Highland Archaeology Services Ltd Bringing the Past and Future Together
A890 Upgrade Balnacra to Lair, Highland
Archaeological Walkover Survey
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
A890 Upgrade Balnacra to Lair, Highland
Archaeological Walkover Survey
Report No. HAS161207
Site Code HAS-BAL16
Client Highland Council
Planning Ref -
OS Grid Refs NH 0200 49000 – NG 97440 45736 Date/ 06/1/2017 revision Authors Lachlan Mckeggie
Summary
An archaeological walk-over survey and desk based assessment was undertaken for a upgrade of the A890 between Lair and Balnacra. Eight features were identified which may be impacted by the development; recommendations are made for further work.
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Contents Aims and objectives ...... 4 Location ...... 5 Legislation and Policy ...... 4 Desk based assessment ...... 7 Historic Environment Record ...... 7 Historic Maps ...... 10 Statistical Accounts ...... 10 Survey results ...... 11 Features identified ...... 12 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 19 Appendix 1: Photographs ...... 20
Illustrations Figure 1 Project location (not reproduced to scale) ...... 5 Figure 2 Project layout ...... 6 Figure 3: Desk Based Assessment points ...... 7 Figure 4: Section of 1st edition OS map surveyed 1875 showing Footbridge ...... 10 Figure 5: All features identified during survey ...... 11 Figure 6: Plan showing inaccessible area ...... 12 Figure 7: Location of F1 and F2 ...... 13 Figure 8: Sketch plan showing Feature F3 concrete pad ...... 14 Figure 9: Plan showing Feature F4 ...... 15 Figure 10: Feature F5 dry stone dyke ...... 16 Figure 11: Plan showing Features F6, F7 & F8 ...... 18 Figure 12: Camera point locations NE end ...... 21 Figure 13: Camera point locations SW end ...... 22
Plates Plate 1: Feature F3 showing view from location...... 13 Plate 2: Feature F4 Revetment ...... 15 Plate 3: Feature F5 ...... 16 Plate 4: Feature F6 Sheepfold ...... 17 Plate 5: Feature F7 Cairn and caldron ...... 17 Plate 6: Feature F8 ...... 18 Plate 7: Feature locations ...... 19
Cover Photo: View of Feature F3 and view (BAL16_42).
Acknowledgements Fieldwork was carried out by Steve Worth and Lachlan McKeggie. This report was edited by Pete Higgins. Background mapping has been reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey under Licence 100043217. Historic mapping is courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Aims and objectives • To minimise any possible delay or cost to the development by anticipating archaeological requirements as far as possible, timetabling and integrating archaeological recording work with the project, and dealing with any issues arising quickly and efficiently.
• To determine as far as possible the character, extent, condition, date and significance of any archaeologically significant remains; and to record these where necessary in line with national and local policies and standards.
Legislation and Policy
The common principles underlying international conventions, national legislation and local authority planning policies are that cultural heritage assets should be identified in advance of development and safeguarded where practicable; if disturbance is unavoidable appropriate recording of features and recovery of portable artefacts should take place. These have been set out in international and European Union agreements, and UK and Scottish legislation, as well as national and local planning policies1.
Professional standards during the present project were secured by adherence to the Codes of Conduct and Approved Practice and Standards of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Highland Council’s published Standards for Archaeological Work.
1 A full statement of current legislation and public policy is available from the Highland Archaeology Services office on request
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Location The development area is located just north of A890 between Lair in the east and Balnacra in the west. The new road section will run between NH 0200 49000 to the north of the railway line to approximately NG 97440 45736. The survey covered the area shown in Figure 2 below.
Figure 1 Project location (not reproduced to scale)
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Figure 2 Project layout
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Background The proposed development consists of a new section of road between Lair and Balnacra on the A890. This new section will remove the need for crossing the railway by staying to the north of the line. A desk based assessment and walkover survey were undertaken to determine if any cultural heritage / archaeological remains are likely to be damaged by this work. Desk based assessment A desk based assessment has been carried out in order to identify any features which may be visible during the survey and to inform potential mitigation. The results of this assessment are set out below.
Figure 3: Desk Based Assessment points
Historic Environment Record The Highland Council’s Historic Environment Record2 (HHER) as well as the National Monuments Record for Scotland3 (NMRS) have been checked for features. Historic Environment Scotland’s Register of Designed Landscapes and Listed Building details have also been consulted as appropriate.
