Toftranald

ND26NE 1 2815 6821.

(ND 2815 6821) Mounds (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

On the slopes of the moorland, and stretching back from the top of the steep bank which has in former times been the margin of a lake, are various grassy mounds of low elevation and irregular surface. One of these beside the bank has a diameter of some 35' and appears to be the remains of a turf structure. About 100 yds ENE is another with a diameter of 45' and an elevation of 3' to 4'. Some 30 yds to the S is a third, with a slight circlar depression in the centre, measuring over all 40' by 38'. The true nature of these remains is not obvious.

RCAHMS 1959.

Five grass-grown mounds (A to E) on a peat and heather-covered W-facing slope. All are irregular in shape and profile and all revealed a stony content on probing.

'A', on the brink of a drained loch, measures c. 10.0m in diameter and 1.0m high. Several flat stones no intelligible pattern protrude through the mutilated top.

'B', adjacent to 'A', is 5.0m diameter by 0.5m high.

'C', roughly oval, measures c. 13.0m NE-SW by 9.0m transversely and 0.8m high. It has its top hollowed.

'D', measures c. 27.0m E-W by 9.0m transversely and is 0.7m high.

'E', is 23.0m N-S by 19.0m transversely and is 1.0m high.

'D' and 'E' occur within a turf-walled enclosure c. 43.0m square, about 20.0m E of which lie the scant footings of a probably contemporary rectangular stone-walled building measuring 11.0m N-S by 5.0m transversely. Another ill-defined turf bank runs past the W side of this building and curves SW towards the edge of the drained loch.

About 230.0m N of mound 'E' is a circular grass-grown area c. 8.5m in diameter, slightly hollowed, with some stones protruding, and with an upright slab protruding through the turf on its SE edge. Its date and classification are uncertain.

Some 90.0m NE of this, beside a stream, are two small grassy patches showing some stone.

It cannot be established if the mounds are comtemporary with the rectangular building and enclosure, but they may be the stances for shieling bothies - a common feature in Caithness.

A similar mound lies about 450.0m SE (See ND26NE 4).

Visited by OS (A A) 17 March 1972.

(ND 2815 6821) Old Shielings (NAT)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1975).

This site is generally as described by the previous field investigator. 'D', which is compartmented, appears to be the remains of a longhouse, and 'E', apparent as a turf-covered mound, bears the slight impressions of at least four shieling footings. The circular feature '230.0m N of 'E'' has remnants of a stone wall around the periphery; it would seem to be associated with the features to the S. The features 'some 90.0m NE' are structurally incomprehensible.

The main group of features would seem to be the remains of a shieling site with the two rectangular footings and turf-walled enclosure suggesting a more permanent occupation, possibly at a later date. Revised at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS (J B) 5 May 1982.