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MHG21326 - Farmstead - Rechullin

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Full Description

A farmstead comprising one unroofed building which is attached to a length of wall, two roofed buildings and three enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxxi). Four roofed buildings, one of which has two attached enclosures, one unroofed building and a field are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 24 April 1996

A walkover survey and desk-based assessment for the National Trust estate at Torridon was carried out by J Wordsworth and J Harden between 1996 and 2002.

There are five structures beyond the older head dyke N of crofthouses (11/12). From E to W they are as follows:
131a NG85775748 Two parallel settings of stones seem to define a structure measuring c11m by c4m, aligned NE/SW. The settings are mostly only single boulders
but where there are two faces the setting is up to c0.8m thick.
MM Also records peat mounds further up the burn in the Glac Fhearna.
131b NG85785740 In the rocks above the older head dyke of crofts (11/12) is a small drystone structure/pen aligned SW/NE with its entrance from NE. It measures c3.5m by c2m. The S side has collapsed, but the uphill wall still stands to c1.2m high and cXXm thick. The walls rare1nade of random large boulders. This structure/pen possibly extended to the E for a further c4m but this might equally be just tumble.
131c The long walls of the drystone structure to the E generally stand to the wall heads. The gable at the SW end still stands to its full height, that to the NE apparently contained the entrance but the most of the wall has collapsed. The structure measures c6m by c3m over walls c1-1.2m high and c0.6m thick. The gable stands to c2m high. Not shown on the 1875 map
131d The drystone structure to the W measures c4m by c3m over walls standing to wallhead height at c1 .3m which are c0.5m thick . Its W gable wall survives to a height of c2.5m, with the entrance to the structure being through the E gable wall. There are possible cruck supports in the centres of the N and S walls.
131e NG85595752 This rectangular structure is not shown on the 1875 map. It is now largely robbed out but seems to measure c9m by c4.5m across walls. It is aligned W-E and is square-ended with angular hearting. This structure sits within an area bounded to E & W by irregular drystone dykes which wend their way down the hill from a cliff edge.
Structures 131a-e lie at the edge of the new crofter forestry area and should be protected from afforestation.

The structures within the old dyked area immediately NW of the Alit Mhurchaidh have been grouped together from S to N. They include crofthouses (11) & (12) which appear on the 1902 OS map survey and in the 1891 census for the first time.
134a Crofthouse (11) Mrs Tough. A building was shown roofed here in 1875 but the present house has been extended to the rear.
134b NG85635742 Two structures were shown here in 1875, but only one survives and the 1875 associated enclosures have been altered. The surviving gable-roofed building is in use, it is aligned NW-SE and measures c10m by c4.6m and is built of mortared dressed masonry. The tin roof is comparatively recent. A structure has been built at right angles to this. The revetted track that branched NW-wards from the Rechullin track apparently down to the shore at this point can still be seen.
134c NG85575754 This structure is not shown in 1875. Since it's construction its W end seems to have been demolished leaving just the E half of the gable-roofed building with a tin roof. The door is in its S facing wall and the building seems to be still in use
A couple of drystone dykes cross the area in front of 134c, one along the track-side, the other running W-E to the enclosure behind croft (11).
134d NG85615748 Aligned NW-SE and sited against the older head dyke is a clay-bonded structure of dressed stone measuring c5m by c4m over walls c0.6m thick. The gables are still upstanding, as are the walls to wellhead height. This is not shown in 1875.
134e NG85725749 A drystone structure aligned W-E and measuring c 8m by c4.5m over walls cXXm thick has a small dyked enclosure in front of it. The enclosure wall stands to cXXm high and is cXXm thick. Both are marked on the 1875 map. The walls and gables are generally standing to full height - the wellheads being cXXm high, the gables being cXXm. No cruck slots or fireplaces are visible.
134f Crofthouse (12) DM Mackenzie A roofed building was shown here in 1875.
134g NG85635751 Aligned SW-NE, a structure c6m by c4m is set against the older head dyke. The angular dressed stone vertical walls are cXXm thick and still stand to cXXm high at the wellheads and cXXm high at the gable tops. The E half, with its wooden door in the S-facing wall, has an old tin roof on it and is presumably still in use. The ?? Roof on the W half is falling in.
All of the structures are within a field originally bounded by a wiggly dyke of large contiguous boulders now standing up to 0.6m high, which has subsequently been made smaller by a post&wire fence. The dyked field is terraced and there are a number of clearance heaps across it, particularly E of crofthouses (11/12). The heaps all appear to have been built as consumption structures. The largest is c8m by c4m and up to c1.75m high.
At the SW corner of the area, the track to Coire and Torridon House crosses the Alit Mhurchaidh by a clapper bridge - having long flat slabs forming the bridge across the gap between drystone piers. <1>

NGR adjusted based on 2009 vertical aerial photographs. <2>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8564 5747 (216m by 178m)
Map sheet	NG85NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	APPLECROSS

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