Monument record MHG57233 - Possible hut circle - Cille Mhaire Glen (WAK001), Skye

A stone structure was recorded by M Wildgoose in 1999 at Cille Mahire Glen, Strathaird, Skye, during a walkover survey in advance of a proposed forestry Woodland Grant Scheme for the John Muir Trust. A collapsed, sub-rectangular, stone structure which measures 5m long by 3.5m wide. The interior of the structure has been used as a stone dump during cultivation of the surrounding area. Nine metres to the south is a single-celled stone shieling which measures 1.75m in overall diameter. <1>

153670 817893 Cille Marie Glen 14 (MW83) WAK001: This feature was visited by A Welti and S Glover in 2009 as part of research for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. The Cille Mhaire hut circles lie on similar contour lines around the well drained lower flanks of surrounding hills. Vegetation is mainly rough grassland and the slopes are covered with a mosaic of ancient land divisions.The floor of the glen, into which many small burns tumble, consists mainly of blanket bog and contans the remains of a stone circle. WAK001 is a circular stone structure no 83 (however, see below) in M Wildgoose Catalogue of Skye round houses for John Muir Trust. HC's in this group along contour are in sight of the ruined stone circle at Clachan Bhieige and are around 1 km from Dun Ringill. This HC sits on a natural level terrace at the foot of the south east facing hillside and is very degraded. This HC may be associated with SG003 (400m) (see MHG) and SG002 (300m) (see MHG). WAK001 was recorded as MW83, but on further analysis would appear to be a feature recorded by MW as No.84, but not interpreted by him as a hut circle. Photographs of the feature taken in 2009 during the site visit indicate a bank around the feature and aerial photographs from 2015 held at Highland Council HER, also appear to show a circular enclosing bank. Further survey is needed to clarify its possible interpretation as a hut circle. <2> <3>

[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]

Note: NGR adjusted to position as seen on 2015 vertical APs [IS-L 22/02/2017].