Torridon, Inveralligin

There are two crofthouses in this area (17) and (20), and both sites were shown with two roofed buildings each in 1875. Today, the area is much altered by the replacement of the crofthouses with modern homes.

However at NG84305755 behind crofthouse (20), within the garden ground, there is a ruined drystone structure which may be that shown on the 1966 map almost abutting the old head dyke. This is possibly also marked on the 1837 estate map, which certainly shows a roofed structure in this area.

(TOR 96 153)

Information from NTS (SCS) February 2014

Centred on: NG 8433 5757

A Historic Building Survey and photographic record were carried out on the small former crofthouse of Craigloiste in Inveralligin in Torridon.

Investigation of documentary evidence and survey of the building reveal it to have been probably constructed around 1880 in its present form on the site of a previous, smaller structure, probably incorporating some of the original stonework and to have undergone at least one major alteration at the end of the 19th century. Major refurbishment in the 1960s or later have obscured or removed many of the original features and fittings.

The building is set at the base of the talus slope of the rocky outcrop which presumably gives Craigloiste its name. The talus is stable and supports large, mature trees. The slope has been dug into to insert the house, allowing about 10m of level ground in front of the building before the slope drops away to the public road. The enclosure recorded on the 1st and 2nd edition OS maps was not identified, but could have been obscured by snow cover. It is also possible that walling was removed to provide parking and turning space for vehicles. This level platform is now occupied by a boat, trailer and car. There is no hardstanding. The property is bounded by a post and wire fence of fairly modern construction and access is via a gateway to the east. A small gateway also gives access to the adjacent property to the west.

To the north of the cottage, outwith the boundary fence, a small rubble rectangular structure has been built on to a boulder. This is aligned N-S, with a doorway in the south gable. The north gable stands to full height, just under 2m. The small internal dimensions suggest a kennel or chicken house.

To the west is a new-built house, hardstanding and access road. To the south of the hardstanding can be seen the rubble walling of the south of the enclosure and a corner of the attached small building which were indicated on the 1st edition OS map. Behind the modern house, set on the talus, are the footings of a building. It is worth noting that the stonework includes a number of squared, possibly quarried stones. Behind this, the remains of the rubble boundary dyke rising from the SW as shown on the 1st edition OS map, deviates to make use of large boulders before meeting the rock face.

The south, east and west elevations are covered with a stained white-painted cement render which obscures all the stonework. There is a slight bulge at the base of the west gable corner, indicating the use of large irregular boulders in the lower courses which is typical of croft house building. The stonework is exposed on the north elevation, and is random rubble, roughly coursed, of a pink sandstone, probably the local field stone. The quoins are roughly shaped. Different phases of pointing are visible, the more recent adjacent to the central window opening, which has been enlarged, the lintel being a coarse concrete slab. The initials ‘KML’ painted on to a stone to the east of the window may be associated with the renovation work.

The chimneys appear to be constructed of more shaped, dark grey stone, similar to the stone of the adjacent ruinous cottage. They are capped with a concrete slab and modern chimney pot.

The roofing is corrugated metal, painted black in the central section and corroding to the sides at the front. At the back, the lower edge of the corrugated sheets is ragged and has been repaired by the insertion of new sheets under the older. The gable coping is concrete. The guttering and downpipes are plastic.

The porch attached to the south elevation has a base of rendered probable breeze block and upper timber framing faced with unpainted horizontal wood planks and timber-framed windows. The roofing of the porch is corrugated iron.

The central part of the roof at the back has been raised to accommodate a bathroom. This wood-framed extension is also faced with horizontal planking and there are the remains of tar paper on the west side. One small wood-framed window is inserted centrally on the north face. The iron rooflight propped against the front elevation may have been removed from the original section of roof here.

The general layout of the interior is typical of a 19th century croft house on the west coast, with one central entrance leading into a small hallway from which doors into the two downstairs rooms open. The size of this hall and the positioning of the stairs allow some variation in the layout: a larger hallway allows no room for a back scullery but does allow for a small third bedroom space upstairs. In this case the hallway is narrow and the stairwell brought forward to allow for the back scullery, but the first floor may have contained only the two bedrooms. The front porch and upstairs back bathroom are late 20th century additions.

Information from NTS (SCS) March 2016