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Achins

Enclosure(S) (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle (Prehistoric)

Site Name Achins

Classification Enclosure(S) (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle (Prehistoric)

Alternative Name(s) Sandside Burn

Canmore ID 7353

Site Number NC96SE 31

NGR NC 9606 6337

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/7353

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Reay
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Caithness
  • Former County Caithness

Archaeology Notes

NC96SE 31 9606 6337.

The remains of an enclosure, centred at NC 960 634, are built of closely-set boulders, and measure 78m by 90m, with a large gap in the NE sector. Within is another enclosure of the same build, about 11m in diameter, and a hut circle, 5m N to S by 4m transversely. Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (R D) 26 November 1964 and (J L D) 24 May 1960.

(NC 9606 6337) Enclosure (NR)

OS 6"map, (1963)

On the SW face of a moorland ridge is an enclosure within an encircling stretch of orthostatic walling. The enclosure is oval and measures 14m by 9m across within a single course of medium to large stones; an entrance appears to have been from the SE on the line of the main axis. The walling flanks the E, S and W sides of the enclosure and presumably had continued round the N to complete a field or stock enclosure approximately 90m by 70m. In the NW is an entrance gap 3m wide. Some 19m W of this gap are are faint indications of linear stone clearance. On the spine of the ridge is a series of broken mounds, one of which was incorrectly classified as a hut circle. Between two of the mounds is an L-shaped section of tenuous bank, 8m by 3.5m, tentatively suggesting a footing. These mounds may be the remains of shieling bothies.

The enclosure and the surrounding wall appear to be of some age and are almost certainly contemporary. However, the period is speculative. Revised at 1:10,560.

Visited by OS (J M) 17 July 1981.

This enclosure was noted during a pre-afforestation survey of the Sandside Estate. It can still be clearly traced and there is a hut-circle and smaller enclosure at the southernmost point.

C Dagg 13 October 1998; NMRS MS 1008/3, no.23

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