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MHG8357 - Township - Inveralligin

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

A township comprising thirty-four roofed, three partially roofed and seven unroofed buildings, sixteen enclosures, some field walls and parts of a head-dyke are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet lxxxi). Thirty-nine roofed, one partially roofed and five unroofed buildings, several enclosures, some field walls and parts of a head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 24 April 1996

TOR004: Pier End Cottage (see MHG16297) is a single storey cottage of 3 bays with a central door faces the roan;. Whitewashed rubble with end stacks and corrugated iron roof. A small single storey whitewashed rubble byre with a gable end to the road stands to the W. It also has a corrugated iron roof. It is listed and is NG85NW29. These roofed buildings are likely to be those marked on the 1837 estate map.

Most of the other buildings along the foreshore W of Pier End Cottage had also been built by 1875 and some had their origins before 1840. Just E of Pier End Cottage is Crofthouse 29. The others spread W from Pier End Cottage as follows:
Wave Crest (?) is also listed and is NG85NW28, Ivy Cottage (6F), Shore Cottage (22), Broom Cottage (21), The Cabin (28), Rocky Bank (9F), sheds (30), Park Cottage (MM 1996 typescript H32), and behind Rocky Bank is Kwato (18F). Park Cottage MM records as being the shoemaker's shop - a popular meeting place in the old days. It went out of use in the 1960s and is now a holiday house. The unnamed sheds (30) immediately W of Rocky Bank MM records as follows: H31 The old boatbuilder's shed, stone built. A later, corrugated iron, workshop sits beside it and a corrugated iron wood-seasoning shed beside that. The old boatbuilder's shed is still used for village functions, eg on bonfire night. However, the owner (26F) may demolish it for a house site in the future. The MacDonald family of boatbuilders spanned at least 3 generations. The last - Murdo MacDonald - was also a local bard. He last built boats in the sixties, and an example of his work may be seen at Gairloch Heritage Museum.

TOR140: A large enclosed area is subdivided by an un-named burn. The east half is TOR140 and is defined as the area between the Allt Druim na h-Uamhaidh at the E and the un-named burn to the W. It is enclosed to the N by an impressive drystone dyke cXXm high and cXXm wide, and another lesser dyke cXXm high spread to cXXm to the E running alongside the named burn. Within this area are various structures and features which are, from N to S:
140a NG85005775 H34 Against a rock-face, a small structure/enclosure c4m by c2m has been built. The walls are c0.45m thick and up to c1m high, but the E end slopes to c1.8m high, so it could have been roofed. MM records this a small pen or sheep shelter.
140b NG85005772 H35 The 'main' building measures c7.5m by c4m, is aligned W¬E, and is of drystone construct on. The gables survive up to c2.75m high, and the wellheads to c1.5m. A secondary structure abuts the E gable. It measures c4m by c4m , with walls of similar height and thickness to the original building. MM records this as the Heathercliff barn.

40c NG84795766 Towards the W edge of the area is a corrugated iron structure on stone footings c2m square. It stands cXXm high and is still roofed(?) It is not shown as extant in 1875.
140d NG84915759 Down by the road, to the east of the track up to Sunny Bank, is a structure c4m by c2m over walls cXXm thick and c2.2m high, aligned SW-NE. It is not shown on the 1875 OS survey.
140e NG84825760 To the south of the road to Rechullin and just E of the un-named burn is a c25m long stretch of turf & stone dyke not recorded on earlier OS maps, though it was probably constructed before 1875. Obscured by bracken, heather, bog myrtle & coarse grasses. Its function is unclear as it must have formed part of a more extensive boundary wall.
140f A small cleared area of stones at the mouth of the Allt na Criche (NG84825755) may be a harbour/boat slipway.
The ground to the south of Sunny Bank, Heather Cliff & Baile Thormoid (NG85005765) is mostly open flat ground which has previously been cultivated. To the SW are a series of substantially built clearance cairns, occasionally linear but most frequently mounds up to c1.5m high & c4m diameter.
Within this area is the feued house (16F) known as Heather Cliff and crofthouse (24) known as Sunny Bank and a new house Baile Thormoid. Immediately to the W of Heather Ciff are the remains of a drystone enclosure c30m square. It lies in an area of rocky ground.

