Monument record MHG57251 - Hut circle - North Erradale 2 (AM004) (TD Hut 4)

A hut circle at North Erradale near Gairloch.

Four hut-circles and a scatter of field boundaries were recorded by T Doe in 2009 at North Erradale, near Gairloch. They are situated on a SW-facing hillside to the N of the Allt na Glaic Luachraich and North Erradale. NG 7482 8180: This hut-circle is situated on a slight rise and measures 5.5m in diameter within a stony bank. The footings of what may be a rectangular building abut the W. <1>

174827 881792 North Erradale 4 AM004: The hut circle was visited by A MacInnes and J Buchanan in 2009 as part of research for A Welti for a dissertation on hut circles in Wester Ross. This was part of a degree course overseen by Aberdeen University. The circular stone structure is set on a level terrace with a gentle slope to N side and a steep craggy slope to S. The site has panoramic views out to the sea to the west. There is a lot of tumble on the slope below. Both externally and internally small pens adjoin the HC walls (see sketch). Abutting the NW wall is a curved length of possible enclosure walling. The structure sits on a level platform built up from fairly level ground. The ring bank survives and many of the wall stones are visible although the structure has been robbed to create the various pens inside and outside. The structure is circular with average inner diameter 5.65m, outer diameter 8.15m. The double skinned stone walling is 1.1m thick and maximum height is 0.75m. The probable entrance faces east and has external width 2m, internal width 1.5m and entrance length 0.75m. AM004 is recorded as a group with AM001 (see MHG53321), 002 (see MHG57249) and 003 (see MHG57250). It is 220m distant from AM001, 200m from AM002 and 125m from AM003. The cluster also includes AM005 (see MHG53339), AM006 (see MHG57252), and AMC210 (see MHG57253). <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 2009 vertical APs [IS-L 29/03/2017].