Fain, Gruinard Estate, Wester Ross Native Woodland Planting
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Fain, Gruinard Estate, Wester Ross Native Woodland Planting Archaeological Evaluation Catherine Dagg For Scottish Woodlands Ltd Mayfield High Street Dingwall Ross-Shire IV15 9ST Fain, Gruinard Estate, Wester Ross: Native Woodland Planting Archaeological Evaluation 1.0 Background This evaluation covers an area of proposed enclosure for native woodland planting on the west side of the Fain, on the Gruinard Estate in Wester Ross. Although the ground is high and has low potential for settlement and land use, no previous systematic archaeological evaluation has been carried out, and there is considered the potential for archaeological features or areas with archaeological potential to be located within or adjacent to the areas of proposed enclosure. The Forests and Archaeology Guidelines, produced by the Forestry Authority, recommend that: • No new planting should occur on archaeological sites. Normally an unplanted area should extend for at least 20m beyond the outermost recognised feature of the site • Where groups of archaeological features are close together they should be incorporated into a larger area of open space • Fencelines should not cross the archaeological site • Archaeological sites should not be used as a source for stone or other materials In addition, it is generally accepted that the best management practice for archaeological features is light grazing, to prevent the features from being obscured or damaged by vegetation growth within fenced areas even if the site is left clear of tree planting. Where the site is close to the perimeter fence, the fence line should be altered to exclude the site. 2.0 Methodology This evaluation consists of a desk-based assessment and rapid walk-over survey. The survey was carried out on 19.1.10, with a residual snow cover. This is, however, considered unlikely to have concealed archaeological features. 3.0 Archaeological Background The following archaeological site is recorded on the Historic Environment Record (HER): • Building NW of Fain at NH 1266 8004 HER ref: MHG 39146 Two roofed buildings as recorded on the 1876 1st edition OS map. There is very little documentary evidence about this building group, which is shown as two roofed buildings on both the 1st edition 1876 map and also the 1906 2nd edition map. The later 2 map also shows two rectangular enclosures attached to the buildings, and both maps show a track leading from the road to the buildings, crossing the river via a ford. Later mapping also shows a track leading west up the hill from the buildings. Fain buildings as recorded on 1st edition OS map 4. Historical Background. The high ground of the Fain (G. na feithean: the bog channels) is unlikely to have supported any form of permanent settlement through the Prehistoric, Mediaeval and early Modern periods. The nearest Early Modern township is at Corryhallie, with known shieling sites at Airigh Ghoirid, Feithean Beaga and Achadh Mor nan Sian Gailbheach, while to the south there are no Early Modern townships upstream from Strone at Braemore, with several shieling sites on both sides of the Abhainn Cuileig. There may have been other minor shieling sites associated with the Dundonnell settlements along the Strathbeg River, although all of these would have been abandoned with the clearance of the old townships around 1826. Early routes of communication through the hills did not make use of the Strathbeg river It may have been used as a drove route for locally-produced livestock, as black cattle were 3 traded by Mackenzie of Scoraig in the late 18th century, but at this date cattle landed at Gruinard from the islands were taken up the Gruinard River past Loch na Sheallag. It is not until the late 19th century that the Gruinard River route fell out of use and cattle landed at Aultbea were taken round the coast to Dundonnell and across the Fain to Braemore, by which date they are more likely to have used the road east of the river.. There was no constructed road across the Fain until the 1840s. A track led from Dundonnell directly to Clachan on Loch Broom and is recorded on a map of 1806, otherwise communications were mostly by boat. In 1844-5 the county road trustees proposed a road through Dundonnell lands as a link in a network along the west coast. Mackenzie of Dundonnell obtained financial undertakings from the Highland Destitution Board in Edinburgh and his fellow parochial heritors, although this was later reneged upon. The road provided poor relief during the potato famine and was known as the Destitution Road. It was constructed from Achtascailt (Dundonnell) to Feabeg in 1848 and from Feabeg to