Islay, Glacan Daraich

NR 261 666. This group of prehistoric monuments is situated on a gentle SE-facing slope some 500 m SW of Gruinart School and 1km E of a similar complex at An Sithean (RCAHMS 1984, No. 237 [Canmore ID 37374]). Only a fragment of the group is now visible; the N margin has been destroyed by later agriculture, and on the S and E the development of blanket peat has masked the features.

At least four hut-circles have been recorded; three (A-C) are ranged in line across the slope, while the fourth (D) lies; improved pasture to the N. Hut-circle A is the best preserved and measures 6.5m in diameter within what is now a stony bank 3m thick and up to 0.8m high; the entrance is on the SE and is shielded by an outer wall on the S. Hut-circle B is 5m in diameter within a disturbed stony bank 1.5m thick and 0.35m high; the entrance is on the ESE with a large boulder forming part of the N side of the entrance-passage. Hut-circle C measures 7.5m in diameter within a heather-covered stony bank 2 m thick by 0-4 m high and the entrance is on the S. The relationship of the hut-circle to the banks that abut it is not clear because of the deep heather; on the N, however, the bank appears to ride up on to the crest of the hut wall and may post-date the hut-circle. The fourth hut-circle (D) has been partially obscured by field-gathered stones, but it was probably the largest of the group measuring 8 m in diameter within a stony bank about 3m thick and at least 0.4m high, with several outer facing-stones visible on the SE. The entrance is on the SSE and one of the facing-stones lining the S side of the passage is still in position. A semicircular arc of banking (E), 1.5m thick and 0.2m high, may be the remains of a further hut-circle which had been levelled into the slope with the bank being built only on the downhill side.

Only a small part of what formerly must have been a much more extensive prehistoric field-system can still be seen. It consists of a series of stony banks, up to 2m thick and 0.4m high, which appear to make up a number of irregular enclosures ranging from 0.01 ha (F) to over 0.22 ha (G) in area, and it is possible that some of the banks extended to form larger land divisions of several hectares in extent. Although there are many recent breaks in the banks, others seem to be of some antiquity and may mark the positions of gateways; simple gaps were recorded on the W side of enclosure G, S and NW of hut-circle B, and N of hut-circle C, and to the SE of hut-circle E there is a more sophisticated, staggered entrance-gap. In addition to the banks there are several short stretches of lynchet-like terraces, particularly sw of hut-circle E and NW of A, these may result from the destruction of field-banks by later ploughing or they may be original early features. Besides the hut-circles and field-boundaries there are at least fourteen small cairns, ranging from 3m to 7m in diameter by up to 0.5m in height, and doubtless others have been destroyed as a result of land clearance. The remains of later agriculture can be seen over much of the site, particularly w of a ruined stone wall which runs from N to S. In the SW well-developed rig-and-furrow cultivation still survives, but in the N this has been removed by more recent ploughing.

RCAHMS 1984, visited April 1981

RCAHMS surveyed the hut circles, field system and cairns at Glacan Daraich at a scale of 1:1000. The plan (covering about 9 hectares) was redrawn in ink and published at a reduced scale (RCAHMS 1984, fig. 139).