Monument record MHG28537 - Allt Bad a' Chrasgaidh

NC70SE 55 7500 0200

This township is situated in the valley of the Allt Bad a' Chrasgaidh and lies within a head-dyke which encloses an area of about 500m from E to W by up to 250m. Patches of rough grassland within the head-dyke bear faint traces of ridging. There are two loose groupings of buildings and enclosures situated on either side of the burn and, except for one structure (ROG95 125, NC 7497 0216), they all lie within the head-dyke. Four buildings (ROG95 126-8, 540) stand to the W of the burn, one of which (ROG95 127) is very much larger than the others and is attached to an enclosure. To the E of the burn there are eight buildings (ROG95 117-20, 122-5) - two of which are very much larger than the others, a kiln (ROG95 121) and six enclosures. All the buildings have faced-rubble footings. There is no depiction of the township on either the 1st or 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Sutherland 1879, 1907, sheet civ).
The three largest buildings measure respectively 16.1m by 2.5m (ROG95 124), 16.6m by 3.2m (ROG95 127) and 19.8m by 3.2m (ROG95 120), with two compartments in each of the two shorter structures and three in the longest. Two of these buildings (ROG95 120, 124) have two bedneuks opening out of a side wall, while another (ROG95 128) has a dished interior to one compartment suggesting that it may have been a byre house. The two largest buildings to the E of the burn are situated relatively discreetly of each other, and all three large buildings may have formed a focus for a family unit.
The other buildings can be broken down into two broad size ranges: those measuring from 8.7m by 2.9m to 9.9m by 2.3m internally (ROG95 122, 127, 129); and a series of huts measuring from 4.1m by 1.7m to 5.8m by 2.7m internally (ROG95 117-9, 123, 125, 126, 540). These smaller buildings all have a single compartment.
A kiln (ROG95 121, NC 7506 0212) is situated in a discrete cluster of structures on the E of the burn and comprises a bowl measuring 1.8m in diameter within a faced rubble bank 1.2m in thickness and 1m in height. The flue is on the SSW, opening out into a barn which measures 3.8m from NNE to SSW by 2.8m internally. The kiln bowl has been built onto the leading edge of a terrace and is set well above the level of the barn.
(ROG95 117-29)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 24 April 1995