Monument record MHG9122 - Farmstead, Priest Island

NB90SW 1 9205 0200.

(Area centred NB 9205 0200) Three roofless buildings shown in 1881. "House occupied until late 19th century (?) excavated by F Fraser Darling".
OS 6"map, annotated by I Crawford, September 1961.

There are remains of six structures on Priest Island. Two buildings, one probably a dwelling and other an outbuilding, subsequently united and modified for use as a sheepfold, survive up to gable height. Another ruined building has dry stone walls up to 1m high. There are also three small sheepfolds of crudely built dry stone masonry. According to Mr Fraser (D Fraser, Local Historian, Achiltibuie), island was occupied by a family called Mackenzie in 18th and 19th centuries who were banished there from the mainland. Dr Fraser Darling lived on island for a time and excavated a small structure (info from D Fraser) but no trace of this building could be found.
Visited by OS (E G) 28 May 1962.

A farmstead and two buildings are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet viA). Six unroofed buildings and an unroofed circular structure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10,560 map (1970).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 28 September 1995.

This record now relates only to the farmstead/sheepfold described by the OS in 1962 and depicted as two unroofed buildings on the 1st edition OS map. <1><2>