St Kilda, Hirta, Glachan Chonachair
Cleit(S) (Period Unassigned), Enclosure (Period Unassigned), Pen(S) (Period Unassigned), Structure (Period Unassigned)
Site Name St Kilda, Hirta, Glachan Chonachair
Classification Cleit(S) (Period Unassigned), Enclosure (Period Unassigned), Pen(S) (Period Unassigned), Structure (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 9652
Site Number NF09NE 7
NGR NF 09962 99631
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9652
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Harris
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF09NE 7 0996 9965.
NF 0996 9965. Situated on the pro-talus ridge at the foot of Conachair, is a boulder-formed enclosure measuring some 30.0m E-W x 9.0m at its widest point. Within this are the footings of three small rectangular structures each measuring c 2.5m x 1.0m. Outside the enclosing wall, and a few metres to the W, are two other similar structures, one partially overlain by a 'cleit', the other amid a mass of boulder scree. The walls of both enclosure and structures are not more than 0.6m high, and 0.9m thick. Entrances appear to be in the narrow S ends, but none is clear. These structures would appear to pre-date the cleits in the area, on the grounds of the one overlying example; but without further examination it cannot be said if they are contemporary with, or even pre-date, the 'beehive' dwellings of the medieval or earlier village. Similar sized structures were noted elsewhere only in Gleann Mor, and resemble shieling bothies found on the mainland of Scotland.
Visited by OS (J L D) 7 August 1967.
Field Visit (7 August 1967)
NF 0996 9965. Situated on the pro-talus ridge at the foot of Conachair, is a boulder-formed enclosure measuring some 30.0m E-W x 9.0m at its widest point. Within this are the footings of three small rectangular structures each measuring c 2.5m x 1.0m. Outside the enclosing wall, and a few metres to the W, are two other similar structures, one partially overlain by a 'cleit', the other amid a mass of boulder scree. The walls of both enclosure and structures are not more than 0.6m high, and 0.9m thick. Entrances appear to be in the narrow S ends, but none is clear. These structures would appear to pre-date the cleits in the area, on the grounds of the one overlying example; but without further examination it cannot be said if they are contemporary with, or even pre-date, the 'beehive' dwellings of the medieval or earlier village. Similar sized structures were noted elsewhere only in Gleann Mor, and resemble shieling bothies found on the mainland of Scotland.
Visited by OS (J L D) 7 August 1967.
Divorced plan
Field Visit (7 September 2008)
Though there are traces of walls running downslope from within the scree, the boulder-formed enclosure referred to in the earlier account is probably an area defined by the foot of the boulder slope on the N and a natural break of slope on the S. Two of the three rectangular structures recorded within this are possible pens (Hirta 914-5) and the third is no more than a fortuitous arrangement of boulders. Of the structures recorded to the W, one is a polygonal enclosure defined by boulders with a small pen attached on the E (Hirta 2015), the other (Hirta 2236) is defined by a kerb of large boulders and is overlain by a pen on the N and a cleit on the E (Hirta 913). This cleit remains roofed with its turf cap and has probably been extended upslope to the NNW. Another two cleits belong to this group, one remaining partially roofed, the other reduced to its lower courses only; these are situated upslope to the NE beyond the boulder scree (Hirta 991-2).
(Hirta 913-5, 991-2, 2015, 2236)
Visited by RCAHMS (ARG) 7 September 2008
Change Of Classification (29 March 2010)
Classification amended from Shieling Huts (possible) to Cleits, Pens, Enclosure and Structure. At the same time, the NGR was updated from NF 0996 9965 to NF 09962 99631 and is now centred on a cleit (Hirta 913).
(Hirta 913-5, 991-2, 2015, 2236)
Information from RCAHMS (ARG) 29 March 2010
