Dubchlais

NH36SW 14 3112 6111

Two buildings lying towards the S end of a series of enclosures, were recorded during a pre-afforestation survey by Headland Archaeology (NMRS MS 899/83, no.2). The W building measures 21m by 5m overall and comprises three rooms. The E room, measuring 9.5m in length, has a centrally placed doorway and two windows on the N wall and a single window on the S wall. The stonework of the gable walls survives to 1.8m in height but the gables have level tops suggesting that turf or timber gablets are missing. The central room is 5.5m long and was originally roofed. There is a sheep-creep in the S, or rear, wall leading into an attached yard, suggesting that this room acted as a sheep-house. The W room has rough boulder walls in contrast to the quarried rubble of the other rooms, and appears to be a pen attached to the end of the building. It is entered from the yard to the S. This yard measures 12m by 11m. The second building lies 25m to the E across a burn. Levelled into the slope, this structure has drystone rubble walls and measures 5m by 5m overall. It may have been a storehouse.

Both buildings lie within larger enclosures defined by turf and stone banks. A separate sub-circular enclosure, defined by a combination of low rubble banks and ditches lies some 50m to the NE.

Dubhchlais is depicted and named on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxiv) and annotated 'Fank' to the W. the surviving remains are entirely consistent with this depiction, comprising enclosures, and pens for sheep and a small dwelling house and store. It was probably constructed in the 19th century and there is no evidence for prolonged use or modification of the structures,. The dwelling is depicted as roofless on the 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross and Cromarty 1905, sheet lxxiv).

S Carter and J Rideout (Headland Archaeology) 31 July 1998; NMRS MS 899/83, no.2

The ONB notes that the name Dubhchlais was applied '..to a shepherds house situate three-quarters of a mile S of Gruby Bridge

ONB 1881

NH 310 615 (centre) A short-notice survey was undertaken of 182ha of land S of Grudie at the W end of Loch Luichart, Strath Bran. There were no previously recorded features of archaeological interest within the survey area, but it lies immediately adjacent to an area recently surveyed which contains buildings and enclosures (NMRS sites NH36SW 10, NH36SW 11, NH36SW 12, NH36SW 13 ). Two sites were identified: a single turf shieling hut (NH 3000 6093; NMRS NH36SW 15) of unknown date, and a group of buildings and enclosures (NH 311 611; NMRS NH36SW 14), mapped by the OS in 1875 as a sheep fank.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

S Carter 1998