Monument record MHG57209 - Hut circle - Sgurr Onrachdain A (Hinnesdal Bridge 4)

NG35NE 16 391 565.

(NG 3919 5657) Hut Circles (NR) (3 shown)
OS 6"map, (1968)

Centred at NG 391 565 is a settlement of seven stone- walled huts (A to G). Three of the huts 'A, 'B' and 'C' were found and described by OS (A C) 6 May 1961.
Huts 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E' and 'G' are circular and the measurements of these huts are given between wall centres.
Hut 'A', well preserved, has much of the inner and outer wall faces evident giving an internal diameter of 6.5m within a wall c. 2.0m thick widening to 3.3m at the entrance in the NW which is flanked on its NE side by five set stones, and on the SW side by two set stones indicating a splay of 1.2m internally to 1.7m externally.
Attached to the SW side of the hut is a less well-defined oval enclosure of uncertain period. Several inner facing stones indicate internal measurements of 7.3m E to W by 6.0m transversely. Several outer facing stones indicate a wall thickness of 0.9m all round. An entrance, 1.0m wide, in the E is flanked on the N by two earth-fast stones. On the S side are traces of another smaller enclosure.
There are no definite traces of contemporary cultivation the surrounding area being occupied by cultivation associated with depopulated steadings.
Visited by OS (R L) 21 September 1971.

For main A see MHG3164
For B see MHG57210
For C see MHG57211
For D see MHG57212
For E see MHG57213
For F see MHG57214
For G see MHG57215

139150 856572 Hinnesdal Bridge 4 (Sgurr Onrachdain) EB204: The hut circle (A) was visited by A Welti and B Blackburn in 2010 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. HER has a good detailed description of 7 HCs as they were in 1971. This survey found 9 and they are here recorded separately. This cluster of HCs are sited in flat sometimes boggy terrain with areas highly grazed. The landscape forms a large flat 'bowl' surrounded by low cliffs. EB204 walls abutt on SW of EB203 (see MHG3164). It is unclear which HC is earlier. EB204 is circular, average internal diameter is 5.75m, external diameter is 7.35m. Double skinned walls are 1.4m thick with max height 0.4m. The probable entrance faces East, width both internally and externally is 1.4m, and passage length is 1.7m. Entrance terminals were judged to be standard.
In the cluster EB201 (see MHG57213)and 202 (see MHG57212) are 20m apart. EB203 (see MHG3164) and 204 are adjoining. EB206 (see MHG57210) is visible from EB203, 204. EB208 (see MHG57211) and 209 (see MHG57216) are 25m apart, EB208 and 206 are 5m apart, EB205 (see MHG57214) is slightly further from the rest of the cluster. A broch is sited around 500m to N of the cluster. <1> <2>

[Note: a database was set up as part of research for the dissertation and was subsequently expanded as an extension of the We Digs Project (see website link below). The full access database can be made available to enquirers/researchers if requested - contact HER for details]