TOR141; A large enclosed area is subdivided by an un-named burn. TOR141 is the W half. It is defined as the area between the Allt na Criche to the W and the un¬named burn to the E and is enclosed to the N by an impressive drystone dyke c1.5m high on its N side and chamfered on its S. It is c0.8m wide. This impressive dyke is known as the 'Destitution Wall'. A lesser dyke runs along the E bank of the Alit na Criche. This enclosure was not recorded in 1875. Within the area are various structures and features which are, from N to S:
141a NG84815781 H17 Up by the main enclosure dyke, the 'Destitution Wall', is a structure c4.5m by c2.5m aligned ENV. Of drystone construction c0.6m thick, its gables are c1.5m high and the wallheads c0.9m high. There is an entrance in the E gable.
A sheep creep c0.5m wide,fiy bf).75m high is c5m W of this site in the Destitution Wall.
141b NG84865781 1119 About 44m E of H17 is an enclosure c7m by c12m defined by a dyke.

41c NG84825776 H18 MM records this as a small drystone bothy or sheep shelter, c1m internal diameter, known locally as the 'fairy house'. To JW it looks fairly recent and more like c2m in diameter. The entrance is from the S. It has been roofed with birch & bracken Pchildren).
A lesser dyke runs W-E across the area between TOR140c and 140d [H18 and H201. A small portion of this dyke is shown on the current OS map. In 1875 it extended W to link with dyke TOR145 to form part of the head dyke. The remains of the dyke can also be traced down the W side of the unnamed burn.
The area of ground to the S of the lesser W-E dyke has been further sub-divided by a dyke that wiggles N-S to crofthouse (33).
141d N084715768 1120 This is a dressed drystone structure (MM records clay mortar) with squared corners c6m by c4.5m over walls, aligned NW-SE. The entrance faces SE. The gables are c2.6m high and the wellhead is c1.8m high. This was almost certainly a byre as there are the remains of stalls either side of the doorway and a central drain running out under paving at the entrance.
141e NG84735761 H21 This building was not shown in 1875. MM records it as the 'Dorran' barn, unroofed, with an airslot in each gable. It is cXXm by cXXm over walls cXXm thick upstanding to the wellheads. It is aligned W-E and has a bedrock floor.
141f NG84645758 This structure, drawn as a ruin on 1966 map, could not be found and has presumably been totally demolished.
NG846576 This area has a number of clearance heaps spread out in a vaguely linear fashion. They presumably mark former cultivation plots running downslope from dyke the lesser W-E dyke to the rdad to Rechullin. The clearance heaps may mark the boundaries of separate croftlands.
Within this area is crofthouse (33) and a feued area of ground for a new house site.

TOR142: This area lies between the road through Inveralligin and the shore, the jetty and the mouth of the Allt na Criche. Two roofed buildings were shown here in 1875. Today the area has three recent houses on it.

TOR143: The old jetty that is recorded here was also shown in 1875. The newer jetty to the W has been modified over time.

TOR145: This area is defined by the Allt na Criche to the E, an old trackway to the W and the old head dyke to the N. The latter E-W linking with the cross-dyke through T0R141. It forms the head dyke W of the Allt na Criche recorded in 1875. Though mostly collapsed it survives up to c1m high on a footing c0.8m wide. Clearance heaps spread out in a vaguely linear fashion and presumably mark former cultivation plots running downslope from this head dyke to the shore. The clearance heaps may mark the boundaries of separate crofts. Within th is area are the following structures:
145a NG84555765 A c3m square structure of dressed masonry with walls c1.3m high and cXXm thick is marked on the 1875 map with an enclosure to the S which is only faintly visible in the long bracken. It is c6m long, cXXm wide over walls cXXm high and spread cXXm. The tstrdcture marked on the 1875 map to the NE is no longer visible.
145b NG84575755 Down by the road to Rechullin is a structure not marked on the
1875 OS map. MM records this as a barn which once had a thatch roof.
Between these two sites is a possible new house site (??).

TOR146: This area is bounded by the Alit na Criche to the E and the 'new' track TOR147 to croft (25) to the W. It lies above the old head dyke. At the N extreme of this area at NG84585785 is a turf & stone bank which forms an enclosure c70m by c40m. In places the bank is quite substantial using stones c2m by elm resulting in a bank surviving to elm high by elm thick. Within the enclosure the grassland is slightly improved and now bracken-clad.
At NG84615779 a building was shown roofed in 1875. It is now a bracken-clad spread of stones c6m by cam. It is almost totally obscured and no distinct walling can be seen.
To the S of this a roofed building was shown here in 1875, now a feued house (10F) known as Blaroor.

