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MHG842 - Township, Achsteenclate

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In an area of moorland located 600m SW of the ruins of Achsteenclate are a number of small rectangular buildimg foundations. These vary from 3 by 3m to 10 by 3m on plan, and the stone-built walls seldom attain a height of over 0.3m. Each group of buildings is situated within prominent grassy patches among the heather.
A, at ND 0277 5427: Situated in the angle of a burn are the dilapidated foundations of a rectangular building measuring 10m NNW-SSE by 3m transversely. It is divided into two compartments. A small(4 by 3m) compartment abuts it on the SW.
B, some 90m NE of 'A': the footings of a small structure measuring 3.5 by 2.5m, situated on a slight SE-facing slope.
C, at ND 0303 5418, some 280m ESE of 'A' and situated on an elevated part of the moss: footings of a small rectangular building measuring 6m N-S by 3m transversely and surrounded on the S and W by a slight courtyard wall enclosing area some 9m by 8m.
D, 16m N of 'C' is a small structure formed of boulders, measuring 3.5 by 3m and 0.6m high. It is situated at the base of a low outcrop of rock which has been quarried. About 25m N of this is another slight structure measuring 4m by 2.5m - 'E'.
F, at ND 0313 5420, some 95m E of 'C', is a group of structures. The principal one is a building foundation measuring 10m E-W by 3m transversely, and possibly extending further E for another 8m. It is divided into three compartments. Adjacent on the NW are the footings, 0.2m high, of a circular structure, 7.5m in diameter, possibly a hut circle (no entrance is apparent) and some 20m NE of the building is a small rectangular foundation 5 by 3m. Elsewhere on this grassy area are scattered many large stones which possibly denote the sites of destroyed structures. About 52m NE of the building is another foundation measuring 7m E-W by 3m, divided into two compartments.
G, at ND 0304 5435, 175m NNW of 'C', is a foundation measuring 8m NW-SE by 3m transversely with courtyard footings on the N measuring some 8m by 6m.
H, at ND 0310 5439, 70m NE of 'G' is a foundation measuring 10m NW-SE by m transversely, divided into 2 compartments and with courtyard measuring roughly 10 by 7m abutting on its S side.
All these building foundations appear to be earlier than the depopulated site nearby at Achsteenclate (ND05SW 7), and may pre-date 1714.
Visited by OS (J L D) 14 April 1961.

(ND 030 542) Old Shielings (NAT) OS 6" map, (1962)

No change other than that these structures appear to be possibly a form of permanent settlement (? the forerunner of Achsteenclate) rather than shielings.
Revised at 1/10,000. Visited by OS (J M) 17 February 1982.

A single unroofed building (indentified above as structure A) is depicted on 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, xvi). Eleven unroofed buildings and one unroofed structure are shown on the OS 1:10560 map (1962).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 15 September 1995.

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Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 0300 5420 (100m by 100m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND05SW
Civil Parish	REAY
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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