Camore Wood, Dornoch, Sutherland Construction of an Amphitheatre and Formation of Access Paths and Car Parking

Camore Wood, Dornoch, Sutherland Construction of an Amphitheatre and Formation of Access Paths and Car Parking (SU-06-393) Archaeological Evaluation Catherine Dagg For Forestry Commission Dornoch FD Hilton of Embo Dornoch Sutherland IV25 3PW Camore Wood, Dornoch, Sutherland: Construction of an Amphitheatre and Formation of Access Paths and Car Parking. (SU-06-393): Archaeological Evaluation 1.0 Background This evaluation was commissioned in accordance with archaeological conditions attached to the granting of planning consent for the project, which consists of the construction of an open air amphitheatre with access roads and tracks, parking bays and buried cable power line connection to the grid. The development lies in an area where there is a high density of important archaeological sites including prehistoric settlement and burial monuments, many of which are protected as Scheduled Ancient Monuments under the Ancient Monuments in Archaeological Areas Act of 1979. Some of these sites lie within the development area, and there is considered to be potential for the survival of further unrecorded, sub-surface remains. The evaluation investigates the nature and extent of recorded upstanding remains, locates unrecorded sites and assesses the potential for further sub-surface remains. The conclusions of the report will inform a methodology to protect the archaeology during construction. The evaluation has been carried out in accordance with a Brief for the work prepared by the Archaeology Unit within the Department of Planning and Development at Highland Council, and any further archaeological work will be agreed with the Unit before ground breaking work commences. 2.0 Objectives The evaluation aims to: Identify the cultural heritage baseline within the development area Assess the development site in terms of its archaeological and historic environment potential Consider the potential impacts of the development on the cultural heritage resource Propose measures (where appropriate) to mitigate any predicted adverse impacts 3.0 Method The evaluation consists of two elements: a. Desk-based assessment: a study of all relevant archaeological and historical records, maps and databases. A list of sources is given in Appendix 1. Aerial photographs were not consulted as the whole area lies under mature woodland b. Walk-over survey. This was carried out on 12.3.07 in fine and dry weather conditions. All areas of the proposed development were visited, and adjacent Scheduled Ancient Monuments which would not be directly affected but might have their visual settings adversely affected 2 4.0 Baseline Conditions 4.1 Site description The area straddles the ridge of glacially deposited gravels between the valley of the River Evelix and the Dornoch Firth and lies entirely within the mature plantations of Sydera Wood and Camore Wood. Established forest access tracks cross the area, and there has been some clear felling. The components of the proposed development are as follows: Vehicle Access: This is via the existing forest tracks. A one-way system is proposed which will not require widening of the tracks. Car Park: An area approximately 140m by 55m, south of the access track, occupying a level terrace between the eskers and the edge of the gentle drop to the south. This area has been felled but not cleared. The remains of windblown tree roots allowed an examination of the soil profile. This consists of : a. Forest floor of organic debris and peat 6-8cm b. Grey/black sandy soil 10cm c. Gravel subsoil Bus parking bays: Two areas north of the car park and access track. This area has not been felled, but windblown trees indicate a soil profile similar to that in the car parking area. This area, between the access track and the turf bank or dyke, appears to have been ploughed for planting ‘Esker Walk’ path through forest to amphitheatre: a winding path with small attached forest clearings for activity or interpretation. The path will find a route through the existing trees; no trees will be felled. The path will cross the bank or dyke, marked on maps and visible as a low, ditched, turf bank. South of this the ground appears to have been ploughed for planting, possibly as an infill of an original broad, dyked ride between Sydera and Camore plantations. The ground appears poorly drained. Disabled Parking: a small quarried area to the west of the main quarry entrance will provide 4 disabled parking spaces. The quarry face is now overgrown with bracken and contains some young self-seeded spruce trees. The cut has truncated the hut circle located on the esker to the west. Amphitheatre: this is located entirely within the former quarry. Waste material from quarrying has been upcast around its edges, forming a sizeable and stable bank. This prevented any investigation of the quarry edges