Monument record MHG39447 - Achsteenclate

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred ND 0300 5420 (10m by 10m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet ND05SW
Old County CAITHNESS
Civil Parish REAY
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

ND05SW 5 030 542.
In an area of moorland located 600m SW of the ruins of Achsteenclate are a number of small rectangular buildimg foundations. These vary from 3 by 3m to 10 by 3m on plan, and the stone-built walls seldom attain a height of over 0.3m. Each group of buildings is situated within prominent grassy patches among the heather.
A, at ND 0277 5427: Situated in the angle of a burn are the dilapidated foundations of a rectangular building measuring 10m NNW-SSE by 3m transversely. It is divided into two compartments. A small(4 by 3m) compartment abuts it on the SW.
B, some 90m NE of 'A': the footings of a small structure measuring 3.5 by 2.5m, situated on a slight SE-facing slope.
C, at ND 0303 5418, some 280m ESE of 'A' and situated on an elevated part of the moss: footings of a small rectangular building measuring 6m N-S by 3m transversely and surrounded on the S and W by a slight courtyard wall enclosing area some 9m by 8m.
D, 16m N of 'C' is a small structure formed of boulders, measuring 3.5 by 3m and 0.6m high. It is situated at the base of a low outcrop of rock which has been quarried. About 25m N of this is another slight structure measuring 4m by 2.5m - 'E'.
F, at ND 0313 5420, some 95m E of 'C', is a group of structures. The principal one is a building foundation measuring 10m E-W by 3m transversely, and possibly extending further E for another 8m. It is divided into three compartments. Adjacent on the NW are the footings, 0.2m high, of a circular structure, 7.5m in diameter, possibly a hut circle (no entrance is apparent) and some 20m NE of the building is a small rectangular foundation 5 by 3m. Elsewhere on this grassy area are scattered many large stones which possibly denote the sites of destroyed structures. About 52m NE of the building is another foundation measuring 7m E-W by 3m, divided into two compartments.
G, at ND 0304 5435, 175m NNW of 'C', is a foundation measuring 8m NW-SE by 3m transversely with courtyard footings on the N measuring some 8m by 6m.
H, at ND 0310 5439, 70m NE of 'G' is a foundation measuring 10m NW-SE by m transversely, divided into 2 compartments and with courtyard measuring roughly 10 by 7m abutting on its S side.
All these building foundations appear to be earlier than the depopulated site nearby at Achsteenclate (ND05SW 7), and may pre-date 1714.
Visited by OS (J L D) 14 April 1961.

(ND 030 542) Old Shielings (NAT) OS 6" map, (1962)

No change other than that these structures appear to be possibly a form of permanent settlement (? the forerunner of Achsteenclate) rather than shielings.
Revised at 1/10,000. Visited by OS (J M) 17 February 1982.

A single unroofed building (indentified above as structure A) is depicted on 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Caithness 1877, xvi). Eleven unroofed buildings and one unroofed structure are shown on the OS 1:10560 map (1962).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 15 September 1995.

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Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

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