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MHG640102 - House - Meall a' Bhroin

Summary

Well-built and well-preserved round-angled rectangular house of coursed drystone masonry.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

An archaeological survey of the Glencripesdale National Nature Reserve was commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage and undertaken by J. G. Robertson in 1999.

Site 9; House. Well-built and well-preserved round-angled rectangular house of coursed drystone masonry, situated immediately below the road at the west end of a small relatively level spur.The wall is best preserved at the northeast end, and particularly the north corner, which survives to a height of 1.35m, probably nearly the original height. The southwest end has collapsed. The walls consist of relatively large irregular blocks and have a slight batter, tapering from a width of 0.75m at the base to 0.65m at the top. The house has been dug into the slope; the SE, uphill, side wall measures 1.20m in height internally, but only 0.90m externally and the N and W corners have been built up on boulder plinths, which protrude 0.40m beyond the wall. An entrance, 0.75m wide, opens through the NW side, 4m from the SW end. An angled break in the masonry, 1.20m SW of the door, probably represents one side of a splayed window.

The internal corners have rounded profiles. One well-preserved cruck slot is visible in the southeast wall, 1.08m from the northeast end. It measures 0.15m wide and is 0.65m above the present floor level. Internal collapse in the centre of the northeast end wall may mark the former position of a cruck slot. The level ground on the spur to the NW of the house may have been used for arable cultivation, and the OS 2nd Ed. 6" Map shows a clearing in the woodland in this area. However, this ground is now covered in trees and no evidence of cultivation could be found. Dimen: L 7.50m x W 4.10m. W of wall 0.75m x H.,1.35m max. Orient: NE-SW.
Refs. OS 2nd Ed. 6" Sheet, 1900, Argyllshire )O(VI SE.
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Note: Site not visible on aerial photographs so location based on grid coordinates. (TB 11/4/25)

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 6692 6014 (31m by 30m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NM66SE
Civil Parish	MORVERN
Geographical Area	LOCHABER

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