Monument record MHG28977 - Hut circle - Slat Bheinn, Skye (Cille Mhaire 9 (50a), (SG005))

A hut circle (50a - No.9 of 14) was recorded by M Wildgoose in 1999 at Cille Mhaire Glen, Strathaird, Skye, during a walkover survey in advance of a proposed forestry Woodland Grant Scheme for the John Muir Trust. A 6m diameter stone-built hut circle, lies 12m to the east of 50c. <1>

The site was included by M Wildgoose, with a slightly amended diameter, in a catalogue of hut circles which combined the results of surveys on the Strathaird, Torrin and Sconser Estates. It is situated on a natural terrace at the foot of the southeast-facing slope of Slat Bheinne. It lies a few metres from 50b and 50c. It consists of a sub-circular stone bank 1.5m thick surrounding an interior which measures 4.5m by 5m. A entrance 0.8m wide faces downslope to the southeast. This structure is poorly preserved and nowhere does it stand more than 0.3m high. <2>

153960 818302 Cille Mhaire Glen 9 (MW50a) SG005: The structure was visited by A Welti and S Glover in 2009 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. The Cille Mhaire hut circles lie on similar contour lines around the well drained lower flanks of surrounding hills. Vegetation is mainly rough grassland and the slopes are covered with a mosaic of ancient land divisions. The floor of the glen, into which many small burns tumble, consists mainly of blanket bog and contans the remains of a stone circle. This circular stone structure is 50a in M Wildgoose survey of Strathaird for John Muir Trust in 1999. It is part of a group ranged along a contour, around 100m across, and it also is close to 50b and 50c, SG004 (see MHG57234) and SG006 (see MHG57235). The poorly preserved HC is situated on a natural terrace at the foot of Slat Bheinne on a gentle SE facing slope. It is 20m from SG004 and SG006 (MW50b and 50c) so may be associated with these HCs. The structure is subcircular. Average internal diameter is 4.5m, external diameter is 7.5m, although this was hard to measure. The structure is badly degraded. The 1999 MW survey indicated that the double skinned walling was 1.5m thick and 0.3m high, with an entrance 0.8m wide facing downslope to SE. <3> <4>

[Note: a database was set up as part of research for the dissertation and was subsequently expanded as an extension of the We Digs Project (see website link below). The full access database can be made available to enquirers/researchers if requested - contact HER for details]

Note: NGR adjusted to position as seen on 2010 vertical APs [IS-L 22/02/2017].