Bute, Aultmore Burn
Head Dyke (Post Medieval), Sheep House (Post Medieval)
Site Name Bute, Aultmore Burn
Classification Head Dyke (Post Medieval), Sheep House (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Altmor, Altmore, Kilmichael
Canmore ID 88738
Site Number NR97SE 33
NGR NR 99707 71271
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/88738
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish North Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Buteshire
NR97SE 33 99707 71271.
Survey of deserted settlements, Isle of Bute: All sites are being measured and photographed, although a considerable number have still to be visited. To maintain uniformity a record form is completed for each site, with a brief description, including an indication of the reliability of the information. Air photographs (courtesy NMRS) have been used to locate many sites. Others have been identified only on early maps, (courtesy the Bute Estate Office). Research of documentary records, such as the Statute Labour Lists, Hearth Tax, Census Data, has generated considerable additional information, including family names, date of foundation or desertion. Information is uneven, because records are not equally available for all areas.
The majority of the settlements are post-medieval farm sites. Of several anomalous remains, some are earlier, while others, because of location and form are unlikely to be domestic structures.
The records are held in the Bute Museum, The basic list has been forwarded to NMRS.
Sponsors: Bute Antiq Natur Hist Soc; St Andrews Heritage Services.
Hannah and Proudfoot 1994.
NR 9970 7125 Settlement remains: Located 200m ESE of Kerrytriach, on moorland below small cliff. The foundations of a narrow building 9.5 x 3.5m with rounded corners adjacent to head dyke. Built of large stones and turf. There are sub-rectangular foundations, 8 x 4m, at right angle to 1st building, and probably underlying it. There is also a 2nd structure 20m S.
Information from Bute Natural History Society Deserted Settlement Survey (1991-9)
(RCAHMS WP000273)
NS 997 712 Site 175 Allt mor
In moorland below a small cliff are wall footings of a narrow building, 9x3m with rounded corners, lying alongside a head dyke (on the lower side) and using it for one of the long walls. At right angles to this building, and partly underlying it, are slight footings of a sub-rectangular structure 8x4m. It is possible that this earlier house was robbed to build the second structure, which may have been a an animal pen. The first building is probably 17th century or earlier, but has a clear association with the head dyke, and was probably a medieval cottar butt of Kilmichael. The site is previously unrecorded. Photo in TBNHS Vol XXIV (1996), p50.
E Proudfoot and A Hannah 2000
Field Visit (1991 - 1999)
NR 9970 7125 Settlement remains: Located 200m ESE of Kerrytriach, on moorland below small cliff. The foundations of a narrow building 9.5 x 3.5m with rounded corners adjacent to head dyke. Built of large stones and turf. There are sub-rectangular foundations, 8 x 4m, at right angle to 1st building, and probably underlying it. There is also a 2nd structure 20m S.
Information from Bute Natural History Society Deserted Settlement Survey (1991-9)
(RCAHMS WP000273)
NS 997 712 Site 175 Allt mor
In moorland below a small cliff are wall footings of a narrow building, 9x3m with rounded corners, lying alongside a head dyke (on the lower side) and using it for one of the long walls. At right angles to this building, and partly underlying it, are slight footings of a sub-rectangular structure 8x4m. It is possible that this earlier house was robbed to build the second structure, which may have been a an animal pen. The first building is probably 17th century or earlier, but has a clear association with the head dyke, and was probably a medieval cottar butt of Kilmichael. The site is previously unrecorded. Photo in TBNHS Vol XXIV (1996), p50.
E Proudfoot and A Hannah 2000
Field Visit (2 March 2009)
This possible sheephouse has been built into an angle of an old head-dyke in rough moorland about 470m NE of Kilmichael farmsteading (NR97SE 67). It measures about 9.5m from NW to SE by 3.5m transversely over turf and stone walls and there is an entrance in the SW side and another through the head-dyke, which forms the wall on the NE. The foundations lying perpendicular to the sheephouse, noted in the previously account, were not identified on the date of visit; a second structure, which lies 20m S of the sheephouse, has been very heavily disturbed by a track.
Visited by RCAHMS (GFG, AGCH) 2 March 2009.
