Syke, Creagan Breaca
Dyke(S) (Period Unassigned), Farmstead(S) (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric), Pen(S) (Period Unassigned), Rig And Furrow(S) (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Shieling(S) (Post Medieval), Township(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Syke, Creagan Breaca
Classification Dyke(S) (Period Unassigned), Farmstead(S) (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric), Pen(S) (Period Unassigned), Rig And Furrow(S) (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Shieling(S) (Post Medieval), Township(S) (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 346678
Site Number NG33NE 54
NGR NG 38535 39900
NGR Description Centred on NG 38535 39900
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/346678
- Council Highland
- Parish Bracadale
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Skye And Lochalsh
- Former County Inverness-shire
Field Visit (8 February 2012 - 20 February 2012)
NG 38535 39900 (centred on) A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out 8–20 February 2012 in advance of a woodland creation scheme. The survey identified 84 new archaeological sites including six prehistoric hut circles and fragments of contemporary boulder walls, and later settlement remains including townships, farmsteads, pens, shielings and a complex of turf and stone dykes, probably of post-medieval date. A total of 29 areas of relict rig and furrow cultivation were also recorded, which complements the settlement remains. Most of the hut circles were found to be poorly preserved and were overlain by later shieling structures, while some of the huts located in marginal upland environments are partially covered by peat growth.
The desk-based sources do not generally provide any additional detail to assist our interpretation of the post-medieval settlement sites. Indeed, most of the settlements recorded, whether individual farmsteads or townships are not depicted on early cartographic sources. It is possible that a complex of houses, byres and associated structures located S of the survey area formed a part of the Glen Bracadale Township. The the township of Ach’ an Locha is represented by several farmsteads recorded in the W of the survey area.
Archive: Highland HER, RCAHMS and WCAS (intended)
Funder: Scottish Woodlands
Steven Birch, West Coast Archaeological Services
2012
Field Visit (8 February 2012 - 12 February 2012)
Site 36 - Several areas of peat cutting associated with Post Medieval settlement are visible across the survey area.
Information from OASIS ID - westcoas1-120266 (S Birch) 2012
Field Visit (8 February 2012 - 12 February 2012)
(NG 38535 39900) Site 34a - At base of SSE-facing outcrop is a stone/boulder-built shieling group under grass / rushes. Double cell shieling connected by creep: W cell 2.2m across, E cell 5.5m E-W by 4.5m over walls 1m
wide and 0.5m high. 0.6m-wide elongated entrance 1.5m long.
(NG 38538 39891) Site 34b - At base of SSE-facing outcrop is a stone/boulder-built shieling group under grass / rushes. Double cell shieling: NE cell 5.2m NW-SE by 4.5m, SW cell 2.5m diameter over walls 1m wide and 0.5m high.
(NG 38538 39888) Site 34c - At base of SSE-facing outcrop is a stone/boulder-built shieling group under grass / rushes. Double cell shieling: NE cell 5.2m NW-SE by 4.5m, SW cell 2.5m diameter over walls 1m wide and 0.5m high. Later twinning pen measures 1.4m diameter 0.4m walls.
(NG 38537 39884) Site 34d - At base of SSE-facing outcrop is a stone/boulder-built shieling group under grass / rushes. Boulder-built shieling attached to outcrop measures 4m NE-SW by 3m over walls 0.6m wide and 0.6m high. No visible entrance.
(NG 38526 39868) Site 34e - At base of SSE-facing outcrop is a stone/boulder-built shieling group under grass / rushes. Double cell shieling connected by creep: SW cell 4.5m NW-SE by 3.5m, NE cell 4.2m NE-SW by 3.2m over walls 0.7m wide and 0.6m high. 0.7m-wide entrance in NE end.
(NG 38506 39870) Site 34f - Stone/boulder triple cell shieling oriented NW-SE and connected by creep at NW end: central cell 4.5m by 3m, NW cell 3m by 2m with 0.6m wide entrance in S wall. SE cell 2.5m by 2m with
0.7m wide entrance in S wall. Walls 0.6m wide and 0.5m high.
Information from OASIS ID - westcoas1-120266 (S Birch) 2012
