Achnacarry House, Walled Garden

NN 1776 8786 (centred on) An evaluation of two WW2 era shooting butts at the former Commando Basic Training Camp was undertaken 8–9 May 2014, in coordination with Lochaber Archaeological Society, as part of a project to highlight the pivotal role that the estate and other parts of Lochaber played in the wartime training of 25,000 elite troops. Prior to the

evaluation, the Lochaber Archaeological Society had been conducting a systematic metal detector survey of the camp grounds.

The pair of mounds had been built against the NW-facing wall of the walled garden at Achnacarry Castle (NN18NE 9.03), forming part of the Commando training grounds. A slot trench was excavated through one mound. This aimed to prove that extensive bullet marks in the wall above the mounds marked the location of firing practice on the camp. The excavation, which uncovered substantial spent rounds, hessian bag fragments and remains

of the target bases, revealed that the structure had been built up repeatedly as a shooting butt for fired rounds. An assessment of the different kinds of ammunition recovered, which included mostly .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) bullets as well as 0.455 revolver bullets, .38 revolver bullets, .303 rifle cartridges, and 9mm pistol bullets and cartridges, was made by a local firearms specialist.

A survey was also undertaken of a previously unidentified building (NN18NE 2) foundation to the SW of Achnacarry Castle. The foundation, which was exposed and recorded, has been identified as the site of a guard room.

Report: Highland HER, OASIS and RCAHMS (intended)

Lynn Fraser and Mary Peteranna – Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services

(Source: DES)

Funder: Lochaber Archaeological Society