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Latitude: 58.2697 / 58°16'10"N
Longitude: -3.4402 / 3°26'24"W
OS Eastings: 315613
OS Northings: 932131
OS Grid: ND156321
Mapcode National: GBR K6WW.0TL
Mapcode Global: WH6F8.4D2Q
Entry Name: Bridge of Badnagie,settlement 400m NW of
Scheduled Date: 22 November 1991
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5186
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: settlement
Location: Latheron
County: Highland
Electoral Ward: Wick and East Caithness
Traditional County: Caithness
The monument is a prehistoric settlement consisting of a number of hut circles on a natural shelf above the E bank of the Burn of Houstry. Hut circle 'A' (ND15593215) measures 7m in diameter internally and has an entrance to the S. The wall, where best preserved, is 2m wide and 0.3m high. Hut 'B' (ND15633211) has bare stone walls and a profusion of stony debris in the interior and this probably indicates that the hut had substantial stone walls. This hut is about 7.5m in diameter internally and has a S entrance.
To the W of the entrance, the wall of the hut expands to 3m in width and it is possible that this represents a well preserved souterrain running outside the wall of the house on its SW and W side. Hut 'C' (ND1563208) measures 8.5m NNW-SSE by 6.5m transversely with heather covered walls 2m wide and 0.2m high. The entrance is in the SSE. A cross wall in the interior of this hut may indicate a secondary hut
5.5m in diameter, with an entrance in common with the larger hut. 22m to the N of hut 'A' is a small circular enclosure or hut circle.
The area to be scheduled measures 170m NW-SE by 45m NE-SW, to include the hut circles, enclosure and an area around in which traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the hut circles may survive. The scheduled area extends 20m beyond the edge of the archaeological structures except to the N of hut 'A', where the area extends to the break of slope (12m to the SW of the hut)
and is shown in red on the attached map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as a well preserved prehistoric settlement which has the potential to considerably increase our understanding of the domestic life and farming practices of its inhabitants. The association of a possible souterrain with one of the hut circles is of particular importance. The hut circles vary in form and contain evidence for the architecture of Iron Age domestic dwellings.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as ND 13 SE 45.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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