MHG14049 - Township - Alligin Shuas
Summary
A township comprising sixty-four roofed, three partially roofed and eighteen unroofed buildings.
Type and Period (1)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
NG85NW 4 centred on 831 578
8332 5783: Small corn-drying kiln deserted settlement. (No details given.) M MacDonald 1992.
A township comprising sixty-four roofed, three partially roofed and eighteen unroofed buildings, eighteen enclosures, some field walls and parts of a head-dyke is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxxi). One of the unroofed buildings is situated in an area marked as an Infants Burying Gound which was "formerly used as a burying place for infants under one year." (Name Book). Twenty-seven roofed, thirty-three unroofed buildings, several enclosures, some field walls and parts of a head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Name Book 1881
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 24 April 1996
NG 834 582 The site name (Torran nam Tiodhlacaidh) means 'the little mound of the burial', and is one of a group of mounds around Loch Torridon which are associated locally with the burial of unbaptised infants. Such a mound was the subject of a rescue excavation in the 1970s at Shieldaig, and was dated to the Bronze Age.
M Macdonald 1995.
NG 8318 5768 Cruck slots still survive within this ruinous building.
J Wordsworth 1995.
A walkover survey and desk-based assessment was undertaken by J Wordsworth and J Harden at Torridon for the National Trust for Scotland in 1996-2002.
This area of NE-facing hill ground is defined by the old head dyke to the S, an old track to the W and the Alligin Gorge to the E. This area is shown as having roofed structures on the 1837 estate map And MM refers to it as Braigh Alligin.
015a NG83435785 (MM D10) The ruins of a rectangular structure, aligned NW-SE, has an enclosure on its NE side. The structure is c15m by c4.5m over walls c0.7m thick. It is divided into three - the SE end is cam long, with walls only c0.2m high; the central part is c7m long with walls c1m high; the NW end is c5m long and the walls only c0.2m high. The enclosure is c17m by c21m.
015b NG83365784 (MM D7-9) To the E by the stone dyke, are the remains of a possible grain-drying kiln and two wee stone settings. The bowl of the kiln is cam in diameter, the wee stone structures are c1.5-2m in diameter. 015c NG83365790 (MM D6) The ruins of a rectangular structure with rounded ends, aligned NW-SE, has a yard attached to its SW side. The structure measures c11m by c4m over walls c0.6m thick and c0.3m high with a slightly off-centre internal division. The yard is defined by stones and boulders and has a maximum dimension of c1m.
015d NG83335789 (MM D5) The ruins of a rectangular structure, aligned NW-SE, is c12m long by c5m over lime mortared walls c0.6m thick and standing up to lm high along part of the SW wall. There is an internal division creating one-third at the SE end and two-thirds at the NW end. There appears to be vestigial evidence for a round-ended structure at the SE end of the building, c2m long. There is a platform in front of the building, which is revetted by a wall up to lm high.
015e NG83325791 (MM D4) The slight remains of one or two rectangular structures are sited within just N of the bend in the old track that runs up to the rockface by TORt94f. The structure is aligned W-E, has rounded ends and is c6.5m by c3m over walls spread to c0.8m thick and c0.4m high.
015f NG83295793 (MM D3) The slight remains of a rectangular structure aligned N-S is sited at the end of the grassed-over track by the outcropping rockface. It measures c5.5m by c4m over walls defined by boulders sticking through the turf.
015g NG83265795 (MM D2) Marked on the OS map are the remains of a rectangular structure aligned NW-SE measuring c6.5m by c3m over walls c0.6m thick and c0.8m high. <1>
Sources/Archives (11)
- --- SHG129 Text/Publication/Article: Wordsworth, J. 1995. 'Alligin Shuas (Applecross parish), post-medieval house', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1995, p.43. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 43. 43.
- --- SHG1756 Text/Publication/Article: Macdonald, M. 1995. 'Torran nan Tiodhlacaidh, Alligin (Applecross parish), burial mound', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1995, p.42. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 42. 42.
- --- SHG1757 Text/Publication/Article: MacDonald, M. 1992. ''Torridon shieling survey (Applecross, Gairloch and Lochcarron parishes)'', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1992, p.44-5. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 44-5. 44-5.
- --- SHG24431 Image/Photograph(s): Highland Council Archaeology Unit. HCAU Slide Collection Sheet 18. Colour slide. . Digital (scanned). 357, 362, 367, 372.
- --- SHG3373 Text/Publication/Volume: Name Book (County). Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. Book No. 41, 8.
- --- SHG3820 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG3821 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG3822 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG9135 Image/Photograph(s): Highland Council. Alligin Shuas, cellular structure. Colour Slide; Digital Image. . Colour photograph.
- <1> SHG21916 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Wordsworth, J. & Harden, J.. 2002. Torridon Archaeological Survey 1996-2002. The National Trust for Scotland (NTS). 13/01/2003. Paper and Digital. TOR15.
- <2> SHG29455 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph/Vertical: Get Mapping. 2023. Getmapping aerial photography 2023. XY
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NG 8300 5773 (1231m by 834m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NG85NW |
| Geographical Area | ROSS AND CROMARTY |
| Civil Parish | APPLECROSS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (4)
Related Investigations/Events (1)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/80949 (View HES Trove entry for this site)
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