Monument record MHG35578 - Oronsay, Loch Na Droma Buidhe

Created automatically by NMRS Register Utility
User: Admin, Date: Wed 13 Oct 2004
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NM55NE 8.02 5968 5885

A farmstead comprising at least seven buildings, situated on the S-facing hillside above a small bay opening out onto Loch na Droma Buidhe, was noted during a pre-afforestation survey of the NE part of the Drimnin Estate. All but one of the buildings (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.168) lie in a narrow band partially defined by two head-dykes. Seven of the buildings (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.155, 156b, 160,-163 and 165) are rectangular or subrectangular with rounded corners whilst the seventh (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.156a) has mortared walls and is gabled. It overlies the W end of one of the buildings with rounded corners (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.156b).
The buildings with rounded corners are typically oriented from E to W with an entrance in the S wall. Only one building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.168) lies on a N to S orientation; it has an entrance and a window on the E wall. Four of the buildings (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.155, 160, 162 and 168) have windows in the same wall as the entrance, whilst two (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.155 and 161) have windows in their E end walls. The buildings range in size from 6.6m to 10.2m by 4.25m to 5.5m over drystone walls, ranging between 0.6m to 0.75m in thickness and generally standing to between 1.5m and 1.7m in height. Three of the buildings have traces of cruck-slots (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.160-1 and 168) whilst only one has evidence for a partition (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.155). One building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.160) has a drain around its W end and a terrace along the W half of its S wall leads to the entrance. Only two of the buildings have outshots; against the E end of building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.156b) and attached to the SW corner of building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.161).
The gabled building at NM 5971 5880 (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.156) displays two phases, with the W part of an earlier structure, at least 6.9m from E to W by 4.15m and survives as a 0.55m high footing with a possible outshot at the E end, overlain by a gabled building. This later building is slightly levelled into the slope and is rectangular with mortared walls rising to gables at each end. It measures 10.9m from E to W by 5.25m with 0.6m thick walls standing up to 1.35m in height and 3m at the gables. The centrally entrance is centrally placed on the S wall with a blocked into to the W. A second window is in the N wall whilst there is a fireplace in the E gable. There is no evidence of a partition. Only 2.5m W of the later building, there are the remains of a further round-angled, rectangular building (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.157) reduced to its footings. It measures 6.3m from E to W by 4.5m over a 0.55m wide drystone wall standing up to 1.25m where best preserved and 0.6m in height where the building has been levelled into the slope.
There is relatively little enclosed, or cultivated land between the two head-dykes. Against the E dyke, there are two large enclosures, one extending N from behind two of the buildings (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.156 and 157). On either side of the large tidal inlet to the E, however, there are three discrete areas of cultivation (NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.148, 150 and 154) which may be associated with the township. A small trapezoidal-shaped structure (NMRS MS 1012/1, no.151) with rounded corners lies immediately S of one of these enclosures.
J G Robertson December 1997; NMRS MS 1012/1, nos.148-68