Raasay, An Leac

NG53NE 46 centred on 5983 3732

Situated on a narrow N-S shelf 30m above the sea, on the E coast of Raasay, with steep cliffs inland to the W is an abandoned settlement. Remians consist of four long-houses, and two byres, one, possibly earlier, circular building, 6m in diameter, a stone walled enclosure, and three cleared fields enclosed by earth banks and a small area of rig cultivation. The Fearns to Hallaig track runs through the site.

Visited by J S Wood and S Hothersall 28 March 1991.

R Miket et al 1991; NMRS MS/530

An enclosure is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, Isle of Skye 1879, sheet xxxi) and on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1989).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 31 October 1996

The survey of the townships of Hallaig and An Leac was carried out by ACFA in April 2004 as part of a continuing programme of recording the physical remains of human activity on the island of Raasay (DES 2003, 90-91).

NG 5982 3723 (centre) The cleared township of An Leac (NG53NE 46) lies on the E coast and is situated mid-way along the 19th-century track between Fearns and Hallaig. It was cleared at the same time as Hallaig.

The township, which is the smallest on Raasay, consists of 10 structures. These include the remains of houses, byres, etc. It is similar to Hallaig in that the most outstanding feature is the large post-Clearance stone-built sheep fank, 40 x 140m, the stones of which come from the surrounding houses. It is of similar construction to the one at Hallaig.

An Leac is also surrounded by an extensive field system comprising field banks, remains of rig, and a number of shielings lying in the area around and on Beinn na Leac.

Full report lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsors: Glasgow Archaeological Society, CBA Challenge Funding.

J Macdonald and J S Wood 2004