Monument record MHG34455 - RUIGH GLEANN BALLACH

Created automatically by NMRS Register Utility
User: Admin, Date: Wed 13 Oct 2004
----
NH60SE 3 6510 0030

At least forty-five structures are situated on a series of terraces on both banks of the Allt Ballach, in the middle reaches of Gleann Ballach. The majority of the structures are subrectangular shieling-huts, but there is one building (KING95 267) and what may be a pen (KING95 243).
The shieling-huts are clustered into six loose groups: four on the W bank of the Allt Ballach (NH 6491 0036, KING95 244-6; NH 651 003, KING95 236-42; NH 6511 0037, KING95250-262; NH 6518 0048, KING95 235, 278-9) and two on the E bank (NH 6526 0042, KING95 270-7; NH 6530 0013, KING95 263-9). The huts fall into two broad size ranges: small - measuring from 1.8m by 1.5m to 3.8m by 1.6m internally (KING95 242, 253, 268-9, 272, 277, 279); and large - 4.2m by 2.2m to 7.6m by 2.5m (KING95 235-41, 244-52, 254-9, 261-6, 270-1, 273-8). The entrances are normally in a side wall, and the largest hut is the only hut to have two compartments. Middens, visible as mounds and hollows, are situated outside the entrances of seven of the larger huts (KING95 241, 254, 259, 264, 266, 271, 273). The footings of most of the structures are of turf-and-stone, with two (KING95 240, 268) entirely of turf. Where the footings are well preserved an inner face of stone with a turf embanked external face seems to have been a common feature. Four huts (KING95 235, 255, 273-4) have an aumbry, one (KING95 235) of which also has an upright slab, probably a hearth-stone, in the centre of the interior. Evidence of phasing in the construction of the huts is visible in only one structure (KING95 242), where the coursed-rubble footings of a hut overlie an earlier structure. A further rubble-built structure (KING95 243), possibly a pen or fold, is situated amongst a group of robbed huts and may post-date the majority of the huts.
The building (KING95 267) is situated amongst a group of huts on the E bank of the Allt Ballach. It measures 10.7m by 2.1m internally and may have been divided into two compartments.
A trackway cuts through the W edge of the westernmost group; visible as a terrace as it cuts across the hillside from NH 6495 0033 to 6488 0042, it disappears in peaty ground on the NE and SW. An upright stone (KING95 260, NH 6509 0029), standing 0.75m in height, which is situated beside a linear vegetational change, may mark the line of the trackway as it crosses a peat-covered terrace.
A plan of 1771 (SRO RHP 1835) depicts some structures at this location, annotated as the 'Bothies of Banchor'. Although the site is named as Ruigh Gleann a' Bhealaich, nothing is shown on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1872, sheet c).
(KING95 235-79)
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 28 September 1995