Flex Hill

ND25SE 3 258 509.

(ND 2581 5102; 2569 5100; 2579 5090; 2569 5090 & 2572 5087) Cairns (NR) OS 25" map, Caithness, (1871)

Hut Circles, Flex Hill. Some 3/4 mile South of Strath farm-house, close to the wire fence which runs westward across the moor from the Camster Road, is a group of hut-circles.

1st. The furthest up the slope of the hill, about 100 yds distant from the road, is circular and some 20ft in internal diameter. The bank is now quite low and too indefinite to measure; the floor is dug out and 3ft below the natural level on the upper side, and 1 1/2-2ft below on the tower side. The position of the entrance is not evident.

2nd. Some 80ft west of 1st, 18 - 20ft internal diameter entrance seemingly on SW, bank 8 - 10ft thick is not accurately measurable, interior not so deep as 1st.

3rd. Some 20ft NW of 2nd,internal diameter about 21ft entrance in SW bank 11 ft across and still a foot or two high on the lower side. Interior dug out and is 2 1/2 - 3ft below that of the hill slope on the upper side.

4th. 30 yds north of the 3rd is one partly destroyed by a sheep drain across its lower end. Internal diameter 9ft across but 11ft towards the entrance which has been from SW and appears to have been rather wide and the section exposed by the drain cutting shows that the bank is composed of earth or peat and small stones.

5th. Some yards to the north of those near the wire fence, and some 50 yds NNE of Carn Liath (ND25SE 1) Internal diameter 24ft, entrance WSW of indefinite width. Bank overgrown, much spread and 12ft in breadth at base.

RCAHMS 1911.

Centred at ND 258 509 on a W-facing slope is a settlement of 10

circular stone walled huts (A-K), a probable cairn, and a mound of uncertain classification.

Hut 'A' (the RCAHMS's 3rd) measures 10.5m in diameter between the centres of a peat-covered wall spread to 4.0m. The ill-defined entrance is in the SW.

'B' (the RCAHMS's 2nd) measures 8.5m in diameter between the centres of a peat-covered wall spread to 3.0m. Stones of the wall are visible in a mutilation in the NW. The ill-defined entrance is in the SW.

'C' (the RCAHMS's 1st) measures 9.5m in diameter between the centres of a wall spread to 4.0m, stones of which are visible in the E. The N arc is mutilated. The ill-defined entrance is in the SSW.

'D' is almost obliterated by peat and measures about 8.0m in diameter. The ill-defined entrance is in the SW.

'E' measures about 9.0m in diameter between the centres of a wall spread to an indeterminate width. The ill-defined entrance is in the SW.

'F' measures 11.0m between the centres of an ill-defined wall. There are traces of a possible entrance in the SW.

'G' is scarcely visible and measures about 8.0m in diameter.

'H' measures about 10.0m in diameter between the centres of an ill-defined wall. The E arc is mutilated and the entrance is not visible.

'J' (the RCAHMS's 5th) measures 10.0m in diameter between the centres

of a wall spread to 4.0m. The stone content is exposed in several mutilations. The ill-defined entrance is in the SW.

'K' is identical to H. There is no trace of contemporary cultivation. RCAHMS's 4th "hut" at ND 2570 5096, appears to have been a peat-covered stony mound about 9.0m in diameter, quarried into from the SW, of uncertain purpose. It is not a hut.

At ND 2589 5091 is a grass-covered stony mound about 6.0m in diameter and 0.3m high, dug into in the centre. Its prominent position on a false crest when viewed from the SW suggests it may be a cairn.

At ND 2601 5103 beside a wet hollow is a grass- covered stony mound measuring about 10.0m NE-SW by 8.0m transversely and 0.7m high, with a deep depression running from its E side into the centre. Its situation and shape is reminiscent of a burnt mound, but no burnt material is visible and its true nature is uncertain.

Surveyed at 1:10,000 of huts A - H and the possible cairn.

1:2500 resurvey of J and K (OS [WDJ])

Visited by OS (W D J) 27 April 1963 and (I S S) 23 March 1972.

(ND 258 509) Settlement (NR) (Nine hut circles and a mound shown)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)

The ten hut circles are as described by OS ifeld investigator (I S S); the two mounds noted by the same authority cannot be classified from the visible remains.

Surveyed at 1:2500 (Hut 'K' and a single mound).

Visited by OS (N K B) 29 April 1982.