TOR147: H38 MM records that this is known as the 'Burma Road' constructed by a local man as a retirement project in the 1950s/60s.

TOR148: H40 MM records this as the old track close to the top road.

TOR149: This area lies above the old head dyke and to the W of TOR147. Various buildings are shown roofed here in 1875, which now includes the crofthouse (25) Clifton. At NG84545776 immediately to the W of Clifton is a single-pitched tin-roofed drystone structure that measures c9m by c4.5m and is still in use. The single pitch roof slopes down from the front to the back, from c2m to c1 .4m. The structure was shown roofed in 1875 but to a certain extent the current form may be a rebuild.
149a Further W at NG84505772 two buildings are shown roofed in 1875. Both structures only survive as footings of large boulders. The structure to the W is aligned N-S and measures c7m by c4m and is covered in bracken & thick moss. That to the E is aligned E-W and has been badly obscured by upcast from the construction of the modern track to Clifton. It probably measured between clOm and c8m by c4.5m. It is best preserved on the N where t courses of drystone walling are visible cXXM thick and cXXm high. The building is also obscured by mature birch. A small area of cultivation ridges lies to the N.
149b NG 84515775 Three small drystone structures are sited N of TOR149a, measuring c3m by c4.5m, c3m by c3m and c3m by c3m respectively.
149c Further W at NG 84445773 there is a coursed masonry structure with the E gable surviving. Aligned E-W it is c5m by c4m with walls c1.3m high and gables c2m high. The entrance is from the S. There is 'proper' angular hearting between the stones in the walls. The small yard marked on the 1875 map to the N of the structure is just visible.
In a c2m wide circular area to the N are a mass of mussel shells.
A track c2m wide runs E to 149a.
149d NG84445778 H15 Not shown on 1875 map. An enclosure/pen is sited against the outcroping rock as described by MM. It is c12m long and c5m wide across walls up to c1.7m high and c0.7m wide. It is aligned W-E. The similarity of this pen to the one at T0R137 above Shalimar suggests this may also have been used as a bull pen. If so it would have been built after Duncan Darroch took possession and gave 2 bulls to the Alligin crofters (see Napier Commission Report).
149e NG84505780 H16 Not shown in 1875. This drystone structure measures c3m by c2m over walls c1 m high and c0.6m wide. It is aligned SW-NE.

TOR150: A track runs cS-N from the back of Pier End, up the hill almost as far as croft 25, known as Clifton. The grass-covered track is defined by drystone dykes on either side along its edges and appears to cut across the landscape. It is not marked on the 1st edition OS map but is marked on the 2nd edition - ceasing at the cross-dyke demarcating the N boundary of T0R145. It is possible that it was created as a track up to croft 25, before the 'new' road was built from beside Park Cottage.

TOR151: A variety of structures are scattered across the hillside W of track TOR150:
151a NG84535764 H25 This drystone building survives to its wallheads at c1.6m and has gables c3m high. It measures am by c4.5m over walls c0.7m thick and is aligned cW-E. The entrance is to the S and small 'windows' survive in both gables. A chain within suggests this was used as a byre, though MM identifies it as a barn with 'airvents' rather than windows in the upper gables.
151b NG84535761 H24 A coursed drystone building measuring c7m by c4.5m aligned cW-E. The W gable survives up to c2.3m high and the wellhead is c1.3m over walls c0.6m thick. The E gable has collapsed as have parts of the N and S walls. The door faces the sea.
151c NG84515761 H23 A clay mortar-bonded stone building c10.5m by c5m aligned cW-E with a chimrre‘f irithe W gable. The gables are c3.2m high and the wellheads c1.9m high over walls c0.65m thick. There is a central doorway with windows to either side of it. There is stone paving in the entrance and in the E part.
The W part is obscured by dense bracken.
151d NG84475758 This is an unroofed building as shown on the current OS survey, measuring c7m by c4m over walls c0.7m thick. The gables survive to over 2m high and the wallheads are c1.5m high. The building is aligned SW-NE with the entrance facing SE. It was probably used as a byre as a drain runs through the base of the SW gable. There is possible cobbling in the E part of the structure.
Linear clearance strips c5-6m wide run SW from the continuation of head dyke TOR141-149 Seawards towards the flatter ground. The ?cultivated area is greener than the terrace which contains coarse grass and rushes. Occasional clearance heaps also suggest this area may have been cultivated, unless these are residues from turf cutting.

