Monument record MHG56405 - Prehistoric cairn - Balblair Wood

A possible hut circle or enclosure was identified by GUARD in 2005 during a walkover survey and DBA exercise in advance of the proposed Beauly-Denny OHL Replacement line. It consisted of a turf, moss and tree covered bank of up to 0.5 m in height and 2.5 m in width. The feature was approximately 10 m in diameter. There was no sign of an entrance. <1> See also the relevant extracted chapters from the EIA report. <2>

This feature was evaluated by Northlight Heritage in June 2012 as it lay on the site of a proposed converter station as part of SHETL Western Isles Commection Programme. A single trench (T17) were excavated across the feature, which was found to comprise of cobbles within a silty sand matrix. No artefacts or other archaeological deposits were found and it was interpreted as a broadly circular cairn. <3>

<1> GUARD, 2010, Beauly to Denny 400kV Powerline: Cultural Heritage Survey Sites Highland, ES No 007, GUARD Field Survey No 292 (Dataset/Database File). SHG25589.

<2> Sneddon, D., 2005, Proposed Beauly to Denny 400kV Overhead Transmission Line: Environmental Statement (Cultural Heritage) (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25750.

<3> Becket, A., 2012, Western Isles Converter Station: Archaeological Evaluation: Balblair Woods, Beauly, Highland, FTR007 (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25853.