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Toftgun

Bridge (Period Unassigned), Farmstead (Period Unassigned), Quarry (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Toftgun

Classification Bridge (Period Unassigned), Farmstead (Period Unassigned), Quarry (Period Unassigned)

Alternative Name(s) Toftgun 3

Canmore ID 8699

Site Number ND24SE 21

NGR ND 27846 42629

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/8699

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Wick
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Caithness
  • Former County Caithness

Archaeology Notes

ND24SE 21 27846 42629

A rectangular dry stone walled enclosure, 117m by 80m by 1.5m high, associated with two outbuildings.

R J Mercer 1980.

The remains of this farmstead are situated at the head of the Burn of Toftgun, immediately N of Camster Forest, and comprise a range with a garden attached to its E side and a detached building, possibly a barn, immediately to the S. A cottage is situated some 135m to the SSW, on the opposite side of the stream from a quarry and a small field enclosed by a drystone wall.

The range (YARROWS04 774), which contains a dwelling at its SE end, is situated on the NE side of the stream and measures about 26.8m from NW to SE by 4.2m transversely over clay-bonded walls that survive to their full height. The dwelling measures about 15.8 in overall length and has a central doorway and flanking windows in its SW side, though the NW one is blocked. The interior, which is levelled into the slope to a depth of at least 1m, contains two compartments, each of which is served by a fireplace. The compartments are linked by a doorway at the SW end of a stone-built partition wall that is situated immediately NW of the main entrance. Originally the NW end of the range was divided into two compartments, the smaller on the SE and the larger on the NW, both served by an entrance on the SW. However, the NW compartment has been subdivided into two, but without any obvious provision of an entrance into the one on the NW. There is also a small outshot attached to the SE end of the range; it once had a lean-to roof and the entrance is in its SW end.

The possible barn (YARROWS04 773) on the S of the range measures 6m from ENE to WSW by 5.2m transversely over clay-bonded walls standing up to 2.4m in height at the ENE gable. A tall, central opening in this gable is probably a window, and there are opposed entrances on the NNW and SSE. The interior has been dug into the slope to a depth of at least 1m. A ruined wall springs from the NE corner of the building and extends round the southern side before turning N to terminate in front of and close to the range.

Immediately W of the barn a single sandstone slab (YARROWS04 772) spans the stream. It measuring 1.8m in length by 0.8m in breadth and 0.12m in thickness, and is supported on dry-stone abutments set 1.2m apart.

The cottage (YARROWS04 771), which lies to the SSW of the steading on the W side of the stream, measures about 11.4m from N to S by 5.2m transversely over clay-bonded walls standing up to 2m in height at the S end. An entrance in the E side is offset slightly towards the N, and a second, which is blocked, lies at the W side of the S end. There are also possible remains of a fireplace in the S end. Tuskers at the SE corner indicate the intention of the builders to extend the building to the S.

A quarry (YARROWS04 770) on the E side of the stream, 110m S of the farmstead, was probably the source of most of the stone for its construction. Roughly oval on plan, it measures about 24m from N to S by 6m transversely and it has been dug to a depth of 1.7m into the slope on the E. The quarry lies at the bottom of a field enclosed by a dry-stone wall.

All of the buildings are depicted roofed on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet xxix), which also shows the quarry. In the Ordnance Survey Name Book (Caithness No. 13, p. 251) Toftgun is described as a 'shepherd's dwelling occupied by W Waugh, the property of 'Mr Bentley Innes, Thrumster'. Only the buildings are shown on the 2nd edition of the map (1907, sheet xxix), and they were unroofed.

(YARROWS04 770-774)

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS, ATW) 9 September 2004

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