Carnliath

NM65NW 12.00 centred 6445 5593

NM65NW 12.01 NM 6443 5612 Carnliath Farmstead

NM65NW 12.02 NM 6416 5617 Carnliath Plantation Bank

Carnliath: Remains of 4 houses (2 rebuilt) and 2 further houses at NM 644 562. Period of early occupation uncertain, but both sites occupied in 1872.

P Gaskell 1968

At NM 6445 5593, five unroofed buildings and one partially roofed building are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1875, sheet xl). Two unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).

At NM 6464 5569 one unroofed building (previously described under NM65NW 25) is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1875, sheet xl), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974)

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 14 May 1998 and 12 February 1999

This township, situated towards the base of a SW-facing slope overlooking Loch Teacuis, was recorded during a pre-afforestation survey on the Rahoy Estate. A row of three drystone-walled buildings are aligned from NE to SW over and adjacent to the chambered cairn of Carnliath (NM65NW 3). They have similar ground plans; each measuring about 9m by 6m overall and divided into two unequal parts. A small store has been constructed in the corner of the ruins of one of the buildings. A fourth building lies to the E of the main group. It is substantially larger, measuring 13m from NW to SE by 5m overall with 0.9m wide walls standing up to 0.4m in height. To the W, towards the farmstead (NM65NW 12.01) there is an enclosure measuring 18m by 12m.

On the NE of this group there is a possible byre at NM 6452 5598. It measures 6m by 3m overall with a 0.5m thick and 0.3m high turf-covered stony bank. The entrance is on the W end of the long S wall. On the E of the entrance, there is a 0.4m wide drain which extends beneath the wall and continues as a slight depression for 15m to the S. The turf-covered footings of a small structure, measuring 6m from N to S by 3m, lies about 20m E of the byre and the footings of a further building, measuring 8m by 5m lie towards the focus of the township to the SW.

There are further two buildings to the N at NM 6456 5612 and NM 6457 5616. Both structures have rounded corners. The S building measures 8m from NW to SE by 4m within 0.6m thick drystone walls standing up to 1.7m in height at the E gable. The entrance is on the NE and the interior is divided into two unequal sized rooms. A small rectilinear enclosure, measuring 20m by 15m lies on the SW. The N building has a similar ground plan. About 13m to the NE, there are the stony moss-covered remains of what may be a small store or outbuilding, measuring 2m square. At the S end of the township, at NM 6467 5573, there is a further building (previously described under NM65NW 25) measuring 8.5m from NW to SE by 4m with 1m wide and 0.4m high banks.

Within the head-dyke of the township, there are at least four patches of rig cultivation, short stretches of dyke and enclosures or pens. What may be a small structure, measuring 5m by 4m within 0.9m wide and 0.3m high moss-covered stony banks, is situated, at NM 6420 5627, to the N of a large irregular enclosure.

The exact location of the plantation dyke described in the Argyll Estate Instructions (Cregeen 1965) at Rahoy is uncertain. Costed at #7 16s3d, 'it begins at the park-dyke of Rahoy and goes above the wood to a small park of arable land. Both ends are inclosed by the dykes of both parks and the lower side by the sea' (Cregeen 1965). As the placename, Uchnanuissaig (meaning field or enclosed area by the shore) is almost certainly the tract of enclosed ground immediately E of Rahoy.

C Lowe and J Wordsworth (Headland Archaeology) 25 May 1999; NMRS MS 899/147, 3, no.21 a-f and h to m

E Cregeen 1965