Monument record MHG55635 - Possible cairn - Broadford Medical Centre site, Strath, Skye

An archaeological evaluation including a watching brief and excavation was carried out by West Coast Archaeological Services at the site of the new Broadford Medical Centre at High Road, Broadford, Isle of Skye, between the 25 July and 20 August 2011. A large amorphous mound of stones, located on the highest point of the gravel ridge which ran across the site, first appeared during the initial machine-stripping of the watching brief within the turf line. The mid-brown soil which surrounded the stones at this level contained fragments of modern pottery and glass. After preliminary cleaning the resulting spread of stone measured c.8.5m in length and was 6.2m wide. Random boulders and spreads of stone to the west and north-west of the main stone concentration suggested that there may have been stone robbing from the site or disturbance through ploughing. Local people indicated that a significant amount of stone had been removed in the past. It appeared, therefore, that what remained were the severely truncated remains of a potentially early, more substantial structure. Towards the centre of the feature a small hollow lined with upright stones forming a small chamber 0.6m by 0.5m, was exposed. Additional cleaning of overburden to the south-east of the possible chamber revealed a series of flat lintel stones running in a north-west to south-east direction. The nine surviving lintels were composed mainly of schist and shale slabs measuring up to 0.8m long and up to 0.4m wide. They had been fitted together tightly, while some of the joints between them had small wedge and filling stones to seal any gaps. At the extreme south-east end of feature, where the stone had been removed and the lintels terminated, a shallow u-shaped groove flanked by two small upright stones indicated that the feature had previously been more extensive. Excavation revealed that the spread of stone and deposits was no more than 0.5m in depth. Sections across the lintelled feature revealed that it probably functioned as a drain throughout most of its course, possibly of two phases. Following removal of the remains of the cairn a number of small ephemeral features were found cut into the natural sub-soil/gravel. Some appeared to be the remains of small stone-packed post and stake holes, from which charcoal was recovered. With the exception of a single piece of flint (an undiagnostic flake), no other small finds were recovered from the cairn remains and possible associated features. Although possibly the remains of a denuded cairn, the presence of a drain would not fit with this interpretation. It was noted that this feature lay in the best-drained area of the site and that perhaps it had a more symbolic function within a funerary monument. <1>

<1> Birch, Steven, 2012, Archaeological Evaluation at the site of the new Broadford Medical Centre, High Road, Skye: Data Structure Report (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25684.