2 http://her.highland.gov.uk/ 3 http://pastmap.org.uk/
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
DBA1: Achnashellach Lodge Grid Reference: NH 0021 4819 Canmore ID: 12076 HHER ID: MHG7924 Listed Building no. LB7268 (C)
Description: Circa 1870. 2-storey asymmetrical rambling shooting lodge, gabled with 3-bay frontage (south) and entrance in west under gabled porte cochere supporting gabled bay with 1st floor room above. All coursed grey rubble, contrasting tooled red sandstone dressings. Asymmetrical 3-bay frontage with recessed centre bay linked by 1st floor balcony with cast-iron balustrade; canted bay window at ground floor left (west) and again at right, rising full height. Diminutive canted dormers; extensive range extends north at rear with swept dormers. 3-, 4- and 6-pane glazing; some gables jerkin-headed. Corniced end and wallhead stacks; slate roof. Interior; wide staircase with decorative cast-iron balustrade.
DBA2: Achnashellach Station & Footbridge Grid Reference: NH 0028 4843 Canmore ID: 78671, 159276 HHER ID: MHG7535 , MHG35975
Description: This intermediate station (an unstaffed halt) on the Dingwall-Kyle of Lochalsh line of the former Highland Rly was opened in 1871 by the Dingwall and Skye Rly; it closed to goods on 27 June 1964 but remains in regular use by passenger traffic. The station is situated off the public road and has a single platform; the sole building is a blockwork shed although there was formerly a timber building of more substantial construction. The provision of a two-roomed cottage was envisaged, but never fulfilled. Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 12 June 2001. B Williams 1988; R V J Butt 1995.
DBA3: Achnashellach, General, Settlement Grid Reference: NH 0020 4830 Canmore ID: 104599 HHER ID: MHG21403
Description: No description
DBA4: Balnacra Gate House, Achnashellach Grid Reference: NH 0018 4844 Canmore ID: - HHER ID: MHG30341
Description: Photographic record of gatehouse, scheduled to be demolished October 2001. Planning Ref: 01/00624/FULRC See assoc. docs. File. J Aitken: 04/12/01.
DBA5: River Carron, Township Grid Reference: NH 0180 4880 Canmore ID: 109733 HHER ID: MHG22787
Description: A township comprising one unroofed and five roofed buildings is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire 1881, sheet xciv), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971). Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 4 March 1996
DBA6: Loch Dughaill, Crannog Grid Reference: NG 9843 4620 Canmore ID: 12032? HHER ID: MHG33086
Description: Possible artificial island in Loch Dughaill. Information supplied by P Swan, 2003
Author’s note: this may be the same as Canmore 12032 for which the grid reference is general. Its description is as below: A crannog is visible about 100 yards from the shore of Loch Dhughaill when the water is very low. Some years before 1913 oak sticks fastened with large wooden pins were washed ashore from it.
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F O Blundell 1913.
DBA7: Balnacra, Level Crossing Grid Reference: NG 9842 4648 Canmore ID: 159268 HHER ID: MHG35973
Description: No description
DBA8: Loch Dughaill, Bronze Axe Head Grid Reference: NG 9930 4657 Canmore ID: 12031 HHER ID: MHG7948
Description: Flanged bronze axe, measuring 3 7/8 inches in length, 1 1/4 inch in breadth across the cutting edge, and 1 7/8 inch across the flanges, found on the south shore, near the eastern end of Loch Dhugaill, Auchnashellach, Ross-shire, in July 1925. This was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland [NMAS] by F D Stewart Sandeman, The Law, Kingennie, Forfarshire. (DC 110) Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1926. No further information Visited by OS (W D J) 21 October 1966. (Unclassified flanged axe). Single find. Flanged axe, corroded, green; length 100mm, butt 24mm, cutting edge 32mm, weight 175 gms. NMAS DC 110. P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981. This findspot was noted during ARCH's 2010-2012 Heritage Along the Kyle Line project. Two photographs depicting the axehead in 2012 were supplied.
DBA9: Loch Dughall, Lake Grid Reference: NH 0010 4840 Canmore ID: 283102 HHER ID: -
Description: No Description
DBA10: Balnacra, Locharron, Township & Sheep Fold Grid Reference: NG 9795 4611 Canmore ID:- HHER ID: MHG32890, MHG40126
Description: 1st ed OS shows 12 buildings on both side of the road & sheepfold to N. Now looks mostly like ribbon development adj the road with ruinous ones off road to E - HAW 2/2004
This site was noted in ARCH's 2010-2012 Heritage Along the Kyle Line project. Two photographs depicting some buildings near the railroad in 2012 were submitted.
