Cnoc Na Gamhna
Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric)
Site Name Cnoc Na Gamhna
Classification Cairnfield (Prehistoric), Hut Circle(S) (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 5543
Site Number NC63NE 14
NGR NC 6887 3638
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/5543
- Council Highland
- Parish Farr
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
Field Visit (20 May 1909)
On the right bank of the Mallart River, about 1m above the bridge at the waterfall near Achness, and rather more than ½ m to the E, on the shoulder of Cnoc na Gamhna, near the 500ft contour line, is a large group of mounds. They are very numerous, with a few hut circles interspersed among them, especially towards the S end. The mounds are of the usual small class, and the circles are of the simple oval form, and one or two of them are remarkably well preserved, with the walls about a couple of feet high, and with upright stones of about the same height on either side of the entrance.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 20 May 1909.
OS 6" map (1906-7) 'Hut Circles and Tumuli'
Field Visit (8 May 1961)
NC63NE 14 688 363.
There are nine hut circles in association with field clearance heaps.
Visited by OS (E G C) 8 May 1961.
Field Visit (29 March 1977)
NC63NE 14 688 363.
(NC 688 365) Enclosures (NR) (five shown) (NC 689 362) Enclosures (NR) (four shown)
OS 6"map, (1963)
This is a settlement of ten hut circles (A-J), including a newly recognised one (J) at NC 6997 3619, situated on a west-facing hillside. Re-afforestation of the general area obscures or has destroyed many of the field clearance heaps.
Huts A, C-E and I have all been mutilated to some extent by deep-ploughing and tree-planting - recoverable details of the last one in particular are very scant; the remaining huts are in clearings. Excepting 'F', they are circular and internal dimensions range between 7.0 and 12.0m diameter; an entrance to most is still intact, and is from the south quarter - in 'B's case the entrance is clubbed, with a lining slab evident in its west side. The walls are generally reduced to a low, overgrown spread 2.0 - 2.5m broad, but in two noticeably robust huts (B and C) stand 1.2m high, in the east arc, and 0.6m high respectively. 'F' is very well-defined and measures 12.0 by 10.5m within a boulder-faced heather-covered wall, 0.8m high and an estimated 1.5m main width. The entrance from the SSE is on the line of the longer axis and is splayed; the passage is perhaps 2.6m long and opposing edging slabs give a width 0.8m inside increasing to 2.0m outside.
Revised at 1/10,000.
Hut J - Surveyed at 1:10 560.
Visited by OS (J M) 29 March 1977.
