Monument record MHG6346 - Midden, Castle Craig

NH86NW 5 801 692.
(Area: NH 799 690) Kitchen-midden discovered June 1886 by Prof Duns. "The position of heap faces SSW and is not far from bottom of incline which stretches from farm of Castle Craig (Dunskeath) to wide area of undulating sand heaps which lie behind Nigg and Cromarty Ferry Inn." In addition to shellfish remains, midden contained bones of mammals, birds and fish, including those of roe and red deer (Duns 1887). A shell-mound was discovered prior to 1863 near Ferry at Nigg, opposite Cromarty. It was several feet above sea and from it the ground slopes steeply upward. The shells were covered with 2' - 4' of sand and stones. In addition to shells (mainly winkles and oysters) a few fragments of bone and an ox tooth were found. The Rev G Gordon, visiting site, came across end of a double fine tooth-comb (unornamented) but no other implements have been discovered. The site was visited by Lubbock c. 1863. (Lubbock 1863).
J Duns 1887; J Lubbock 1863.

It is uncertain whether Duns and Lubbock are referring to same midden. There is no trace of a midden in this area of sand dunes, but according to Mr Fraser (Balnabruaich, Nigg) a shell midden was discovered by him during First World War at approximately NH 801 692. This could be midden described by Duns (1887)
Visited by OS (I S S) 25 August 1972.