviving to 0.5m high. The structure has rounded ends and possible entrances in the W and N walls measuring 0.6m and 0.8m wide respectively. There are two partition walls, 0.6m wide, dividing the interior of the structure (NG 63463 05836).

142 Shieling Located 20m SE of Site 141 under bracken, grass and moss is a circular turf shieling measuring 4m in diameter over walls spread to 0.8m and surviving to 0.4m high (NG 63481 05830).

200 Boundary dyke Stone and turf boundary dyke on NNW-SSE alignment, measuring 1m wide and surviving up to 1m high (NG 62961 05658).

201 Boundary wall Segment of stone and turf boundary wall, measuring 0.8m wide and up to 0.5m high, to the S side of a group of shielings which ends atop a small knoll at the side of burn valley (NG 63168 05508).

202 Boundary wall Three small segments of turf and stone walling which probably formed parts of field boundaries (NG 63185 05484).

203 Boundary walls A complex area of segments of very degraded stone and turf walling which probably formed various phases of walls (NG 63452 05857).

204 Boundary wall A very degraded segment of turf walling which may have formed a track or drainage ditch (NG 63125 05147).

205 Boundary dyke A turf and stone boundary dyke, measuring 0.7m wide and surviving up to 0.5m high, parallel to a small burn and a second dyke Site 206 (NG 63766 05605).

206 Boundary dyke A turf and stone boundary dyke, measuring 0.7m wide and surviving up to 0.5m high, parallel to a small burn and a second dyke Site 205. NE-SW Post Medieval Very degraded N/A 163677 805565 207 Boundary dyke A turf and stone boundary dyke, measuring 1m wide and surviving up to 0.5m high (NG 63586 05552).

208 Boundary dyke A turf and stone boundary dyke, measuring 1m wide and surviving up to 1m high (NG 63689 05455).

209 Boundary walls Four segments of very degraded stone and turf walling which probably represents the remains of multiple phases of walling and land use and division (NG 63674 05436).

Information from OASIS Id: westcoas1-96347 (S Birch) 2011

NG 6410 0700 (centred on) and NG 6300 0550 A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out 21 October 2010–22 February 2011, in advance of a woodland creation scheme. The work was undertaken to assess the nature and extent of any archaeology likely to be affected by the scheme and to inform recommendations for the protection and management of any sites.

The survey identified a significant number of new sites including 38 farmsteads/houses, 11 byres/bothies, 11 small enclosures and kale yards, 1 corn-drying kiln, 83 shielings, 1 possible still, 15 large field enclosures, 84 field boundaries/dykes and 36 areas of rig and furrow cultivation. The majority of these structures had been constructed from turf, with only a small proportion of the farmsteads and shielings built from stone. The only prehistoric site was a hut circle.

The survey of the area has revealed a complex of small settlements, individual farmsteads and houses, and their associated ancillary buildings, enclosures and cultivation plots, possibly relating to several phases of occupation and the use of the wider landscape through transhumance activities. The location of some of the farmsteads and more nucleated areas of settlement appear to relate to the abandoned and cleared townships of Leanigarry, Ostaigmhor and Ostaigbeg, which had been identified from estate and OS maps.

The large numbers of shieling structures identified within the survey areas at Kilbeg indicate the important role of the transhumance economy. While often considered as ancillary to the main townships, it is clear that shielings should be considered an equally important counterpart to the main settlements.

Archive: Highland HER, RCAHMS and WCAS (intended)

Funder: Clan Donald Estates, Armadale, Skye

West Coast Archaeological Services, 2011

OASIS Id: westcoas1-96347