Raasay, North Fearns

NG53NE 51 centred 589 357

See also NG53NE 103.

To the N and S of the Hallaig road and extending down to the shore are the extensive remains of the deserted settlements of North and South Fearns. Over 60 ruinous structures are visible plus numerous enclosures and extensive rig cultivation.

Visited by CS and IJ, 27 March 1991.

R Miket et al; NMRS MS/530

A township comprising sixteen unroofed buildings, two fields, three enclosures and part of a head-dyke is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, Isle of Skye 1879, sheet xxxvi). Five roofed, eighteen unroofed buildings, five enclosures, some field walls and part of a head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1989).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH), 8 November 1996

NG 5882 3581 (centre) The survey of the township of North Fearns (part 1) plus a field survey of the north of Raasay was carried out by ACFA in April 2002 as part of a continuing programme of recording the physical remains of human activity on the island (DES 2001, 60-61).

Township of North Fearns

The deserted township of North Fearns lies on the E coast of Raasay at the E end of the public road from Inverarish. The township is situated on a number of terraces on the steep slopes of Beinn na Leac overlooking the Inner Sound. The road, which divides the township into two parts, runs along one of these terraces.

It was decided in 2002 that the survey would concentrate on that part of the township that lies above the road and within the head dyke. In addition, the survey would also include the higher terraces on which were a number of large enclosures shown on the OS 1:10,000 and on the 1st edition OS maps.

The township now consists of the remains of some 25 houses/byres, smaller structures, probably stores, and a corn-drying kiln, and their surrounding field systems. Lying above and to the NW of the township is an area containing a great number of shielings: this we have designated Upper North Fearns.

NG 5847 3581 House.

NG 5851 3581 Byre/store.

NG 5851 3580 House.

NG 5871 3580 Bothy/byre.

NG 5876 3583 House.

NG 5882 3581 House.

NG 5882 3581 House/byre.

NG 5887 3586 Enclosure.

NG 5885 3589 House.

NG 5886 3589 Cairn.

NG 5889 3585 Pen.

NG 5878 3588 Clearance cairns.

NG 5892 3595 Enclosure.

NG 5892 3592 Enclosure.

NG 5896 3596 Enclosure.

NG 5902 3597 Shieling.

NG 5905 3602 Enclosure.

NG 5917 3610 Enclosure.

NG 5915 3605 Enclosure.

NG 5916 3615 Enclosure.

NG 5925 3607 House.

NG 5928 3609 House.

NG 5929 3610 House.

NG 5932 3609 House and ?kiln.

NG 5929 3605 Scoops and mounds.

NG 5928 3602 House.

NG 5924 3597 House.

NG 5936 3610 House.

NG 5934 3612 House.

NG 5938 3618 House.

NG 5938 3619 House/byre.

NG 5945 3623 House.

NG 5944 3622 Store/byre.

Upper North Fearns

NG 5901 3615 Enclosure.

NG 5915 3625 Enclosure.

NG 5925 3630 Enclosure.

NG 5936 3633 Enclosure.

NG 5940 3640 Enclosure.

NG 5871 3617 Shieling.

NG 5876 3620 Shieling.

NG 5896 3621 Shieling.

NG 5895 3615 Shieling/kiln.

NG 5896 3614 Shieling.

NG 5903 3628 Iodhlann. [stack-yard]

NG 5904 3634 Shieling.

NG 5906 3635 Shieling.

NG 5905 3635 Shieling.

NG 5904 3634 Shieling.

NG 5901 3635 Shieling.

NG 5901 3636 Shieling/pen.

NG 5901 3637 Shieling.

NG 5896 3634 Shieling.

NG 5890 3636 Shieling.

NG 5891 3639 Pen/rock shelter.

NG 5920 3623 Enclosure.

NG 5926 3636 Shieling.

NG 5920 3632 Shieling.

NG 5931 3632 ?Kerb cairn/shieling.

NG 5934 3634 Shielings.

NG 5938 3634 Shieling.

NG 5928 3638 Shieling.

NG 5925 3637 Enclosure/pen.

NG 5925 3636 Shieling.

NG 5926 3636 Shieling.

NG 5930 3641 Shieling.

NG 5930 3643 Shieling.

NG 5938 3644 Shieling.

Sponsors: Glasgow Archaeological Society, CBA Challenge Funding

J Macdonald and J S Wood 2002

NG 5910 3585 (centre) A survey of the township of North Fearns (part 2) was carried out in April 2003 by ACFA as part of a continuing programme of recording the physical remains of human activity on the island of Raasay.

Township of North Fearns

The partially deserted township of North Fearns lies on the E coast of Raasay at the E end of the public road from Inverarish. The township is situated on a number of terraces on the steep slopes of Beinn na Leac overlooking the Inner Sound. The road, which divides the township into two parts, runs along one of these terraces. In 2002 the area above the road was surveyed (DES 2002, 75-6) and the area below the road in 2003. This now completes the survey of North Fearns.

The township now consists of four holiday homes and the remains of some 33 houses/byres, smaller structures (probably stores), a corn-drying kiln and their surrounding field systems.

NG 5867 3567 Longhouse; house.

NG 5868 3569 House; ?house; structure; ruinous structures.

NG 5873 3572 ?House.

NG 5872 3571 Kiln-barn.

NG 5882 3575 House.

NG 5883 3569 ?House.

NG 5886 3567 ?House.

NG 5892 3566 House.

NG 5899 3571 Store.

NG 5902 3568 ?Byre.

NG 5901 3570 Byre.

NG 5900 3573 Pen.

NG 5878 3577 ?House.

NG 5889 3578 Structure and banks.

NG 5893 3581 ?House.

NG 5904 3579 Byre.

NG 5909 3580 Byre.

NG 5913 3582 House/byre.

NG 5910 3582 Complex of structures comprising: iodhlainn; byre; ?house; ?house/byre.

NG 5917 3587 House; ?byre.

NG 5919 3588 ?House.

NG 5919 3590 ?House and byre; ?house/byre.

NG 5919 3591 ?Byre.

NG 5921 3589 House; kiln-barn.

NG 5922 3590 Modern shed base.

NG 5921 3591 ?Structure.

NG 5927 3598 House.

Full report lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsors: Glasgow Archaeological Society, CBA Challenge Funding.

J MacDonald and J S Wood 2003.