Monument record MHG12257 - Cemetery, Loch Ardbhair

NC13SE 2 1685 3304.

(NC 1681 3305) Burial Ground (NAT) (Site of) (Not on OS 6" 1878) OS 6"map, Sutherland, 2nd ed., (1907)

At head of Loch Ardbhair is an ancient graveyard with each grave outlined and covered with stones. No symbols or letters are observable on any of stones. The graveyard, which measures 78' x 51' has at one time been enclosed. RCAHMS 1911. <1>

Chapel symbol shown. "In 1793 there were burying grounds (all perhaps the sites of chapels) at Ardoor." Orig Paroch Scot 1855. <2>

Not named or shown. J Home 1774-5. <3>

Included in list of burial places - context implies that it was in use. OSA 1795. <4>

The enclosure described by RCAHMS is about 40m E of OS siting symbol at NC16853305, and has its N side bordered by loch. It is bounded by remains of a dry stone wall. Inside the enclosure is a profusion of stones with here and there traces of a pattern of straight lines. There are two or three stones set on end but there are no signs of these stones having been worked or of any inscriptions. There is no evidence of a chapel in area.
Visited by OS (E G) 23 April 1962.

NC 168 330. Grave, oblong, about 2' x 6', of stone slabs set vertically in earth, about 30' from HWM.
M Livingston 1963. <5>

This alleged graveyard at NC 1685 3304 is sub rectangular on plan. It measures 27m NNW-SSE by 15m at its widest, within a ruinous turf-grown wall 1.5m thick. The interior is occupied by numerous small boulders scattered haphazardly around. It is further complicated by a heavy growth of bracken. There are one or two small upright stones which could be grave markers but there seems to be no planned rows. The grave noted by Livingston could not be identified.
Surveyed at 1:10560. Visited by OS (J M) 14 August 1974.

No change to the previous information.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (J B) 14 August 1980.

Visited by the Assynt's Hidden Lives Project in December 2009. A cemetery surrounded by a grass covered stone wall. It has a great spread of stones over the site with almost no order to them. A few larger sub-rectangular stones up to 0.8m x 0.3m, possible headstones, are visible, although none appear to be inscribed. The north edge of the cemetery was 3m from the loch edge at the time of survey. <6>