Learable Hill

NC82SE 13 880 239.

(NC 880 239) Hut Circles & Enclosures (NR)

OS 6"map, (1962)

A settlement of eight, heather-covered hut circles 6m to 12m in diameter internally with earth and stone banks up to 1m high and spread to 2.5m with entrances in the SE. The huts at NC 8806 2390 and NC 88202390 - each has a large portal stone. Discovered during field survey.

Visited by OS 4 May 1962

The huts are as described above; one or two possible clearance heaps in the vicinity are the only indication of contemporary cultivation in the area, which is generally stone free.

Revised at 1/10,000

Visited by OS (J B) 20 January 1977

There are eight hut-circles and two burnt mounds scattered over a distance of 500m along the lower slopes of the SW flank of Learable Hill. The main group of five hut-circles is situated at NC 879 239 and the remaining three are scattered over a distance of some 350m to the SE. One of the burnt mounds lies to the W end of the settlement and the other to the E.

A. NC 8825 2373 This oval hut-circle is situated on a natural terrace and measures 9.1m from N to S by 8.4m transversely within a bank spread to 3.2m in thickness and 0.5m in height with an entrance on the SSE. There is a subsidiary enclosure on the E, measuring 4.7m in length by 4.3m in breadth.

(KILD91 227)

B. NC 8820 2390 This hut-circle is situated on a natural terrace and measures 7.3m in diameter within a bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.5m in height. There is a stone-lined entrance on the SE and the traces of an inner face of boulders.

(KILD91 228)

C. NC 8806 2390 This oval hut-circle is situated on a natural terrace and measures 10m from NNW to SSE by 9.5m transversely within a bank spread to 2.6m in thickness and 0.6m in height with an entrance on the SE, which has a boulder 0.8m in height on its N side.

(KILD91 229)

D. NC 8797 2395 This terraced hut-circle measures 9.7m in diameter within a bank spread to 2.2m in thickness and 0.3m in height with an entrance on the ESE.

(KILD91 230)

E. NC 8797 2399 This slightly-terraced oval hut-circle measures 11m from N to S by 9m transversely within a bank spread to 3m in thickness and 0.5m in height with an entrance on the S.

(KILD91 231)

F. NC 8795 2398 This terraced oval hut-circle measures 11m from NW to SE by 9.8m transversely within a bank spread to 3.1m in thickness and 0.5m in height. A gap in the S arc leads to a terrace 2m in width and there is an entrance on the SW.

(KILD91 232)

G. NC 8793 2398 This terraced oval hut-circle measures 11.8m from NW to SE by 11m transversely within a bank spread to 2.3m in thickness and 0.7m in height. There is a gap in the S arc, leading to a terrace, and an entrance on the SE.

(KILD91 233)

H. NC 8793 2401 This terraced oval hut-circle measures 5.8m from NW to SE by 4.7m transversely within a bank spread to 1.8m in thickness and 0.3m in height with an entrance on the SE.

(KILD91 234)

I. NC 8785 2396 This large U-shaped burnt mound lies some 80m W of the main hut-circle group, just above the valley floor; it measures 12.8m from NW to SE by 10.4m transversely and stands some 1.2m in height with its open side to the SE. It has a large trough area, and charcoal and heat-shattered stones are visible in an exposure on the SW, or downslope side, of the mound.

(KILD91 235)

J. NC 8825 2363 This small U-shaped burnt mound lies on the NW side of a small unnamed burn about 100m to the S of hut-circle 'A'; it measures 6.9m from NE to SW by 6.5m transversely and stands 0.6m in height with its open side to the SE.

(KILD91 226)

Visited by RCAHMS (PJD) 3 May 1991.