Achanellan

NC75SW 19 centred 727 532.

(NC 727 532) Achanellan. The remains of a depopulated settlement which since it was under sheep-farming in 1873 (ONB 1873) was presumably one of those abandoned during the clearance of Strathnaver between 1814 and 1819.

Name Book 1873; J Prebble 1963.

Achanellan, a deserted township, comprises at least thirteen building footings, including five "long-houses". Ranging from 25.0 by 4.0 to 30.0 by 4.0m the rest vary from 7.0 by 4.0 to 18.0 by 4.0m. Associated are enclosures and field banks and, at NC 7278 5331, the remains of a corn-drying kiln. There is rig-and-furrow cultivation on the adjacent haugh of the River Naver.

Revised at 1:10 000.

Visited by OS (J M) 19 July 1977.

This township, comprising six unroofed long buildings, six other unroofed buildings and four enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1878, sheet xxvii). Seventeen unroofed buildings, and three enclosures are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,560 map (1962),

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 22 August 1995.

NC 7190 5498 Cairns and small enclosures (NC75NW 19). An area with 13 cairns and two small enclosures. The cairns vary in height from 0.2-1.0m, and in diameter from 2-6m. Two of the cairns have associated earth banks forming partial encircling arcs. One of the enclosures is circular with an internal diameter of 5m, and the other is oval, 6 x 4m; both have openings to the SE.

Full report deposited in Highland SMR

Sponsor: NOSAS

M Marshall 2002