Chest Of Dee

NO08NW 11 centred on 007 884

There is a cluster of twenty-one shieling-huts (MAR93 334-54), situated within a patch of recently burnt-off heather, at the back of a broad terrace to the W of the confluence of the River Dee and the Geldie Burn. The huts lie partly in and partly beside a gully which cuts across the terrace and fades out along the bottom of the slope at the back of the terrace. There are two groups of outliers to the E at NO 011 885 (MAR93 299, 333) and NO 0129 8855 (MAR93 355), both situated towards the leading edge of the terrace, towards the River Dee. The huts range from 2.1m across to 9.7m by 1.9m within faced-rubble walls or rubble banks. One hut (MAR93 354) is exceptionally small, measuring 1.6m by 1.3m internally, and may have served a different function to the larger structures. Three huts (MAR93 333, 337, 340) overlie the remains of earlier huts.

Farquharson's map of the Forrest of Mar (1703) (National Library of Scotland) depicts six open circles at this location.

(MAR93 299, 333-55)

Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 20 July 1993

NO 00228 89475, NO 01360 88800 and NO 00720 88449

Walkover survey was conducted around the environs of known shieling clusters in order to record these features in greater detail and to identify other features in the surrounding landscapes, as well as ground-truthing features identified from aerial photograph interpretation. Features identified were recorded with measured sketch plans and photographs and notes were taken about their condition, construction, and relationship to other features.

NO 00228 89475 Ten shieling hut structures and a storage hut or dairy were identified on a terrace above the River Dee at a height of about 450m above sea level. These structures were all constructed of turf some with low stone foundations and vary in size between 4 x 2m and 6 x 3m.

Above these, sitting on the modern track through the Glen – which we can presume follows the earlier estate hunting tracks – lie two larger drystone constructed rectangular structures which have been interpreted by previous surveys as early hunting camp structures, an interpretation supported by local tradition which relates these structures to an early hunting lodge of the Earls of Mar. Above the hunting camp feature, sitting on the lower slopes of Coire na Cula between 460–500m above sea level, another six shieling hut structures can be identified. These are all of substantial drystone construction, likely due to the nearby scree slope, and varied in size and form similar to the turf shielings below.

NO 01360 88800 five shieling huts structures were identified

along with a storage hut structure and a platform. These lay on a terrace on the hillslope overlooking the Dee at White Bridge at a height of 420m above sea level. These huts varied in form but were mostly rectangular or sub-rectangular and constructed in both stone and turf. Most of these bore similar forms to those identified at the previous shieling cluster. Above these at NO 01358 88928 an additional feature was identified which featured a hut structure constructed in drystone, likely with a now lost turf upper wall, and five associated spaces – some of which may represent pens or small storage hut spaces. It is possible this structure represents either an early irregular sheepfold or a slightly different form of shieling hut – perhaps the location where calves were penned at night to prevent them feeding from the otherwise free roaming dairy cattle. This feature sits between 450–460m above sea level, against a spur in the hillside.

NO 00720 88449 A cluster of 22 shieling hut structures were

identified mostly turf built, some with stone foundations, sitting within the incised valley and along the bank of a burn flowing from the W towards the Dee southeastward. These huts varied in size and form with those in the burns valley a mix of sub- rectangular and rounded in plan and ranging between 4 x 3m to 6 x 3m, and those on the banks above this incised valley more clearly rectangular and ranging from 6 x 3m to 8 x 4m.

Of the three shieling hut structures which were identified in previous surveys, sitting close to this latter cluster above the banks of the Dee, around NO 01137 88583, only one could be identified, the other two may have been lost during improvements to the estate track and drain which run at a similar point in the hillslope.

Archive: The National Trust for Scotland and NRHE (intended)

Funder: CSCS, Scottish History Endowment and ScARF

Edward Stewart – University of Glasgow

(Source DES Volume 23)