Monument record MHG4552 - Ruigh-Fionntaig

Visited Saturday 6th October 2001. Weather – windy and overcast, threatening rain. The remains of this shooting lodge consists of 7 stone structures, 1 enclosure and 2 pits. It is situated on the west bank of the Allt Lorgaidh, on the valley floor of Glen Feshie at a point where several smaller glens join and where the main glen bends away to the east. It is at an altitude of 370m. The shooting lodge is depicted on the current OS maps as a single ruin. 15 buildings are shown on the 1st edition map of 1869. The name book of the same year supplies the information that they are chiefly of wood and used as a shooting lodge. Oblique aerial photographs taken in 1995 show the site, with abundant rig and furrow cultivation in the vicinity

Structure F
This rectangular structure, the largest of the group, has an internal measurement of 14m x 5m, it lies on an east/west axis. The substantial footings of dressed stone are 0.5m in width and generally 0.8m in height. There is evidence of mortaring and two doorways in the south wall. No evidence of internal walls.

Structure G
Lying close and to the south of the previous building this structure is on a N/S axis. The internal dimension is 9m x 4m. The substantial dressed stone footings rise to 0.8m and are 0.5m in width. There is a doorway in the east wall.

Structure H
Close to the stream, this building measures 6m x 4m. The substantial ruined walls of dressed mortared stone are variable in height rising to ?1.2m in the east wall. There is a doorway in the ?NE corner.

Structure J
A structure measuring 10m x 4m on a north/south axis, this has low stone footings to a height generally of 0.2m to 0.3m, although the north wall is 0.5m high. The footings are made up of two parallel courses of dressed stone with an overall width of 0.5m. There is an entrance in the NW corner

Structure K
This substantial structure is on an E/W axis and has an internal dimension of 11m x 4.5m. The ruined walls of dressed and mortared stone rise to 0.8m and are 0.5m in width. There is an entrance in the north wall and no evidence of internal partitions.
A square pit is situated to the east (similar to Pit P). It is 1m deep, measures 1.5m square and has an internal facing of dressed stonework.

Structure L
The dressed stone footings of this structure, with an internal measurement of 8m x 4m, lie on a north/south axis. The stone footings of the east and west walls are low, the more obvious footings of the north and south walls are 0.6m in height. There is a entrance in the west wall and another in the SE corner.

Structure M
This structure has an internal measurement of 6m x 5m. The substantial stone and turf footings of the building are 1m in height in places, 1m in width and the internal area has a sunken appearance. The south wall of the structure is formed by the south wall of enclosure N at its east end, there is also an additional length of wall parallel externally (see plan) at this point. There is an entrance in the NE corner.

Enclosure N
The south and west boundaries only of this enclosure are evident. The remains of the south wall are of dressed stone, generally 0.3m high and 0.5m in width. It is 35m long. The western boundary is a grass covered turf bank rising to 0.4m in height and is 1m in width, it is 20m long and has a slight curve inward at the north end.

Pit P
Similar to the pit east of structure K this square pit is 1m deep and 2m square, it has an internal facing of stonework.

Two kennels are located 100m west of the shooting lodge:
Kennel R
Rectangular low earthbanks surround this structure which is on a N/S axis, 11m x 4m and divided into two equal compartments. Each compartment is filled with a stone “dump”.

Kennel Q
On the same axis this structure is similar to the previous one but measures 12m x 4m and has 3 compartments. The middle one only is filled with stones, the outer two are smaller in dimension, Being approximately 3m x 4m

Between these last two structures there is a scatter of regular stones and to the west a small circular earthbank.

Photographs
1. Structure F from SE
2. Structure G from NNE
3. Structure G and H from NE
4. Structure H from north
5. Structure J from south
6. Structure K from WNW
7. Pit east of structure K from SW
8. Structure M from SW
9. Structure L from SE
M. Marshall - Oct 2001

See Thumbnail photo - showing structure from NE. M Marshall, 10/01.

NN89SW 3 843 917

The 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1872, sheet cxviii) depicts a farmstead and kennel block at Ruigh-fionntaig to the W of the Allt Lorgaidh.
Information from RCAHMS (P McK) 5 January 1995.

'… a number of houses chiefly of wood and used as a shooting-lodge…'
Name Book 1872.

A shooting-lodge and kennels, comprising thirteen roofed buildings, one partially roofed and one unroofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1872, sheet cxviii). Four unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 27 September 1996.

The remains of the shooting lodge comprises 7 stone structures, 1 enclosure and 2 pits. It is situated on the west bank of the Allt Lorgaidh, on the valley floor of Glen Feshie at a point where several smaller glens join and where the main glen bends away to the east. It is at an altitude of 370m. The shooting lodge is depicted on the current OS maps as a single ruin, and 15 buildings are shown on the 1st edition map of 1872. The name book of the same year supplies the information that they are chiefly of wood and used as a shooting lodge. Oblique aerial photos of the settlement were taken in 1995.
Information supplied by M Marshall, 06/10/01.
See assoc. docs. File & Hlink.
J Aitken : 05/03/02.

This site was visited and recorded during a walkover survey by RoCAS in March and April 2011 prior to t a proposed woodland creation scheme. <1><2>