Highland Archaeology Services Ltd Bringing the Past and Future Together Raffin Lochiver, Sutherland Desk Based Assessment and Walk-over Survey Report 7 Duke Street Cromarty Ross-shire IV11 8YH Tel / Fax: 01381 600491 Mobile: 07834 693378 Email: [email protected] Web: www.hi-arch.co.uk Registered in Scotland no. 262144 VAT No. GB 838 7358 80 Raffin, Sutherland: Building Survey February 2014 Raffin Lochiver, Sutherland Desk Based Assessment and Walk-over Survey Report Report No. HAS140205 Site Code RFN14 Client Mr K. Hamilton Planning Ref 13/03986/FUL OS Grid Ref NC 021 321 Date/ 28/02/2014 revision Author Lachlan Mckeggie Summary A desk-based assessment, walk-over and Level 1 building survey were undertaken at a site just to the East of Raffin, Sutherland in response to planning conditions (13/03986/FUL) for the development of a house on the site. This formed an accommodation camp for staff at a radar station nearby during the Second World War. An agricultural building had been erected on the eastern part of the site. As the physical remains of the camp are now disappearing and the site put to a new use, we recommend that the site might be marked in some way to record its previous use. A watching brief is proposed on clearance for the septic tank and soakaway where pre-camp features are still visible. 2 Raffin, Sutherland: Building Survey February 2014 Contents Aims and objectives ................................................................................................................................ 4 Location .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Legislation and Policy ............................................................................................................................. 6 Background ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Results: Desk based Assessment ............................................................................................................. 7 Results: Field Survey ........................................................................................................................... 14 Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 29 Appendix: Table of Photographs ......................................................................................................... 29 Illustrations Figure 1 Site Location ............................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 2 Site layout plan ........................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 3: Area investigated .................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 4: Desk based assessment sites .................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5: Extract from J. Home Survey of Assynt 1774 ....................................................................... 11 Figure 6: Extract from OS first edition 6 inch (1:10560) map, surveyed 1875 .................................... 12 Figure 7: Map showing post 1949 Field boundaries ............................................................................ 13 Figure 8: Site plan with selected features and modern building disturbance in red. ............................ 15 Figure 9: Detailed site plan ................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 10: Feature 9 Plan with standing building ................................................................................. 18 Figure 11: Feature 28 plan. ................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 12: Feature 29 plan .................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 13: Camera Points ...................................................................................................................... 31 Plate 1: General view of site (RFN14_009) ............................................................................................ 4 Plate 2: Modern aerial view of site showing hut platforms .................................................................... 8 Plate 3: Extracts from RAF aerial survey, 1949 ................................................................................... 12 Plate 4: Display board at Stoer Lighthouse ........................................................................................... 13 Plate 5: Feature 3 steps (RFN14_031) .................................................................................................. 14 Plate 6: Feature 5 Concrete Pad (RFN14_037 & 038) .......................................................................... 16 Plate 7: Feature 8 Concrete Pad (RFN_47) ........................................................................................... 17 Plate 8: Feature 9, facing N (RFN14_051) ........................................................................................... 18 Plate 9: Feature 13 Drain with Feature 15 in fore (RFN14_62) ........................................................... 19 Plate 10: Feature 18 Wall S end (RFN14_074) .................................................................................... 20 Plate 11: Feature 18 detail from N end (RFN14_75) ............................................................................ 21 Plate 12: Feature 23, Air Raid Shelter (RFN14_092) ........................................................................... 22 Plate 13: Feature 25 Concrete Pad (RFN14_96-97) ............................................................................. 22 Plate 14: Feature 28 Building (RFN14_104) ........................................................................................ 23 Plate 15: Feature 29 Building (RFN14_107) ........................................................................................ 25 Plate 16: Looking N across Features 31 and 32 (RFN14_12-14) ......................................................... 25 Plate 17: Clay brick from Feature 9 showing stamp (RFN14_066). .................................................... 26 Plate 18: Photograph showing construction levels of buildings (RFN14_44) ...................................... 27 Plate 19: Photo showing Feature 4 air raid shelter construction (RFN14_34). New agricultural shed in background. ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Plate 20: Feature 26 Possible structure (RFN14_98-99) ...................................................................... 28 Plate 21: Stoer Head Lighthouse ........................................................................................................... 28 3 Raffin, Sutherland: Building Survey February 2014 Acknowledgements We would like to thank the staff at the Highland Archive Centre for their help in locating RAF post- war aerial photographs. Lachlan and Lynne Mckeggie carried out the fieldwork; all photographs were taken by Lachlan Mckeggie, who also produced this report. Report editing and formatting was by John Wood. Background mapping has been reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey under Licence 100043217. Project drawings are reproduced courtesy of the client. Aims and objectives The objectives of the proposed work were to: • Identify and record any cultural heritage features which might be affected by this development • Meet the planning condition (13/03986/FUL). • Minimise possible delays or costs 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. • Plate 1: General view of site (RFN14_009) 4 Raffin, Sutherland: Building Survey February 2014 Location The site is centred at approx. OS Grid Reference NC 021 321, at about 43m above sea level. Figure 1 Site Location 5 Raffin, Sutherland: Building Survey February 2014 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 will be secured by adherence to the Codes of Conduct and Approved Practice and Standards of the Institute for Archaeologists and the Highland Council’s Standards for Archaeological Work. Figure 2 Site layout plan Background The proposed development is the construction of a house on the site of a Second World War RAF camp just to the east of Raffin