Monument record MHG56409 - Prehistoric hut circle - Balblair Wood

This possible hut circle, identified by GUARD in 2005 during a walkover survey and DBA exercise in advance of the proposed Beauly-Denny OHL Replacement line, consisted of turf, moss and bracken covered banks generally 2 m wide and 0.5 m in height. The feature had a diameter of approximately 12 m. During survey the feature was covered in heavy bracken and no entrance was visible. <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 (T16) bisected the northen bank of the feature. This demonstrated that the bank defining the feature was approximately 1.7m wide and 0.3m high and comprised cobbles within a silty sand matrix. No artefacts or other archaeological deposits were found. <3>

<1> GUARD, 2010, Beauly to Denny 400kV Powerline: Cultural Heritage Survey Sites Highland, ES No 008, GUARD Field Survey No 290 (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, FTR008 (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25853.