for archaeological features, but has the effect of protecting any site which might be so buried. The bank will be broken through at one point to the south, to allow for a backstage access track. Backstage access track: this will run from a point east of the forest track crossroads, NE through the existing mature but sparse woodland and an area fenced to allow for experimental regeneration, entering the quarry at a point where a possible original quarry access road approaches from the SE, visible as a sunken route. Power connection to grid: This will run south from the quarry along the ditch bordering the east side of the forest access track running SSE from the crossroads and will not require any new ground disturbance 3 4.2 Archaeological Background A thorough survey of the archaeological sites of the Evelix valley, including the area at present under evaluation, was carried out in 1993 by SJT Robertson. The results of this survey, including ground plans of the sites, were presented to Dornoch Heritage Society and are available for consultation at Historylinks Museum in Dornoch. All recent archaeological investigation has been carried out while the area has been under trees, and it is assumed that the visibility and status of sites has not changed since previous evaluations have taken place, with the exception of felling of trees from the Scheduled areas. A large number of the recorded sites are Scheduled Ancient Monuments, under one Scheduling index no: 5898. The sites are managed under a Scheduled Ancient Monuments Management Plan, which runs from April 2003 to 31st March 2008, which has included the felling of trees from the Scheduled Areas. Although it is likely that the entire area would have been Scheduled had it not been under mature woodland, Scheduling has been applied to individual sites within the group; not all sites are Scheduled while others are grouped together within one Scheduled Area. With the exception of sites listed below, all the Scheduled monuments are located east or north of the present development. The following sites are recorded within the area of evaluation: 1. Hut Circle at NC7703 8936 SMR no. NH78NE0152 Dornoch Heritage Society Site no. M18 Not Scheduled, but site M within SAM 5898 Occupying the western end of an esker to the west of a forestry track, a hut circle now obscured by vegetation, particularly bracken, but recorded as measuring 9.5m N-S, with walls spread to 4m and an entrance to the west. The eastern arc has been destroyed by recent quarrying, (2003) when a relatively fresh section showed walling largely of turf interlaced with large, water worn stones. The exposed quarry face is now overgrown with bracken and contains some young self-seeded spruce trees and no walling is now visible. 2. Cairn at NC 770 893 Not Scheduled but recorded as ‘cairn’ within SAM 5898 Two cairns are recorded on the 1879 1st edition OS map west of the hut circle (Site 1.) as well as other cairns to the east which have now been entirely removed by quarrying. These are now assumed to be stone field clearance heaps. Others within this group are associated with lynchets and field walls, and they are taken to represent a contemporary field system. Curiously in this case, they occupy the narrow ridge of the esker and none have been noted on the more level ground to the south, suggesting the possibility that the level ground was too poorly drained for cultivation. 3. Hut Circles at NC 7715 8933 a. SMR no. NH78NE0134 Dornoch Heritage Society Site no. O 20 4 Scheduled Ancient Monument Index no. 5898 site N and O b. SMR no. NH78NE0133 Dornoch Heritage Society Site no. P 21 Scheduled Ancient Monument Index no. 5898 Site P. This group of two joined hut circles, with a third circle linked to the two by a section of wall lie within one Scheduled area, an oval 60m in length E-W, which runs along the south side of the forestry track running east from the crossroads. The sites occupy prominent knolls and have been clear felled under the SAM Management Plan. They are regularly visited by members of the public, and are accompanied by an interpretation panel Other Scheduled monuments to the east and north were not visited during this evaluation as they will be screened by mature trees from any aspect of the development. 4.3 Historical Background Cyderhall, or Sydera, lies within the extensive Sutherland estates as they were before the expansion of the early 19th century. The coastal parts of Dornoch parish were the resettlement area for tenants displaced from further inland with the establishment of Torboll sheep farm in 1813. Tenants were settled on ‘improvable’ moorland lots, the nearest of which to the present area of evaluation appears to be at Lonemore to the south of Cyderhall farm. Within the area of evaluation there is no evidence for early modern settlement prior to the improvements of the early 19th century.

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