Monument record MHG30673 - Knockinbui

NN 835 987
Visited Sunday 4th June 2000. Weather - dull, threatening rain. The site is quite open and lies on a terrace to the south of the Allt Fhearnasdhail. An extensive area of improved land with evidence of rig and furrow cultivation lies to the west and south. The settlement appears on Roys Military map of 1750 (Knockinbui) and on Thomsons map of 1830 (Knockan Bhuidh), but it is not marked on the 1st edition OS map of 1872.

Structure A
A corn-drying kiln and barn lie on the north side of the crest of a knoll. The bowl to the west is roughly 3m in diameter and 1.5m deep. The remains of the barn to the east are barely discernible, being rectangular and 5m x 3m. There is an oval depression, 2m x 1m and 1m deep, in the NW corner adjacent to the kiln.

Structure B
Appears well on the aerial photographs but on the ground the grass covered low turf footings of a structure measuring 8m x 4m are barely discernible. The NW wall footings are more obvious and are approximately 0.15m high, the structure is rebated into a small knoll at its SSW end. There is no evidence of an entrance.

Enclosure C
Situated in a large depression this (probable) enclosure is sub-square and slopes gently to the west, it measures roughly 17m x 14m. The south boundary is formed by what appears to be a manmade escarpment and the northern edge is a natural embankment. No evidence of walls at the west or east borders. There is a large clearance cairn 4m in diameter in the west.

Structure D
Appears as a rectangular platform on a raised area to the north of enclosure C and is on a east/west axis. It measures 13m x 4m, there is little evidence of footings but the structure is recessed into a small knoll on its northern edge and “platformed” out at its west end. There is a stone alignment marking the possible line of the south wall before the slope drops quite steeply.

Structure E
Southmost of 2 rectangular structures recessed into the west end of the knoll. Lies on a NE/SW axis and measures 11m x 3m. NW wall comprises stone and turf footings. Area is much burrowed by rabbits.

Structure F
Northmost of the two structures mentioned above, this lies immediately adjacent to and on the same alignment as structure E. The low turf footings define an area of 9m x 3m, an entrance can be identified at the NE corner. A shallow channel or re-entrant sloping off to the NW and lying to the NW is associated.

Structure G
The low turf footings (0.2m high) of a structure measuring 12m x 4m can be identified lying on a north/south axis. Some stonework can be seen in the west wall, there is no evidence of an entrance.

Structure H
A rectangular building, on a north/south axis and measuring 15m x 4m lies to the north of the knoll. Defined by low turf footings 0.2m in height. Within the north end of the building the kerb of a ?drain, 2m long and 0.5m in width, can be identified. No evidence of an entrance to the building.
To the west of this building there are many humps and hollows, no form to them can be detected. A depression, 2m in diameter and 0.5m deep, lies 10m to the NW

Structure J
Indistinct footings of this structure to the south of H appear well on the aerial photographs but on the ground are barely discernible. It measures 6m x 3.5m. There is some stonework in the south wall footings but no evidence of a north wall

Structure K
Situated on the edge of the terrace this small rectangular building on a north/south axis measures only 5m x 2.5m. There is stonework in the east wall and a stone setting for the north wall. It may be an extension to structure L but it is offset to the west. A small pit in the bank to the north may be associated.

Structure L
A rectangular structure lying on a north/south axis, 2m east of structure, internal measurement is 6m x 2.5m. Wall footings are difficult to discern, no evidence of a north wall and the corners are rounded.

?Storage pits M
Two possible storage pits are situated at the bottom of the NE slope of the knoll and are 3m apart. Internal measurement roughly 2m x 1m, with well defined heather covered banks and openings to the NW, these are almost identical to N and P
There is evidence of “quarrying” on the SE and NW sides of the knoll and on the NE side, an oval depression, 7m x 4m and approximately 1m deep is heavily overgrown with heather.

?Storage pits N and P - GR NN 837 985
250m to the SE there are two small structures on the east side of a ridge - ?storage pits, possibly associated with the settlement. Both are of turf construction but the north one has an internal stone setting, internal measurement is 2m x 1m.The one to the south is much overgrown with heather and is 3m x 1m

Photographs
1. Corn-drying kiln A from the wes
2. Corn-drying kiln A from the south-east
3. Structure B from east
4. Enclosure C from east
5. Structure D from north-west
6. Structure E from the east, B in background
7. Structure F from the south
8. Structure E and F from the north-east
9. Structure G from the south
10. Structure H from the south-east
11. Structure H ?drain from the south-west
12. Structure L from south
13. Storage-pits M from north-east
14. ?Man-made depression from west
15. Northern storage pit N from the north
16. Southern storage pit P from north-west
M. Marshall - June 2000



See Thumbnail Photo - showing corn-drying kiln A from the south-east.

The site is quite open and exposed and lies on a terrace to the north and west of a knoll. An extensive area of improved land in which there is evidence of rig and furrow cultivation lies to the west and south. The settlement appears on Roys Military map of 1750 (Knockinbui) and also on Thomsons map of 1830, where it is referred to as Knockan Bruidh, but is not marked on the 1st edition OS map of 1872.
Information supplied by M Marshall, 04/06/00.
See assoc. docs. File & Hlink.
J Aitken : 04/03/02.