Monument record MHG30674 - Allt Choire Chaoil

NN 849934
Visited Saturday 16th June 2001. Weather - cold and overcast, threatening rain. The settlement is comprised of 15 structures and 1 enclosure. The settlement is situated in the upper part of a fluvial fan where the Allt Choire Chaoil widens onto the flatter valley floor of the River Feshie and is at an altitude of 370m. It is not depicted on the current OS maps or on the 1st edition map of 1872, but it appears on Roys military survey of 1750. Oblique aerial photographs were taken in 1995. Several clearance cairns, 2 of which may be former shielings are situated to the NW. A large concrete platform to the SW is probably related to WW2 activities. Earthbanks which may be the remains of a sheepfold and ? Dip also lie to the SW on the south side of the Allt Choire Choille

Structure A
At the north limit of the settlement this rectangular structure has an internal measurement of 6m x 3m, it lies on an east/west axis. The stone footings of the walls are scattered but the walls are 0.8m in width and 0.2m high. The corners of the building are squared and there is no evidence of an entrance or internal walls.

Structure B
This structure appears as a flattish rectangular area, 7m x 3m on an NW/SE axis. There is some evidence of low turf footings and at its east end the structure is rebated into the slope, there is also evidence of stonework here too.

Corn drying kiln C
A corn-drying kiln with 3 compartments on an east/west axis. The kiln, at the east end, is 2m in diameter and 1.5m deep with almost vertical sides. The middle compartment measures 3m x 3m internally and has a circular structure in the SE corner with a well-preserved flue connecting it to the kiln. The stone and turf footings of this compartment are 1m in width and 0.3m high and there is a doorway to a further compartment to the east. The walls of this western compartment are much more wasted and rise to a height of 0.2m, it measures 4m x 3m internally.

Structure D
A structure measuring 7m x 2.5m on a north/south axis, this has low turf footings to a height of 0.2m and width of 0.5m. There is no stonework evident and no entrance.

Enclosure E
This sub-square enclosure is roughly 20m x 20m. The obvious turf and stone walls are grass and heather covered and ?0.2m in height. The enclosure includes a natural gully/dry watercourse in its northern part.

Structure F
The low turf and stone footings of this structure enclose an area of 9m x 3m on a NNE/SSW axis. There is no evidence of a wall at the south end but there may be an extension in the form of a compartment measuring 3m x 3m to the north.

Structure G
The stone footings of this structure, with an internal measurement of 6m x 2.5m, lie on a north/south axis. There is an entrance in the NW corner of the west wall. The low heather clad footings of an extension to the building can be seen to the north, this compartment is 3m x 3m and there is no evidence of a west wall.

Structure H
This structure on a north/south axis has an internal measurement of 12m x 2.5m. The stone and turf footings of 3 compartments are evident, with those of the northern compartment being most complete. This compartment is 3m x 2.5m with the heather covered footings rising to a height of O.5m and being 0.5 to 1m in width - ?entrance. The middle compartment is 2.5m x 2.5m and the southern 6m x 2.5m, both are grass covered and the walls rise to a height of 0.2m
Structure I
Lying on an east/west axis, the low stone and turf footings of this structure enclose an internal area of 10m x 2.5m. There is an entrance in the north wall but no evidence of partitions.

Structure J
This appears to be the most recently used structure on the settlement. The stone footings are more complete, 0.3m high and comprised, in the main, of dressed stone. The corners of the structure are squared and there are two possible entrances in the west wall. The structure lies on a north/south axis and has an internal measurement of 10m x 2.5m. There are no internal partitions.

Structure K
Lies on a north/south axis and measures 9m x 2.5m internally, this structure has substantial heather covered walls, with some stonework rising to a height of 0.5m and with a width of 0.5m. There is an entrance at the NW corner in the west wall.

Structure L
Lies on a north/south axis and has an internal measurement in total of 11m x 3m, sloping down from north to south. There is a cobbled area of irregular angular stones (0.1 to 0.4m in diameter) in the northern part of the structure, there is some evidence of surrounding wall footings (8m x 3m). The southern part of the structure has irregular humps of undefined shape.