Luibvataig, south of Braemore junction, in 1850. The Fainmore Inn was opened at the summit and the Widow McKinnon is recorded there in the 1861 census. The Fain Inn is still shown on the 1874 OS map Large scale sheep farming was introduced to Dundonnell estate around 1826 and must have used the high ground for grazing. But from the 1840s on, shooting began to take over as the more profitable activity, especially after the construction of the railway to Garve in the 1860s. By 1863-4 there were shooting lodges rather than shepherds cottages at Achnegie and Guiusachan in Strath na Shellag, and Dundonnell Lodge was converted for use by shooting tenants in 1869-70. After a severe downturn in prices for wool in 1879 the last of the Dundonnell sheep walks was converted into a deer forest for the current tenant, Major Vaughan Hanning Lee Vaughan, and 1880 was considered to be an excellent hunting season. There appears to be no documentary evidence relating to the buildings on the west side of the Strathbeg river on the Fain. The 1881 census return lists Faynmore or Faenmore sheep station, where two households are recorded. The first is occupied by Donald Maclean, a shepherd, and his family, while the second is occupied by Archie MacDonald, a gamekeeper, with his family. There is no mention of the inn on the census return. These buildings are most likely to be at or near the site of the inn, now possibly redundant, as buildings and enclosures are recorded between the inn and the river on the OS maps. Donald MacLean, and subsequently Angus MacLean and Kenneth MacLean, continue to rent land on the Fain, as recorded in Valuation Rolls, through 1884-1891. In 1889 The Macleans begin to pay rent for a house on the Fain, but this is abandoned and ruinous by 1895 and so can not be the house west of the river. The most likely interpretation of the Fain buildings, and their lack of documentation, is that they form a shooting lodge which is part of the Dundonnell Deer Forest and as such have no resident population to appear in census returns, nor are valued separately from the forest. The two buildings are probably the lodge itself and a stables, with the enclosures being a pony park and the track into the hills a stalker’s path. 4 5.0 Gazetteer of Sites The following archaeological features were noted during the walk-over survey: 1. Fain Shooting Lodge a. Lodge at NH 1268 8004. Standing on a natural, grassy knoll extending north from the general break of slope, a prominent storey and a half building with, originally, two windows in both gable ends, chimneys on both gables (Blown down in Jan 2005) Mortared stonework and small annexe or porch to NW and indications of a lean-to on the south gable. b. Building, possibly stables at NH 1266 8003. Low rubble footings of a rectangular building of drystone construction standing to a maximum height of 1m or 5 courses, with a doorway central to the SE elevation. Nettles at NE end, observed during site visit in 2004, suggest midden deposits. c. Circular platform NE of 1., occupying the north end of the knoll, level sub-circular area defined by stone revetting to the west. Of unknown function d. Quarry / borrow pit SW of 1. A small borrow pit dug into the bank, entrance to the NNE e. Structure at NH 1270 8001. Set into the same knoll as site 4, rubble walling of a small rectangular structure, partially set into the bank with a section of retaining wall extending north. The internal dimensions of the structure are approximately 2m by 1m, the walling stands to a maximum height of 1m or 4 courses in the SE corner. Of unknown function 2. Stalkers Path from NH 1269 8002 to NH 1230 7920. Eroded path with no apparent constructed features, visible winding up the hill to the north of the Allt Creag nan Columan 3. Allt na Glaic Moire, shieling structure at NH 12476 80103 Located on the alluvial fan immediately south of the stream is one rectangular structure defined by rubble walling to a maximum height of three courses at the WSW end, aligned ENE-WSW with a possible entrance to the ENE and an internal area of approximately 1m by 1.5m. This appears to be a storage structure, probably associated with the route from the township to the shielings further south on the Dundonnell River. 4. Allt na Luib Moire, Shieling structure at NH 12359 80457 Located on the alluvial fan to the south of the stream is one structure, originally of two compartments although the east part is completely tumbled. The west part is oval, with an internal space of 1m by 5 1.5m and aligned N-S. The rubble walling is best preserved on the east side, with two courses surviving. This appears to be a storage structure, probably associated with the route from the township to the shielings to the south.