TOR152: An area of cultivation with clear rigs and a few clearance heaps lies above the old head dyke and is defined by a drystone dyke cXXm high and spread to cXXm, enclosing an area c750m by c400m. The dyke was not shown on the 1875 OS survey and the area may not have been cultivated until the crofters of Alligin were given more land after this date. MM records that it is held in common by 4 crofters. It may, of course, have been cultivated before the introduction of sheep in the 1840s and may be defined on the 1837 estate map.
152a NG84295770 H14 This is a rectangular structure c4m by c2m over walls cXXm thick and standing to c0.75m high. It is aligned E-W.
152b NG84275761 H10 These stone footings formed of rounded stones were presumably part of a structure c6m by c2m and aligned E-W but it hardly survives.

TOR153: There are two crofthouses in this area (17) and (20), and both sites were shown with two roofed buildings each in 1875. Today, the area is much altered by the replacement of the crofthouses with modern homes. However at NG84305755 behind crofthouse (20), within the garden ground, there is a ruined drystone structure which may be that shown on the 1966 map almost abutting the old head dyke. This is possibly also marked on the 1837 estate map, which certainly shows a roofed structure in this area.

TOR154: This area is defined by the old head dyke to the S and E, an un-named burn to the W and the enclosure dyke of TOR152 to the N. Within this area there are two crofthouses, Blaroor Cotttage (26) and Baldarroch (19) which are on the sites of roofed buildings that are marked on the 1875 map and the 1837 estate map. Immediately E of Baldarroch at NG84275755 is a structure that was not recorded in 1875.
To the N are a variety of structures not marked on the 1875 map:
154a NG84215756 H6 MM records this as a small drystone structure, unroofed, cXXm by cXXm, over walls cXXm thick and cXXm high, aligned XX.
154b NG84235756 I-I8 A rectangular enclosure was recorded here in 1875. Not on the 1875 map is a drystone structure c3m by c2.5m over wallswhich is in the NW cotneeof this enclosure with an entrance facing S.
154c NG84225759 H9 This is a rectangular structure of coursed drystone walling which measures c5m by c3m and is aligned E-W. Its walls are c1.3-1.7m high and cXXm thick. It has been revetted on the N (against burn incursions?); alternatively this is a rebuild on an earlier structure.
Some 8m to the SW is a circular pit c4m diameter by c1.5m deep. It is bowl-shaped with stones on the base. (?tattle clamp?)
To the N of 154c, a fragment of dyke runs roughly W from NG84265761 for c50m. It was not shown in 1875 but presumably formed part of the addition to the old head dyke that was shown to the E as the dyked enclosure TOR152.

TOR155: There are a variety of small structures on either side of the wee burn in this area above the head dyke which have been protected from afforestation. From W to E they include:
155a NG84145765 An amorphous structure aligned E-W measures c5m by c3m with tumbled stone footings obscured by bracken. Scoops c5m to the W - c3m in diameter - and c5m to the E - c4m by c2m - are even more nebulous.
155b NG84245765 H11 A concrete water tank
155c NG84245769 H12 A structure c3m by c2m is aligned N-S against an outcrop of rock, with walls cXXm thick and cXXm high. It is oval in appearance but was probably rectangular originally.
155d NG84255771 H13 A c3m by c2m grassy platform with stone revetting c0.2m high is probably the base of a peat stack.
155e Further W at NG84045762 MM records a grassy platform against the face of an outcrop - possibly once the site of a structure - and below it an area of clearance cairns.

