Scheduled Monument: Rosal, hut circles and clearance cairns, Naver Forest, Strathnaver (SM2515)

The monument comprise the remains of at least 16 hut circles and a number of associated field clearance cairns, representing a late prehistoric settlement. The monument was last scheduled in 2000. Since then there has been extensive forest clearance revealing a series of associated clearance cairns and evidence for field systems in close proximity to a number of hut circles. One previously scheduled hut circle has been destroyed without a trace. The current scheduling rectifies both issues. The hut circles are scattered across a wide area of forest and open moor. Eleven lie within cleared areas of former forest, one on the edge of the forest and 4 in the moorland. There are 3 loose groupings. A group of 9 is scattered 700m E-W along a low rise, with the most westerly immediately beside the River Naver. A second grouping is over 1000m to the NE, with 5 hut circles located on rising ground. The third grouping, to the N and E of these, consists of 3 hut circles widely spaced along the E side of the Syre-Kinbrace road. Individual hut circles vary from 10m to 15m in diameter, and several display expansions of the wall in the vicinity of the entrance. Entrances, where detectable, are in the SE-SW sector. A number of the hut circles, particularly in the SW grouping, have suffered from plough damage at the time the forest was established in the 1960s. There are a substantial number of field clearance cairns around and among the hut circles. At six hut circles, centred on National Grid References NC 7013 4129, NC 7013 4173, NC 6998 4209, NC 6998 4225, NC 6902, 4063 and NC 6837 4080, the area to be scheduled is a circle 30m in diameter, centred on the centre of the hut circle. A further three hut circles, centred on National Grid Reference NC 6989 4169 are included within a group to be scheduled as a rectangle 200m NE-SW by 73m transversely, to include the hut circles and associated field clearance cairns. A further group of seven hut circles and associated field clearance cairns centred on position NC 6875 4076 are to be scheduled as an irregular shape with maximum dimensions 300m E-W and 140 N-S. The areas are marked in red on the accompanying map. National Importance The site is of national importance as a series of well-preserved examples of a prehistoric settlements with associated elements of field systems which have the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of prehistoric settlement and agriculture. Other Information The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NC64SE 7, NC64SE 15, NC64SE 16, NC64SE 20, NC74SW 1 and NC74SW 2.