Structure M
Lies on a north/south axis and has an internal measurement of 11m x 3m. The low wall footings are covered with grass and heather and have some stonework, they are 0.2m high and have a width of 0.5rn. There could be an entrance in the west wall. The structure is adjacent to the stream but separated from it by a ?man-made channel in which there is a depression, this could be associated with the structure (?a water-mill)

Structure N
This again may be a more recently used building. The wall footings are of dressed stone, variable in height (0.2m to 0.5m), 0.5m in width and with obvious squared corners. The structure is on a north/south axis, measures internally (total) 12m x 3m and has a partition dividing off the southern 2m, with a doorway to the west. There is an entrance in the east wall and a possible extension to the east measuring 4m x 3m, but this is very vague, a stone setting representing the north wall being the most obvious feature.

Structure P
Represented by a rectangular flat area, on a north/south axis, and measuring 12m x 3m. It has surrounding low turf footings for the most part, but they are absent for part of the west wall and to the north, where a gully falls away into an apparently natural channel. There is a possible extension to the east of the structure, measuring 3m x 3m.

Structure Q
Situated in an elevated position next to a natural gully, this structure is adjacent to P and only l m distant, it lies on a north/south axis and measures 9m x 3m. It is surrounded by low grass covered turf wall footings in which there is no evidence of an entrance.
An earthwall stretches away from the NE corner, to the north across the gully and there is an obvious man-made scoop in the opposite bank of the gully.

Several clearance cairns are to be seen in the area of improved land to the west of the settlement:
Clearance Cairn S - NN 84876 93460
E-W axis, 12m x 5m and 0.6m in height

Clearance Cairn T - NN 84761 93531
Oval in shape with depressed centre. On a NW-SE axis, 5m x 3m but with an “extension” of stones to the west. Raised above surrounding level by 0.5m, but depression is 0.2m deep. Mostly turf banks, are 1m in width. Possible shieling, infilled with clearance material.

Clearance Cairn U - NN 84767 93507
Similar in shape to previous cairn but with more stones, and on a NNW-SSE axis. Measures 6m x 3.5m and is 0.7m in height. Possible shieling, infilled with clearance.

Clearance Cairn V - NN 84796 93485
2.5m in diameter and 0.6m in height, is largely grass covered

Clearance Cairn W - NN 84706 93522
Circular, with diameter of 5m and 0.8m height it is partially grass covered.

Clearance cairn X - NN 84797 93543
Low, 2.5m in diameter and 0.3m in height

?Clearance Cairn Y - NN 84746 93560
Circular feature, 3m in diameter and 0.2m in height. Mostly grass covered.

Head Dyke - to NE of settlement. See plan

Photographs
1. Structure A from east
2. Enclosure E from NE.
3. Corn drying kiln C from west.
4. Corn drying kiln - flue and kiln from WSW.
5. Structure G from south.
6. Structure H from north.
7. Structure J from SSW
8. Structure K from north.
9. Structure L from south
10. Structure L - close-up of cobbles in north end.
11. Structure M from north.
12. Channel and depression to south of M from SW.
13. Structure N from SSW.
14. Structure N from east
15. Structure P from SE.
16. Structure Q from south
17. Clearance cairn T from SE
18. Clearance cairn U from SE
19. Clearance cairn W from S
20. Clearance cairn Y from SE
21. ?Sheepfold R from SE
22. ?Sheepfold R from west, with rectangular depression in foreground
23. Platform Z from NE
Recorded by M. Marshall - June 2001


See Thumbnail photo - showing structure G from south. M Marshall, 06/01.

The settlement is comprised of 15 structures and 1 enclosure. The settlement is situated in the upper part of a fluvial fan where the Allt Choire Chaoil widens onto the flatter valley floor of the river Feshie and is at an altitude of 370m. The settlement is not depicted on the current OS map or on the 1st edition map of 1872, but it appears on Roys military survey of 1750 where it is named Rillatabruach. Oblique aerial photos of the settlement were taken in 1995.
Information supplied by M Marshall, 16/06/01.
See assoc. docs & Hlink.
J Aitken : 05/03/02.

This site was visited during a walkover survey in March and April 2011. See the linked event (EHG3560) to download the survey report. <1><2>