Elphin
Township (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Elphin
Classification Township (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 89584
Site Number NC21SW 23
NGR NC 215 117
NGR Description Centred NC 215 117
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/89584
- Council Highland
- Parish Assynt
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Sutherland
- Former County Sutherland
NC21SW 23 centred on 215 117
A township comprising fifty-two roofed, one partially roofed and three unroofed buildings is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1878, sheet xci). Thirty roofed, three partially roofed and fifteen unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,560 map (1967).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 20 September 1995
Field Visit (25 November 2009)
The modern township of Elphin, comprising many buildings of different ages, including modern buildings. Few traces of the original settlement are visible.
A 19th century house with modern extension situated on the east slope of the valley. The house is of varied rubble build, with the stones brought roughly to course.
Situated on flat land at the bottom of the valley, 120m north of Cuil Breac house is a longhouse measuring 26m by 6m, standing to 1m, aligned E-W. It is constructed of varied rubble and is subdivided into two compartments; the a 7m long compartment in the east appears to be secondary. The walls mainly survive to 1m high but the wall separating the two compartments stands to 2.5m. The east compartment appears to be slightly narrower than the west. Footing stones are visible in many places on the west and south sides and there is a possible threshold towards the west end of the south elevation. Robbing and collapse has occurred on the north elevation of the additional compartment and generally all over the structure with loose rubble surrounding. There appear to be two blocked entrances, one in the NW corner of the main compartment over a culvert, and one in the additional compartment 3.5m from the north end. The second blocked entrance may be a break in construction as only one side of this possible entrance is clear.
(HLP_no 112, 113, 114)
Assynt's Hidden Lives Project 2009
