Monument record MHG19794 - Site of smithy and associated buildings, Larel Bridge

ND15NE 58 196 571

Longhouse farm (ND 1960 5714), 'Smithy', comprising;
A: Longhouse. Dimensions: 11.6 x 5.3m. Rectangular structure containing opposing fireplaces. Orientation NW-SE.
B: Longhouse. Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.2m. Rectangular structure 4.3m SE of A, with annexe 2 x 2.5m at S end. Orientation NW-SE.
C: Longhouse. Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.4m. Rectangular structure 2.5m S of B. Orientation NE-SW.
D: Longhouse. Dimensions: 8.2 x 4.9m. Rectangular structure with opposing fireplaces, 15m NE of A. Orientation NE-SW.
E: Longhouse. Dimensions: 16.4 x 6.1m. Rectangular structure with an annexe 3.9 x 3.8m, 12.3m NE of D. Orientation NW-SE.
F: Enclosure. Dimensions: 18.7 x 12m. Rectangular feature 4.5m SW of A and B. Orientation NW-SE.
R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995

Five roofed buildings (the one nearest the roadside is marked as a smithy) are depicted on the first edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, sheet xviii). One roofed building (the smithy), one unroofed building and an unroofed structure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,560 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (FO) 18 March 1996

GR corrected to above from 2nd ed OS - HAW 11/2002

Photographs of these buildings were submitted to the HER in April 2009 to comply with a condition on planning consent for demolition and the erection of a new house. According to information submitted with the photographs, the building on the roadside was a working smithy and workshop providing the local area, but has been unused for this purpose for many years. The other buildings were dwellings for the family that ran the smithy. <1>