Eigg, Sgorr Gobhar

This group of at least 18 structures stands on a broad terrace between the cliffs of Sgorr Gobhar and the coastline and forms part of an almost continuous series of similar structures along the NE coast of Eigg (eg NM48NE 172; NM48NE 173). Spread out over an area measuring about 400m from N to S by 100m transversely the group includes at least ten huts, a building, five pens and two enclosures as well as the remains of lazy bed cultivation (feannagan) and a field system.

The only structure large enough to be called a building (913) stands at NM 49500 87812. Rectangular on plan and badly robbed it measures 9.1m from E to W by 4.1m transversely within a stony bank spread to 1.1m in thickness and 0.4m in height. There is a plot cultivation about 20m to the NE which appears to sit within an oval enclosure. Between 60m and 120m S of this building there is a hut, three pens and two enclosures. The hut (965) measures only 2.4m by 1.6m within a rubble wall 0.6m in height and 0.2m in height, and each of the pens is about 1m square. The larger of the two enclosures (968) is oval and measures 9.3m by 7.3m internally.

Some 120m N of the building there is a second concentration of nine huts (914-922). The largest hut (917) is sub-rectangular and stands at NM 49527 87976. It measures 5.2m from NE to SW by 2.8m transversely within a faced rubble wall 0.8m in thickness and 0.5m in height. There is a later pen in the N corner. To the N of this group there are two patches of lazy bedding aligned from ENE to WSW.

EIGG01 913-922, 963-8

Visited by RCAHMS (SDB) 17 April 2002, 22 April 2002