Strathdearn

This animal trap is set into a slope within woodland at the south shore of Loch Moy. It comprises a pit measuring about 5.5m in diameter at the surface tapering to 1m at its base, and is a maximum of 2m in depth. There is a bank of upcast material on the downslope edge.

The pit is depicted as a ‘Wolf Trap’ on the 1st edition of the OS 6 inch map (Inverness-shire (Mainland), Sheet XXI, 1871-5) and, although there is no accompanying entry in the Name Book, we can be confident that the label derives from a reference to wolves and ‘traps formed for taking them’ written in 1836 (New Stat. Acct. 1845, v14, 102; cf. Trans. of the Inverness Scientific Society and Field Club 1888, 111).

One would accept this without comment, but for the fact that wolves may not have survived in Scotland beyond the 17th century (Harrison 2012). Indeed, the Statistical Account for Moy and Dalarossie published in 1793 makes no mention of wolves, instead noting that ‘foxes are very numerous overall in this county and very destructive to sheep and poultry. Of late years, a fox-hunter has been hired by the neighbourhood to destroy them’ (v8, 502), suggesting a more plausible explanation for the high number of well-preserved animal traps in the area (cf NH73SE 34, NH73SE 36; NH73SE 38; NH73SE 39).

Visited by RCAHMS (GFG) 7 April 2014.