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MHG4116 - Shieling huts - Raasay Forest

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

Lying on the E-facing slope 100m above the forest fence at about 135m OD are the remains of two single-cell shielings. Both are attached to the NW side of a drystone dyke; 40m separates the two. Both shielings have entrances on their E sides through the dyke.
Visited by JM, 26 MARCH 1991.
R MIKET et al 1991; NMRS MS/530.

An Archaeological Survey of the townships of North & South Screapadal, with a survey of the surrounding area, on Raasay was undertaken by ACFA in 1998.

Feature 3; Shieling huts. Two structures lie in front of an east facing escarpment on the 135m OD contour about 50m above the forestry fence. The first structure, at NG 5744 4552, consists of loosely built dry-stane wall standing at th� east side to a height of nearly a metre. It is 'figure of eight' shaped with two sub-circular chambers. The south chamber is 2,5m diameter and the north 1.5m, standing to a·height of lm. The dividing wall is incomplete as a division. A dry stane dyke running approximately north south forms the front part of the building, giving the figure of eight shape a flat east side. A possible entrance lies at the south end of this side.

The dyke, meandering from the burn 125m to the south, appears to be part of an unrecorded system, which was followed westwards along the burn for some considerable distance towards feature 4. To the north, it runs for some 40m to a second shieling (NG 5738 4548) at this site which, like the southern structure, incorporates the dyke as its east wall. This shieling is sub-circular, 4.5m by 2.5m N-S. There is a possible entrance in the middle of the east side. The dyke at this point turns at right angles eastwards to the forest but there was no obvious evidence of it continuing on the forest side of the fence.

Between the structures and the forest fence are one or two small patches of roughly improved ground. About 10m east of the first shieling is an area of rig or lazybed, 15m by 6m. A similar patch lies 50m to the south. In the corner of this patch is a circular feature I.Sm in diameter which may have been a stack base. This site is feature 17 of ACFA's 1991 survey. <1>

Note: Site not visible on aerial photographs so location based on old SMR 1-10,000 map sheets. (TB 5/3/26)

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 5741 4557 (10m by 10m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG54NE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	PORTREE

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