Monument record MHG11103 - Pit or possible kiln, Skelpick Burn

NC75SE 1 75 52.

A pit in the shape of an inverted cone, 7 or 8ft deep and neatly lined with stones was found by Horsburgh on the hill W of Skelpick Burn, but near Skelpick Burn Wood (NC 75 52). It was almost covered by heather and was locally said to have been used for cooking deer, but it is also possible that it was used for storing meat, the carcass being salted and insulated by bracken. Other suggestions are that it was a wolf-trap or, suitably lined, a tan pit (Feachem 1959).
J Horsburgh 1870; R W Feachem 1959. <1><2>

Not found during field investigation. Visited by OS (JLD) 6 5 1960.

No change. Visited by OS (JM) 23 August 1977.

A visitor to the HER website, Mark Stevens, notes that the Blaeu map of StrathNaver (from Atlas Novus c.1642) has several locations, including this one, indicating that iron was mined here: "Mynes of Yron". West of Skail he writes on the map ''Heir is Yron Made'' South west from Skail is Beinn Stumanadh. Pont writes on his map '' Bin Staominy whair is had Iron oare''. He wonders if this site, and others in the area listed on the HER as "possible" corn drying kilns, may be related to the "Yron Mynes". <3><4>

Although this record has been indexed as a possible kiln, the description and diagram in <1> and the discussion in <2> would suggest that this pit had no provision for introducing heat making such an explanation unlikely. However the pit was not fully investigated by Horsburgh. <5>