TOR156: This area is enclosed by the head dyke to the N, an un-named burn to the E, and a crossdyke running E-W along the S boundary that turns N to an outcrop by the head dyke. There are various structures, some marked on the 1837 estate map, including, from W to E:
156a NG84085759 A largely overgrown revetted enclosure is edged by tumbled stones. The walls survive up to c0.7m high creating a terrace with a raised grassy area in the interior. There may have been structures within but it is too disturbed for this to be certain.
156b NG84115758 No longer distinguishable as a building, this was shown as an L-shaped roofed structure in 1875. It was perhaps c14m E-W by c7m N-S.
156c NG841 65757 H4 This is a drystone enclosure c12m by c15m with the enclosing dyke up to c1m high and c0.6m wide but ruinous. MM records this as a former kaleyard. Some 10m to the S of the enclosure is the possible site of a well H3. Today it is a relatively modern cistern measuring c2m by c1 .75m. It is of interest
because it has been bonded with shell mortar.
156d NG841 55756 H2 This small structure c3m by c3m has been built on the W end of an earlier structure c6.5m long. The E end of the earlier building appears to have been built of coursed dressed masonry. All the walls of the more recent structure survive to the wall heads which show that this had a single pitched roof, falling from 1.6m to 1.3m in height. Fragments of turf survive on the top of the wall head along the N wallhead. In the stoney ground to the W of this building various stone settings may mark the site of former buildings and enclosures. If these are structures then they have been heavily robbed.
156e NG84155753 This was recorded as a roofed L-shaped building in 1875. The E-W structure survives with well-dressed masonry and a corrugated iron roof. It measures cl3m by c4m. The N-S structure is almost ruinous and may just have been an enclosure.
Immediately E of this is the crofthouse 'Leach' with a square drystone dyked enclosure immediately behind it in goods repair. A roofed building was shown on this site on the 1875 map.
156f NG841 75756 H5 A rectangular structure shown roofed in 1875 built of well-dressed drystone walls still stands to its wellheads and its gable height in its W half. Aligned W-E it measures c9m by c5m across walls cXXm thick with the wellheads c1 .6m high and the gable c3.5m high. There are doorways facing N and S and one window has survived to the W of the 'front' door, all of which have traces of mortar around doorways & window. There is no evidence of a fireplace in the still standing W gable.

TOR157: Forming the N boundary of this area and running NW from 'Leach' are the remains of a drystone dyke, now only one stone high. It peters out but seems to reappear as the remnant stone dyke that turns northwards up to the outcrop at 83985763. Between it and the road, at NG84075754 on a distinct mound opposite the sheepfank TOR158, are the tumbled remains of a structure. It is aligned NW-SE and is c6m by c3m. Two mature rowans grow out of the centre of this structure obscuring its form. It has been considered by R Gourley (HC Archaeo in the 1980s pers comm) that the mound may mark a ?prehistoric burial mound (see MHG64846).
Crofthouse (16), 'Riverside', is sited at the W end of this area where a roofed building was marked on the 1875 map and is probably also marked on the 1837 estate map.

TOR158: No trace of the earlier sheep fold recorded in 1875 can now be seen. The area has been remoulded into a complex sheepfank with well constructed drystone dyke sorting pens and a dip.

TOR159: Between the road and the river are a variety of structures:
159a NG84145747 This corrugated roofed drystone building aligned NW-SE now measures c11m by c4.5m but has footings extending another c7m to the NW end. There are the remains of another possible addition c6m long with a round end to the XX. Part of this building was shown roofed in 1875 and is probably aslo marked on the 1837 estate map.
159b NG841 75746 H29 The recorded building was not shown on the 1875 OS map. Two small roofed structures recorded to the SW on the 1875 map have now virtually disappeared in road widening and later dykes. It is possible that there are the remains of a building c4m square there. MM records that H29 is the site of Culdarroch
garage, used at the time of the old wooden bridge, but which may have had a previous use.

TOR160: Down by the foreshore is a feued house site (26F) 'Ben View'. To the NE are a variety of structures:
160a NG 84355736 H26 This building was shown roofed in 1875 with an extension to the W. Another unroofed building was recorded to the W. MM records that this was the Corran barn, the walls of which were recently demolished for safety reasons.
160b NG84315733 H26a This building was not recorded on the 1875 map. MM records that this was a boathouse of corrugated iron which has now been removed. Three structures were recorded in this area on the 1837 estate map.

TOR204; Inveralligin W; Three house sites are sited down by the shore - Seaforth (25F) the old Post Office (23F) and Culdarroch (3F). In front of the PO are two small sheds (MM H33) marked on the OS map which are still used by Culdarroch. These buildings are, or are founded on, those which are marked on the 1875 OS map. One of them was originally used as the school until the new school was built (TOR206).
Behind Culdarroch and the PO is a steep rise to a natural terrace centred at NG84155729, enclosed by the remains of a ruinous drystone wall built from large boulders, to form an enclosure c200m by c150m. A roofed building was shown at NG84175727 on the 1st ed OS map.

TOR206: Inveralligin school and schoolhouse were built here at the turn of the century - it is first shown on the 1902 OS map. It became an outdoor centre for an Edinburgh school, but more recently has become a private house.<1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8459 5757 (1035m by 695m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG85NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	APPLECROSS

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