DBA11: Old School and Schoolhouse, Balnacra Grid Reference: NG 97944 46114 Canmore ID: HHER ID: MHG51524 Listed Building No: LB51036 (C)
Description: A single-storey and attic 3-bay schoolhouse and attached 3-bay school room. The architectural details are fully described in the supplementary information which accompanies the statutory list. It is one of the few surviving examples of its type in Ross-shire to substantially retain both its original plan form and internal details. The school was a response to the Education Act of 1872 which required Parish Boards to construct schools in outlying areas. It first opened on 8th October 1875 and closed in 1955. It was designed to accommodate up to 60 pupils but the school's Day Journal records that Inspectors complained that by 1890 it had never had more than 26. The school was constructed by Inverness contractor and mason, John Campbell to a standardised design following the style of Alexander Ross of Inverness.
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Historic Maps Historic maps were consulted using the National Library of Scotland’s online mapping service.4 Most of the route is only shown in the 6 inch OS map with the exception of the level crossing and a short section at the west end which appear on the 25 inch maps. No features not already identified are shown on any map with the exception of a ‘Footbridge’ crossing the River Lair to the north of the Railway (DAB12).
Figure 4: Section of 1st edition OS map surveyed 1875 showing Footbridge Ross-shire & Cromartyshire (Mainland), Sheet CIV (includes: Lochcarron)
DBA12: Footbridge Grid Reference: NG99774 48563
Description: A footbridge Crossing the River Lair joining the paths on the East with a path on the West side (not shown on modern maps). This feature is around 500m north of the rail bridge.
No other features not noted above were seen on maps that should be close to the area of the survey.
Statistical Accounts The Old and New Statistical Accounts for the parish of Lochcarron were checked for references to archaeological features within or near to the study area.
The first account (1791-9) - although highly entertaining - does not give any details that are relevant to the proposed development area.
The second account (1834-45) also makes no mention of Achnashellach or the areas immediately surrounding it.
4 http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Survey results
Figure 5: All features identified during survey
The survey was carried out on the 5th of January 2016. Conditions were still cool and clear with good visibility, no snow, and low vegetation. The development area was walked and inspected for remains and areas of high potential. One small area between tracks close to the station could not be accessed due to dense foliage (Figure 6). However, as this area was on steeply sloping ground and the surrounding ground did not yield any signs of potential, it seems unlikely any features were missed.
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Figure 6: Plan showing inaccessible area
Within the rest of the of the area eight features (Figure 5) were identified these are described below. Features identified Ten archaeological features were noted as follows.
Feature F1&2: Possible dry stone dyke Grid Reference: NH00300 48568 – NH00311 48535
Description: Possible dyke running for around 35m North-South on the West side of a small stream covered in places by brashings. Some stone and slight bump visible on the surface at top of bank in two places, with max height of around 0.2m. Very tumbled and broken at both visible ends with lower section recorded as Feature F2 and upper as F1 (Figure 7).
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Figure 7: Location of F1 and F2
Feature F3: Concrete Pad Grid Reference: NG 99804 48310
Description: A rectangular concrete pad measuring 3.3m by 3.95m was noted just off the summit of Cnoc nan Eilid on the north side of the development area. This was constructed on a local stone base. The concrete is rough and grey with many small stone inclusions and a uniform rectangular dip in the centre. This feature is in a particularly prominent location with commanding views of the glen.
Plate 1: Feature F3 showing view from location (BAL16_42).
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
It seems possible given the nature of the concrete and the location that this is a WWII instillation for a watching post or similar.
Figure 8: Sketch plan showing Feature F3 concrete pad
Feature F4: Revetment Grid Reference: NG 98518 46685 – NG 98624 46700
Description: A section of dry stone revetment along the banks of a stream channelling water into a mortared culvert under the railway line. The revetting survives well on the south side up to 2m in height with some few breaks. On the north side only sections survive and it is not clear whether this would have originally been continuous or not. The revetment is constructed from rounded local stone around 0.25m² and runs for around 100m uphill from the railway.
This was presumably constructed to channel water through the culvert and prevent flooding across the railway line on either side.
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Plate 2: Feature F4 revetment (BAL16_52)
Figure 9: Plan showing Feature F4
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Feature F5: Dry stone dyke Grid Reference: NG 98488 46628
Description: A dry stone dyke running up /down hill approximately north – south a little to the NE of the rail/road crossing. The dyke survives up to a maximum of 0.7m high and 1.2m wide. It is constructed from rounded local stone where visible although it is mainly heather covered.
