Achrasker

NC96SE 76 9922 6358

A farmstead comprising four unroofed buildings, one of which is a long building, and two enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet x). Three buildings and three enclosures are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,000 map (1987).

Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 12 September 1995.

The farmstead of Achrasker (NMRS, MS 738/25, no.2), was recorded during the course of a pre-afforestation survey by AOC (Scotland) Ltd. The farmstead comprises three freestanding buildings and two enclosures, one with two structures attached and the other with one small structure attached. The largest building, which is over 15m long and has a doorway in the SE wall, has a partition and is probably the dwelling-house. The walls, which are turf-covered, stand up to 0.5m in height. The other buildings and the dykes also consist of turf-covered stone walls and vary in height from 0.3m to 0.7m in height.

A dyke, runs from NW to SE, to either side of the farmstead. To the SE of the farmstead, the dyke turns SW before fading away in a very boggy area (NC 9934 6341), possibly picking up again at NC 9920 6318 from where it continues SW for almost 200m to NC 9907 6302 (NMRS, MS 738/25, no.11). Several small patches of NE to SW oriented rig lie to the SW of the dyke in the vicinity of the farmstead.

A Smith and D Rankin, AOC (Scotland) Ltd, November 1995; NMRS MS 738/25

NC 993 634 (centre) A pre-afforestation survey was carried out on behalf of Historic Scotland by AOC (Scotland) Ltd in November 1995, covering slightly less than 1sq km of land at Achrasker, 3km SE of Reay. Nine sites had already been recorded in the area by the RCAHMS. The survey found that some of the known sites were more extensive than previously recorded, and in addition discovered several new sites, including:

NC 992 636 Achrasker farmstead, dyke, rig and furrow

(centre) (NC96SE 76).

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

AOC (Scotland) Ltd 1996