Report of Archaeological Desktop Survey & Walkover Survey Muir of Ord Water Mains Renewal Project NH 47645/51591 - NH 52684/50257 & NH 53016/48003 – NH 53482/48585

By Stuart Farrell B.A A.I.F.A F.S.A.Scot. June 2002

Introduction This report is for an archaeological desktop & walkover survey conducted on behalf of Halcrow Group Ltd by the author for the Muir of Ord Water Mains Renewal Project, Highland.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following for their help during the work : - Mr. I MacLeod, of Halcrow Group Ltd; - Staff of Highland Council Archaeology Unit; - Staff of National Monuments Record of Scotland, Edinburgh; - Staff of Highland Council Archives.

Site Location See over. For larger scale see enclosed maps.

Objectives The author was commissioned by Halcrow Group Ltd to conduct an archaeological desktop & walkover survey of the route of the Muir of Ord water mains pipeline with a 12 metre wide way-leave. This desktop to follow those guidelines as proposed by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA, 1999) and to follow the enclosed specification as provided by Highland Council Archaeology Unit.

Part of the route of the pipeline forms part of the village of Muir of Ord along the existing road towards the River Orrin through mostly agricultural grass fields. The southern part of the pipeline borders the industrial estate in fields of grass or crop in an area with a number of cropmarks.

Desktop Results A desktop survey was conducted using the following sources: - Highland Council Sites and Monuments Record; - National Monuments Record of Scotland, Edinburgh; - Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland – aerial photograph collection; - National Map Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; - Highland Council Archives.

Both the aerial photography and the map coverage were very limited to the area of interest. Aerial photographs, in particular the coverage of 1967 was very limited to the west of Muir of Ord and due to scale. Map coverage was also limited as the 1st edition of 1870’s was almost the same as the 2nd of 1905/6 and little survey work has been carried out in detail in the 20th century, with the next edition being late 1960’s.

The following 12 archaeological sites were to be found on the route or close to the pipeline (proposed new pipelines are highlighted in red on the accompanying maps with sites numbered). Recommendations are given after each site.

HSMR – Highland Sites and Monuments Record NMRS - National Monuments Record of Scotland

Sites are as follows:

1 – Ord Distillery HSMR – NH55SW 27 NMRS – NH55SW 25 Type – Distillery Grid Ref: NH 519/507 Noted in NMRS as ‘Founded 1838 by MacLellan and Johnson. The site consists of a large complex of buildings, at the centre of which is the 3-storey maltings with double kilns to the north end’ (Hume, 1977). Gifford (1992) notes only ‘large late C20 industrial complex incorporating mid-C19 maltings with pagoda-roofed ventilators; severe Victorian bonded stores’ (ibid, 439). In 1887 Alexander Mackenzie owned the distillery, with an annual output of 80,000 gallons (Barnard, 1887). Noted by Jackson (1994) to have been modernized in 1966. Site visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1200).

No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works as proposed currently.

2 – Chalybeale Well HSMR – n/a NMRS – n/a Type – Well Grid Ref: NH 486/514 (centred) Marked on 1st and 2nd edition OS maps but not marked on latest OS map. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/5202) or later photographs of 1967.

Ordnance Survey Name Book records it as one of two wells of the same name in the parish of Urray of “This name applies to a well situated on the south bank of the River Orrin immediately north of the farm of Newton. It is only accessible at ordinary spates of the river being about 7 links from the bank it is strongly impregnated with sulphur”.

Site not located as part of walkover survey. Possibly site is now lost as river is now quite wide at this point.

No recommendations to be made for this site.

3 – Achnasoul Wood HSMR – n/a NMRS – n/a Type – Building Grid Ref: NH 4887/5151 Single roofed building marked on 1st edition OS map, 2 unroofed buildings are marked on 2nd edition OS map. No buildings marked on latest OS map. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/5202) or later photographs of 1967.

Walkover not made as site lays well out-with way-leave area.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works as proposed currently.

4 – Faebait HSMR – n/a NMRS – n/a Type – Enclosure Grid Ref: NH 4912/5088 Remains of rectangular enclosure found as part of walkover survey. Situated to edge of boundary wall. Measuring c14m x 6m with walls spread to 1m, possibly with cleared stones dumped on top.

Currently route is proposed to pass close to this site. Pipeline to be moved to opposite side of road or route to divert to the south (as existing pipeline) to avoid site. It would be advisable for an archaeological watching brief to be conducted when work is carried out in this area if route is unchanged.

5 – Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 31 NMRS – NH54NW 31 Type – Cist Grid Ref: NH 5306/4815 Cist found in 1934, that contained an inhumation with no artifacts (local information only) and that was left insitu.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works.

6 – Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 37 NMRS – NH54NW 54 Type – Cropmarks Grid Ref: NH 5300/4830 Cropmark revealed by aerial photography in 1955 of pit alignment (see over). Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works.

