Monument record MHG22582 - Heather Thatched Byre, Shieldaig

NG 81400 53800 Although this cottage has been included on previous surveys of thatched buildings in Scotland, and has a record on the Canmore database, this building no longer exists. The site upon the shore in Shieldaig that it is recorded to have occupied has now been taken over by the beach and no visible remains of the cottage can be seen. There are photographic images held by Canmore that show the building in 1976. At this time, the heather thatched roof was still partially in situ, although there were large openings exposing the interior of the building. A photograph of the interior shows that the ridge and a large amount of thatching material had fallen in by this time and the building appears derelict.
Information from Zoe Herbert (SPAB) 2015, survey no.108

Scottish Thatched Building Survey: Historic Scotland commissioned the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) to undertake a survey to identify and assess the condition of thatched roofs across Scotland.

The NGR for this record is clearly incorrect as no building would appear to have been sited on the beach based on historic OS map evidence. The photographs taken by RCAHMS in 1976 clearly show a building surrounded by fields. It is far more likely that the building was one of the several ruined buildings to the southeast of the current settlement, seen on historic OS maps within the fields and visible on modern APs [IS-L 06/12/2016].