Figure 10: Feature F5 dry stone dyke
Plate 3: Feature F5 (BAL16_54)
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Feature F6: Sheepfold with dip (see Figure 11) Grid Reference: NG 98023 46192
Description: The remains of a sheepfold with concrete pad / strip in the SW leading to a sheepdip at the NW corner. Footings of dry stone walls form three sides of the main enclosure a little to the NE of the concrete pad. These walls are formed of rounded local stone with no evidence of mortar, some wooden posts also survive around the perimeter. This feature is shown on modern mapping.
Plate 4: Feature F6 Sheepfold (BAL16_57&58)
Feature F7: Cauldron and Cairn (see Figure 11) Grid Reference: NG 98006 46191
Description: A little to the SW of the sheep dip a small cairn of rounded local stones up to 0.6m high was noted. This cairn was hollowed out in the centre and open on the NE side with a large iron vessel fitted inside. Several of the stones inside the cairn had clearly been heat affected, with slag adhering to the outer faces. (Plate 5)
It is not clear if this feature was connected to the sheep dip.
Plate 5: Feature F7 Cairn and caldron (BAL16_59)
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Feature F8: Stone filled hollow (see Figure 11) Grid Reference: NG 98023 46206
Description: A little to the NE of the sheepfold (F6) a small oval hollow 2.8m by 2.6m was noted. This feature was partly grass covered but was filled with a layer of small to medium local stones.
The function of this feature is uncertain but may have been similar to F8.
Plate 6: Feature F8 (BAL16_61)
Figure 11: Plan showing Features F6, F7 & F8
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Conclusions and Recommendations
As indicated by the desk based assessment, the development area is generally free of archaeological remains. However, the few features that have been noted from the survey will require some further work ;recommendations are in italics.
As the development is a new section of road it is not expected that it will be possible or proportional to avoid features F1, F2, F4 and F5. As these are all linear wall-like features it is recommended that a section through each is recorded by an archaeologist before development takes place in the relevant area.
Feature F3, the concrete pad, is on the edge of the development zone and it is recommended that it be marked off to prevent damage during construction works. Should it become necessary to disturb this feature it should be subject to a more detailed photographic survey, with limited desk-based research to attempt to identify its origins and function.
Finally Features F6 - F8 are located between privet garden plots within the hamlet of Balnacra (marked ‘Sheep Pens’) and it is not clear if this area will be affected by the development. The area should be marked off to prevent damage. If it is necessary to utilise the area around F6 it should first be recorded in more detail, including plans, sections and photographs , with a subsequent watching brief on groundworks
Plate 7: Feature locations
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A890, Balnacra to Lair Walkover Survey January 2017
Appendix 1: Photographs Locations of photographs (Camera Points) are shown in Figure below.
Photo No. Frame From Facing Showing (BAL16_) No. 01 746 CP1 SW Route from East end 02 748 CP2 NW Proposed route area 03 749 CP3 S Proposed route area 04 750 CP4 NW Proposed route area 05 752 CP5 SE Proposed route area 06-08 753- CP6 -N- Proposed route area 755 09-11 756- CP7 -W- Proposed route area 758 12-13 759- CP8 W Proposed route area with hill behind 760 14-16 761- CP9 E Proposed route area at cross roads 763 17-19 764- CP10 SW Rout from upper track 766 20 767 - S Feature F1 possible wall 21-23 768- CP11 NW Proposed route area 770 24-26 771- CP12 -W- Proposed route area 773 27-33 774- CP13 360° Proposed route area 780 34-36 781- CP14 SE Proposed route area on West side of river Lair 783 37-40 784- CP15 -S- Proposed route area from Feature F3 787 41-42 788- - S Feature F3 pad with setting 789 43 790 CP16 E Proposed route area 44 791 CP16 SW Proposed route area 45 792 CP17 NE Proposed route area 46 793 CP17 SW Proposed route area 47 794 CP18 NE Proposed route area 48 795 CP18 SW Proposed route area 49 796 CP19 SW Proposed route area 50 797 - W Feature F4 revetment 51 798 - S Feature F4 revetment 52 799 CP20 E Feature F4 revetment 53 800 CP21 NW Feature F4 revetment showing East side 54 801 CP22 NNW Feature F5 dyke 55 802 CP23 E Proposed route area 56 803 CP23 W Proposed route area 57-58 804- CP24 SE Feature F6 sheep fold with dip 805 59 806 - W Feature F7 caldron 60 807 - S Feature F7 caldron 61 808 - N Feature F8 kiln or stone lined pit
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62 809 CP25 NE Proposed route area 63 810 CP26 E Proposed route area
Figure 12: Camera point locations NE end
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Figure 13: Camera point locations SW end
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