Monument record MHG30676 - Achlean Bheag

NN 850 984
Visited Saturday 16th December 2000. Weather – dry, overcast and cold. The settlement is situated on a river terrace above the valley floor on the east bank of the River Feshie. There are “improved” grassy patches which are grazed by sheep but the majority of the site is overgrown by heather. Marked on Roys map of 1752 and on Thomson map of 1830, but not on 1st edition OS survey.
Structure A
A corn-drying kiln and barn on an east/west axis. The kiln in the east part of the structure measures 3m in diameter and is 1.5m deep, it is overgrown with heather, bracken and moss but appears relatively intact. The barn to the west of the structure is roughly 5m square and has a shallow oval depression adjacent to the kiln. There is an entrance in the northwest corner.
Enclosure B
This grassy clearing is roughly 15m square and lies at the southern end of the settlement. It is surrounded by an earthbank, 0.2m high and heather covered.
Structure C
Lies to the north of the enclosure and consists of the grass covered low footings of a building measuring 11m by 4m, very little stonework but there appears to be a small annexe in the form of a 3m square addition to the southeast corner. In fact this would make the whole building an L-shape.
Structure D
Another L-shaped building lying on a east/west axis to the north of the previous one. The main part of the building measures 11m by 4m, generally covered with short grass, the footings rise to no more than 0.2m and are overgrown on the north side with heather. A further compartment appended to the northeast measures 5m x 3m. There could be an entrance in the west wall.
Structure E
Quite ill-defined, this structure measures 10m by 3m and has a grassy hollow internally with low heather covered footings to a height of 0.3m. There could be a doorway in the centre of the west wall.
A large grassy ?manmade depression lies to the southwest of structure E
Structure F
Quite substantial heather covered turf footings rising consistently to a height of 0.4m and with some stonework showing, this structure measures 11m by 4m. It has a doorway in the northwest corner.
Structure G
Very overgrown with heather, this structure measure 11m by 4m. It exists more as a rectangular depression. A small area of humps and bumps, of which no form can be made, lies to the north and a small grassy area lies adjacent and to the east of this structure
Photographs
1. General view of the settlement from the north, looking up Glen Feshie.
2. General view from the SE - the corn drying kiln is in the foreground
3. Corn drying kiln A from the west (also kiln from the east)
4. Enclosure B from the north.
5. Structure C from the north.
6. Structure D from the west.
7. Structure E from the southwest.
8. Structure F from the southeast (also G from the southeast).
Recorded by M. Marshall - Dec 2000

See Thumbnail Photo - showing general view of settlement from the southeast. M Marshall, 12/00.

The settlement is situated on a river terrace above the valley floor on the east bank of the River Feshie. There is "improved" grassy patches which are grazed by sheep but the majority of the site is overgrown by heather.
Information supplied by M Marshall, 16/12/00.
See assoc. docs. File & Hlink.
J Aitken : 05/03/02.