Allt Na Crionaiche

NH 45044 49986 While exploring a nearby prehistoric site on the 30 December 2014, the remains of an illicit still bothy were located at an altitude of 270m on the E bank of the Allt na Crionaiche, c3km W of Aultgowrie Bridge. The bothy had been excavated into the bank of the gully and occupies an area of 5m2. It is of dry stone construction and consists of three parts: an internal chamber measuring 1.8m2; a passageway to

the S with an entrance into the chamber to the rear/E; and an external platform next to the burn on the W. The remains of the walls are mainly 0.5–0.7m high, the rear wall has stone facing to a height of 1m in the NE corner.

Archive: NOSAS. Report: Highland HER

Meryl Marshall – NOSAS

(Source: DES)

NH 45170 49760 A project of survey and recording archaeological features in the vicinity of the Allt na Crionaiche on the Fairburn Estate was carried out by NOSAS members between August 2018 and June 2021. The area covered was roughly 1km2 and two post- medieval farmsteads, two illicit distilling sites and a group of shielings were identified.

Allt na Crionaiche – Farmstead 1

NH 45170 49760 This is the main/westmost farmstead (features 1 to 4 below and on plan) of two on the S facing slope above the Allt Goibhre at an altitude of 230m. It comprises two buildings and two enclosures, a further possible building (Feature 5) and cultivation remains (Feature 8) are to the NW.

NH 45173 49762 – Feature 1: stone footings of a rectangular building aligned SW–NE. The building measures 8 x 2m internally and the walls are double faced, generally 0.5m thick (but 1m at SW end) and of height 0.5–0.8m. Two compartments are indicated by a change in level, the compartment at the W end being higher. The corners are square and an entrance, 1m in width, is seen in the SE wall. The footings of a crudely constructed outshot abuts the SW corner, this is 3 x 2m internally and has rounded corners at its S end.

NH 45250 49710 Feature 2: The main enclosure. This large sub- rectangular grassy enclosure measures roughly 220 x 60m and is on a NW-SE alignment. It is defined by a substantial turf and stone wall. The main farmstead sits within the enclosure at the N end, to the S there is also a smaller enclosure and a building.

NH 45230 49706 Feature 3: This small sub-rectangular enclosure, measures roughly 13 x 11m, the E wall abuts the main enclosure.

NH 45213 49702 Feature 4: The stone footings, 0.5m high, of a small building measuring 4m x 2m internally with an entrance in the SE wall.

NH 45217 49855 Feature 5: A grassy platform on a knoll to the NE of the farmstead may have held a timber building. The platform is roughly circular and 10m in diameter, the southern edge of the platform has a sloping revetted stone face, which is clearly not natural.

NH 4555 5020 Feature 8: A rectangular area measuring roughly 200 x 100m on a south facing slope has curving furrows varying at intervals of between 3 and 5m. It was seen particularly well following muirburn. Several large clearance cairns are within the area.

Allt na Crionaiche – Farmstead 2

NH 45300 48760 The smaller/eastmost of the two farmsteads at Allt na Crionaiche (Features 6 and 7) is much more wasted and on a grassy spur 100m to the E of the main farmstead.

NH 45330 49808 Feature 6: At the centre of an area of improved land on top of a grassy knoll this rectangular building, measuring 7 x 2.5m, is aligned SE–NW and has low turf and stone footings.

NH 45353 49750 Feature 7: An L shaped alignment of walls, 75m and 44m in length, indicate an enclosure, surrounding a grassy improved area.

Allt na Crionaiche – Shielings

NH 45060 49780 This group of seven shielings is on the S facing W bank of the Allt na Crionaiche and between 220m and 250m altitude.

NH 44990 49984 Shieling 1: a shieling defined by two linear stone footings on an E–W alignment enclosing an internal area of 3 x 1m

NH 45072 49849 Shieling 2: Recessed into an E facing slope this shieling is aligned NE–SW and measures 3 x 1.2m internally. It has a turf and stone bank 0.3m high and there is an entrance at the centre of this wall.

NH 45090 49788 Shieling 3: A raised oval platform of stone and turf, 0.2m in height, measuring 4.5 x 3m and on an E/W alignment.

NH 45107 49774 Shieling 4: A raised oval platform of stone and turf on a N/S alignment measuring 5 x 3m

NH 45135 49780 Shieling 5: This is the only one of the group on the E bank of the Allt na Crionaiche. It is much more substantial, on an E/W alignment and has two compartments. The largest W compartment has turf and stone walls 0.4m in height and 1m thick surrounding an internal area 4 x 2m; the corners are rounded and there is an entrance in the S wall. The outshot on the E side has rough stone footings enclosing an internal area of roughly 1.5m2. NH 45094 49793 Shieling 6: The stone footings of this rectangular shieling on an E/W alignment are barely discernible and more distinct at its east end. The internal area is roughly 5 x

2m and it is at an altitude of 240m.

NH 45096 49745 Shieling 7: This structure appears as a low oval mound on an E/W alignment measuring 5 x 3m. It has a “dished” centre and is at an altitude of 235m.

Allt na Crionaiche/Allt Goibhre – Earthbank

NH 45110 49590 A low turf and stone bank roughly 60m in length GR NH 45164 49568 (S end) to NH 45116 49599 (N end), runs NW from the edge of the steep slope above the Allt Goibhre. It may continue northwards but deep heather made this difficult to determine; it may well be a boundary wall of the “Improvement Period”.

Allt na Crionaiche – distilling site

NH 45044 49986 The remains of this illicit still bothy (Canmore ID: 351708) are located at an altitude of 270m on the E bank of the Allt na Crionaiche. The bothy has been recessed into the bank of the gully and occupies an area of 5m2. It is of dry stone construction and comprises three parts, an internal chamber measuring 1.8m2, a passageway to the S with an entrance into the chamber to the rear/east and an external platform next to the burn on the W. The remains of the walls are between 0.5m and 0.7m in height although the rear wall has stone facing to a height of 1m in the NE corner.

Allt Loch Cruach na Lithe – distilling site

This probable still bothy is on the W side of the burn at an altitude of 240m. It is a rectangular structure on a NW/SE alignment at the foot of a steep slope. It measures roughly 8 x 3m overall and comprises two parts; the NW part is a level mossy platform with evidence of stones paving and the SE part is a small crudely built pen possibly of more recent origin; it measures c2m x 1.5m and the N wall is 0.8m in height.

Archive: NOSAS Funder: NOSAS

Meryl Marshall – North of Scotland Archaeological Society (NOSAS)

(Source: DES Vol 22)