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Latitude: 58.2528 / 58°15'10"N
Longitude: -3.5021 / 3°30'7"W
OS Eastings: 311940
OS Northings: 930325
OS Grid: ND119303
Mapcode National: GBR K6QX.GHQ
Mapcode Global: WH5D3.5TLQ
Entry Name: Achorn Bridge,settlements 1400m WSW of
Scheduled Date: 18 September 1991
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5092
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: settlement; Secular: shieling
Location: Latheron
County: Highland
Electoral Ward: Wick and East Caithness
Traditional County: Caithness
This monument consists of a group of prehistoric hut circles associated with possible evidence for contemporary land use and three post medieval shieling buildings. Hut 'A' (ND11953041) is a hut circle which is set into a slope and measures about 14.5m E-W by 13m N-S. The wall is spread to about 2.5m wide and is 0.5m high. Intruding on the S part of the hut are the foundations of a rectangular shieling building which is about 7 by 3m.
Traces of a turf-covered wall extend for about 90m to the E of this hut. Hut 'B' is in a level but elevated location and measures 10.5 by 9.5m within a wall spread from 3.5 to 4.5m in width and up to 0.9m high. The entrance is to the SE. Possible traces of a rectangular shieling survive within this hut. Hut 'C' is set on a spur which projects into marshy ground; it measures about 7m in diameter.
The entrance is to the E and there is a lining slab to the N of the entrance. Foundations of a rectangular shieling building, about 6m by 3m are visible just S of this hut. At ND11923042 are the remains of a possible field clearance cairn and at ND11823028 are traces of another possible structure of uncertain form.
The area between these structures is smoothed and flat and this probably indicates cultivation at the time of the occupation of the round huts. The area to be scheduled measures 280 E-W by 230 N-S, to include the hut circles, cairn, length of walling and shieling buildings, as shown in red on the attached map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance for its potential to contribute to an understanding of prehistoric and post medieval settlement and land use. The prehistoric hut circles contain information on the architecture of round houses. The shielings incorporate evidence about process of summer pasturing which was a vital part of the medieval and post medieval economy in Highland Scotland.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as ND 13 SW 1.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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