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MHG29341 - 'Torragaun' Shieling - Coille an Spardain

Summary

Two enclosures with at least 8 well spaced out shieling huts in the larger enclosure and at least 4 in the smaller.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NC 23 SW
A small approx. 2ha of gently sloping land has been enclosed by an earth and stone dyke and cleared of stone. Within this dyke lie the remains of six sheiling and various structures.
1. The southermost consists of 2 small ( 2m diameter) cojoined stone walled enclosures with low rubble walls .
2 Lower downhill to the N is a fair example of an oval sheiling measuring 4m by 2m within a rubble wall 1.0m wide. Closely uphill is a lambing bucht built into a clearance cairn.
3.Further to the North on a grass and bracken terrace lies a good example of an oval sheiling with a double faced wall up to 1.0m high and an entrance on the south side.
4. 30m uphill to SE is an insubstantial sheiling foundation 2m in diameter. Several clearance cairns have small enclosures, ?lambing buchts, built on at a later date. Another denuded possible sheiling lies close to the enclosure dyke.
5. Situated near the NE edge of the enclosure dyke are the footings of two insubstantial ?one season sheilings measuring approx. 3m by 2m. These are possibly associated with the nearby unfinished earth and stone dyke.
This survey has been brief and limited by dense bracken. Further investigation would be rewarding when braken cover less.
Area within dyke to be preserved from ploughing. No other sites in area located.
Report in associated documents.

Historic Assynt surveyed this site in April 2016.

Two enclosures with at least 8 well spaced out huts in the larger enclosure and at least 4 in the smaller. Most are oval and range in size from about 1.5m x 1m to 4m x 2m. Though some are circular ones and there are also clearance cairns and possible pens.The nearby hill of Tor a Ghamhna is the hill of the stirks suggesting that the hill was used by the menfolk of Unapool as summer grazing for the non dairy cattle from May to Harvest time and they lived in the huts within the enclosures. They appear to have also cleared ground and grown grain of some kind and may also have fished - there is a fish trap at the outflow to the All an Cairidh to the east. A burn flows between the enclosures and Tor a Ghamhna and there is good pasture on the hill. Excellent views from the enclosures across to the hill to observe the cattle but also good views over Loch a'Chairn Bhain to the north west and to Quinag to the south. <1>

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

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 2189 3272 (393m by 468m)
Map sheet	NC23SW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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