Monument record MHG10555 - Connagill

NC95NW 1 904 598.

Connagill: a depopulated settlement which had consisted of a few croft-houses but which was under sheep-farming by 1873.
Name Book (Sutherland).

The footings of three buildings, the largest of which measures 25m by 3m, and an enclosure, remain at Connagill.
Visited by OS (JB) 21 June 1977.

This small township comprises two unroofed long buildings, two unroofed structures and one enclosure as depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1878, sheet xx). Two unroofed buildings, one of which is a long building, one unroofed structure and an enclosure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10, 560 map (1962).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 18 august 1995

Field survey identified the remains of a farmstead and associated field system. The farmstead comprises the remains of c.3 long rectangular buildings, a corn drying kiln, two possible bothies, several enclosures, a possible quarry and at least eight clearance cairns. The remains of a circular feature which may be the remnants of a hut circle were also identified close to the farmstead.
To the N of the burn were the remains of three linear stone and turf banks and a circular structure. The banks were all aligned N-S and ranged in size from 1-2m wide and 0.2-0.5m high. Bank (A)and (B) measure c.20m long and peter out at both ends in wet boggy ground. The third bank C runs for >100m and continues out side the study area. The bank is truncated at the S end by the burn and then continues on for a further 8m where it abuts the remains of a fourth stone and turf bank (Bank D). Bank (D) is aligned E-W. It is 0.5m wide and 0.3-0.4m high. The bank is extremely poorly preserved and has been truncated by animal tracks. The bank skirts around the edge of a bedrock knoll for 52m and peters out in boggy ground. It is visible again 34m to the W where it continues to curve round to the S for c.100m. Further stone and turf banks remains are visible further S running from NC 90504 59765 – NC 90479 59703 and may have originally formed part of Bank (D).
A small horse-shoe structure is present at NC 90593 59907. The structure measures 2m diameter internally, surrounded by a wall that measures 1m wide and 0.5m high. An entrance is visible on the S side of the structure and measures 1.5m wide. The N side of the structure has been built into a S facing slope.
To the S side of the burn and situated on top of a large bedrock knoll are the remains of a long rectangular building and associated enclosure. The building centred on NC 90430 59859 measures c.36m long and 4m wide, split into at least 3 compartments, and aligned NWSE. The building is visible as a raised rectangular grass platform with stone scattered along its edges. No internal features are visible. To the E of the building and abutting the NW end of the building is the remains of a sub-rectangular enclosure. The enclosure measures c.65m long, 50m wide and centred on NC 90456 59864. The enclosure was surrounded by the remains of a stone wall comprising a stone spread measuring 1m wide and 0.4-0.5m high. To the S, 10m from the SE end of the rectangular building are the remains of a possible corn drying kiln centred on NC 90445 59830. There is no obvious structure but a 6m long and 4m wide rectangular spread of stone is cut into a W facing slope. Eleven metres to the WNW of the corn drying kiln and 8m SW of the rectangular building is the remains of a possible quarry centred on NC 90428 59838. The quarry measures 20m by 10m and is 1.5m deep. No worked faces are visible.
Further S and c.60m from the quarry are the remains of what may be a hut circle comprising a large circular holllow measuring 8m in diameter and 0.5m deep. The NW edge of the hollow is cut into the side of a bedrock knoll and a slight turf bank is visible surrounding the hollow measuring c.1m wide and 0.1-0.2m high.
Approximately 30m to the NW of the hut circle and c.45m to the SSW of the quarry are the remains of a turf bank (Bank E). The bank measures 35m long and aligned NW-SE. It is 2m wide and 0.6m high, the bank peters out at both ends in grassland. A further small fragment of bank measuring 1.5m long is visible c.20m to the NW of Bank E and may have originally formed part of this structure.
To the SE of the enclosure and centred on NC 90513 59807 are the remains of a small bothy or sheiling hut. The rectangular structure measures 4m by 3m with a 0.3m high wall that is now covered in turf. No internal structures are visible.
The faint outline of a further stone and turf bank (Bank F) is visible to the E of Bank D running from NC 90543 59829 – NC 90543 59801. The bank measures c.30m long, 1m wide and 0.2m high. Eight clearance cairns are also present spread across a boggy area to the E of Bank D and F. The cairns range in height from 0.2-1.5m and 2m–5m in diameter. <1>