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MHG3092 - Farmstead - Glaic Na Ceardaich

Summary

A drystone building aligned NE/SW built of partially dressed sandstone blocks.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

This farmstead, which is situated on a terrace in what is now rough pasture, comprises two buildings set at right angles to one another, of which the main house measures 9m from NE to SW by 5m transversely over faced-rubble walls 0.7m thick and 1.5m high with an entrance on the SE and an extension 9m long towards the SW. The second building, which is situated to the S of the extension, has been reduced to a platform measuring 6m in length by 3m in breadth. There are a number of clearance heaps in the vicinity, indicating cultivation in modern times. (USN93 226)
Visited by RCAHMS (PJD) 17 November 1992.

A rapid walk-over archaeological survey was carried out in 1999 by J. Wordsworth as part of the preparation for a WGS application at Clune Wood.

Site 1: The main feature, as illustrated, is a drystone building aligned NE/SW built of partially dressed sandstone blocks. The walls stand up to 1m high at the gables with considerable quantities of stone tumble, suggesting the walls were of drystone construction throughout. There is an entrance in the S wall and a probable cruck slot to support the roof is located opposite this in the N wall. To the SW is an 11m long extension, with at least 3 chambers, only surviving to the level f the footings. No stone tumble is shown nearby and this may originally have been of turf construction on a stone foundation. This portion was probably the portion shown unroofed in 1902-3. To the NE of the main structure on the same alignment is an extension 4m by 3m, possibly built over an earlier structure 5m by 5m. It is partly filled with sheep carcasses.

45m to the SW of the standing building a cairn of stones 5m in diameter and another 6m further to the SW may mark the gable ends of a building, as there is a distinct cut in the ground to the NW to form a rectangular terrace c5m wide. This is badly obscured by long heather suggesting it was abandoned long before the other buildings went out of use. It is not shown on either of the earlier OS maps.
20m to the S of the main structure, a line of stones on the edge of the slope marks the limit of cultivation on the flat ground and is probably the remnant of the wall line shown on the 1902-3 survey. The area here and around the house is distinctly greener and grassier than the surrounding heather moorland. Several recent machine dug pits were noted in the vicinity, but the well site was not identified. The RCAHMS recorded a number of clearance cairns [PJD 17/11/92] in the vicinity. Apart from a couple of cairns to the S of the main buildings no such cairns were noted. <1>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6153 3456 (60m by 55m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH63SW
Civil Parish	DORES
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

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