Loch Nan Cruineachd

NC14SE 10.03 centred on 1612 4415

Centred on NC 159 440 along a SE-facing hillside, is a settlement of four hut circles (A-D), and a homestead (E) within an extensive associated field system.

'D', distinctly elliptical in shape, measures some 15.0m NW-SE by 10.5m overall; an entrance position is no longer discernible. Walling remains are scant.

'E', the homestead, is levelled back into a very slight slope and is oval in plan. It measures approximately 13.5m by 9.5m internally and has an entrance in the NE on the line of the long axis; a gap in the E quadrant is almost certainly mutilation. The wall is mainly reduced to a peat-covered rubble spread, at best 2.0m broad by 0.3m high, with a stretch of inner facing contiguous slabs in the SW. A sparse band of stones crossing the NW sector of the homestead interior is of uncertain purpose but does suggest later modification.

Surveyed at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS (J M) 15 May 1980.

The S part of an area of settlement, small cairns and cultivation remains, spread over the slopes to the N of Loch nan Cruineachd was recorded during a pre-afforestation survey of Scourie and Badcall common grazings.

The homestead (NMRS MS 1039/52 no.6c) comprises a rectangular hollow, measuring 13m in length by 7m within low stony banks up to 2.5m in width and 0.3m in height, cut into the top of a low ridge. There is a cut on the S side and the entrance is in the short wall on the N. The homestead lies between two groups of small cairns and cultivation remains. There are about twenty-eight small cairns spread over a broad terrace to the W and a further twenty-one cairns, situated to the S of a stony bank, to the E. Further isolated small cairns are dispersed over the remainder of the area. The stony bank runs W from the loch for about 160m and is spread up to 3.5m in width and stands up to 0.5m in height. On either side of the bank there are two small, stone-free areas, possibly cultivation plots. That to the N of the bank measures 16m by 4m to 10m whilst that to the S measures 30m by 13m. There are also three stony lynchets up to 26m in length.

There are three small structures towards the N of the eastern group of small cairns. Two of these structures comprise two cells. The NE structure (NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6f) comprises cells measuring 1.5m by 2m and 1.8m by 2.5m internally, defined by walls up to 1m in width and 1m in height. That (NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6e) to the S of the low bank, comprises a cell measuring 1.5m by 2m internally and second, completely choked cell measuring 1.8m by 2m overall. The third structure (NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6d) measures 0.9m in diameter within 0.4m wide walls standing up to 1m in height. There is no entrance.

The possible remains of a fourth structure (NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6b) lies isolated to the N of the homestead. It measures 3.5m by 1.2m to 2m in width and is defined by ill-defined rows of stones. A fifth structure (NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6a) lies towards the E end of the W area of small cairns. It is rectangular and measures 1.5m by 0.8m within 0.7m wide walls standing up to 0.5m in height.

M Dalland and S Halliday (Headland Archaeology 16 November 1999; NMRS MS 1039/52, no.6

Awaiting DES 2000 entry (2000/p.51).