Landscape record MHG34643 - Archaeological Landscape, Garrisdale, Canna

Created automatically by NMRS Register Utility
User: Admin, Date: Wed 13 Oct 2004
----
NG20NW 129.00 2070 0508 to 2202 0591

The cultivation remains of this farm have been divided topographically into three main areas, and these are described separately under NG20NW 129.01 to NG20NW 129.03:
NG20NW 129.01 centred NG 2071 0509 lazy-beds; field bank
NG20NW 129.02 NG 2123 0501 to NG 2179 0557 field-system; lazy-beds; field clearance cairns
NG20NW 129.03 NG 2103 0544 to NG 2202 0596 field-system; lazy-beds; field clearance cairns

The farm of 'Garresdale' (Garrisdale) is the westernmost of those on Canna shown on an estate map of the island dated 1805. By this date, the island appears to have been divided into six separate farms, whose boundaries probably equate with the lands previously held by townships. It is separated from its neighbour of 'Tarbet' (Tarbert: NG20NW 131) by a large area of ground, annotated on the map as 'common' (for which, see NG20NW 130). The map shows the dyke marking the boundary of the farm, together with three roofed buildings and the areas of ground that were then under cultivation.
The boundary, annotated 'dyke the march', is drawn as a continuous feature on the estate map, running S from the cliff edge above Conagearaidh on the N side of the island to join the cliff edge on the SW, on the W side of a burn between Sron Ruail and Sron Bhrosgor. It can still be followed for much of its course and, where best preserved, appears to comprise a bank that has been refurbished with an external stone face. Indeed, at one point, there is evidence for a minor re-alignment, where a short stretch of an earlier bank has been cut by the ditch of the later phase. Here, the earlier bank runs parallel to the stone faced bank for a distance of about 25m (NG 2132 0498).
The dyke still forms an impressive boundary at its NE end, where there is a well-defined break leading E on to the adjacent boggy ground of the 'common'. From here, the wall curves round to the SW, crosses the gully of a burn and runs upslope to the foot of a rocky crag. The boundary is then continued by the face of the crag for about 180m and the wall of an earlier enclosed field on the slope below, before it can again be distinguished running from the SW end of the field across boggy ground to the WSW (for a more detailed description of the field see NG20NW 37). Eventually, it reaches an unnamed burn, and at this point the dyke turns SW along the E bank of the burn before petering out after about 50m. The line of the burn probably carries the boundary S, although few certain traces of the dyke can be distinguished until quite close to the cliff-edge at the SW end. This stretch is located on the W side of the burn, in accordance with the line depicted on the map. It is unclear when the dyke went out of use, but it is only depicted in part on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire, 1881, sheet lix).
The three roofed buildings that are depicted on the estate map are situated towards the rear of open ground above the steep cliffs of Conagearaidh. Two lie on the E side of a burn and the other on the W. These buildings were probably replaced by those (NG20NW 44) that can still be seen today, one of which was probably that still occupied by a herdsman in 1841. It seems unlikely that these are the only buildings belonging to the farm or earlier township, but, in the absence of further documentation, it is impossible to say which of the numerous other buildings, small huts and mounds falling within the farm boundary can be attributed to it. While some are undoubtedly earlier and are accompanied by a different pattern of enclosure (for which, see NG20SW 5), others appear to be later in date (for which, see NG20NW 51).
Although more ground is shown as cultivated on the 1805 map than can be traced on the ground, in general terms, there is a broad level of agreement between the two. Four blocks of arable ground are identified on the map, two on opposite sides of the burn that separates the buildings and two on the terrace below the steep cliffs at Conagearaidh. The remaining ground is identified as pasture, and is also divided into four areas of differing sizes, the largest of which takes in the NW end of the island.
In the area surrounding the three roofed buildings, the majority of the plots of lazy-beds lie within fields defined by stony banks, and the pattern of enclosure ties in more readily with the extent of cultivated ground depicted on the map (for which, see NG20NW 129.02). The field that has been taken into the boundary of the march suggests that some of these enclosures may be relatively early, although in this case the field wall overlies some mounded shieling-huts. At least one wall on the E side of the burn appears to pre-date another mounded hut (NG20NW 42). Traces of lazy-beds can also be seen in the two discrete blocks of cultivated ground on the terrace below the cliffs at Conagearaidh, however, the intervening gap, which falls within pasture, has also been cultivated (for which, see NG20NW 129.03, NG20NW 35-36 and NG20NW 51). Numerous field clearance cairns lie scattered across this terrace, and several stretches of stony banks run from the base of the cliffs to the edge of the rocky foreshore. Along this coastal edge, a well-built trackway, paved at various points, can also be followed.
Information from RCAHMS (ARG), 24 November 1997
J L Campbell 1984.