7 – Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 20 NMRS – NH54NW 20 Type – Enclosure Grid Ref: NH 5306/4830 Cropmark revealed in 1955 by aerial photography of enclosure c25m in diameter to southwest of standing stone (see over). Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/201) or later photographs of 1967.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works.

8 – Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 10 NMRS – NH54NW 10 Type – Standing stone Grid Ref: NH 5309/4832 Stone is Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stone is 1.7m high by 0.9m broad by 0.3m thick. Noted in 1975 to have been painted, a photograph in the NMRS (A54952)(see over) reveals white painted lettering to read ‘except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish’. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967. No recommendations to be made per this site, as should be unaffected by works.

9 – Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 9 NMRS – NH54NW 9 Type – Standing stones Grid Ref: NH 5327/4834 Stones are a Scheduled Ancient Monument.1st stone is 2.3m by 0.55m square, with possible 2nd to the SW of 0.8m by 0.5m square. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967.

Currently route is proposed to pass close to this site. Pipeline to be moved to roadside or opposite side of road. It would be advisable for an archaeological watching brief to be conducted when work is carried out in this area if route is unchanged. Scheduled Monument Consent may be required for work in this area.

10 – The Range or Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 15 NMRS – NH54NW 15 Type – Cropmarks Grid Ref: NH 5326/4845 Cropmarks revealed by aerial photography in 1955, noted in 1970 to be joiner’s yard. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as site is likely to have been destroyed by modern development.

11 – The Range or Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 19 NMRS – NH54NW 19 Type – Enclosure Grid Ref: NH 5341/4852 Cropmark revealed by aerial photography in 1980 of rectangular enclosure. Lies now in part of industrial estate. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967.

No recommendations to be made per this site, as site is likely to have been destroyed by modern development.

12 – The Range or Windhill HSMR – NH54NW 21 NMRS – NH54NW 21 Type – Pit circle Grid Ref: NH 535/485 Cropmark of ring-ditch revealed by aerial photography in 1976 of 5m in diameter with ditch 1.5m wide. Aerial photography in 1989 shows site to be double pit circle. Not visible on aerial photograph of 1946 (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK/184/1201) or later photographs of 1967. (See aerial photograph over)

13 – The Range HSMR – NH54NW 47 NMRS – NH54NW 57 Type – Cropmarks Grid Ref: NH 535/483 Noted in NMRS that ‘oblique aerial photographs revealed area of cropmarks scattered across the field immediately SW of The Range. They are likely to be geological rather than of prehistoric date’. An inspection of aerial photographs in the RCAHMS reveals that these cropmarks may not be geological but field boundaries – pattern of cropmarks is in parts too regular to be geological. (See over)

14 – Windhill HSMR – n/a NMRS – n/a Type – Buildings Grid Ref: NH Located as part of walkover survey. Of two derelict buildings, 1st of corrugated iron and wooden construction, collapsed at east end with single roof vent. 2nd L-shaped of brick, harled with a concrete corrugated sheet roof with skylights and chimney. Function of both buildings is unknown.

Sites 2 - 4 & 14 are additional sites that were found as part of this survey and are not recorded in the Highland Sites and Monuments Record or the National Monuments Record of Scotland, Edinburgh. References

Barnard, A (1887) The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom.

Gifford, J (1992) The Buildings of Scotland : The Highlands and Islands. Penguin. Edinburgh.

Highland Sites and Monuments Record database entries for NH54NW & NH55SW.

Hume, J (1977) The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland : The Highlands and Islands. Batsford. London.

IFA (1999) By-laws, Standards and Policy Statements of the Institute of Field Archaeologists. Reading.

Jackson, M (1994) Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion. Dorling Kindersley. London.

National Monuments Record of Scotland CANMORE database entries for NH54NW & NH55SW.

Ordnance Survey Name Book parish of Urray Volume 6, page 87.

OS Maps Consulted Ross-shire Edition of 1868 - 1875 1:10,000 sheet 99. Ross-shire Edition of 1901 - 1905 1:10,000 sheet 99.

Aerial Photographs Consulted RAF CPE/Scot/UK 184 9 Oct 1946 1:10,000 5202-4, 3202-4, 1199-1201 OS OS/67/046 23 Apr 1967 1:10,000 11-9, 44-43, 56-54

Photograph Register 1 – View of bonded warehouse, Ord Distillery site 1 facing north June 2002 2 – View of enclosure site 4 facing east June 2002 3 – View of standing stone site 8 facing west June 2002 4 – View of standing stones site 9 facing southeast June 2002 5 – View of building site 14 facing southeast June 2002 6 – View of building site 14 facing southwest June 2002

Stuart Farrell 39a Park Street Nairn Highland IV12 4PP