Kildermorie Hydro-Electric Scheme, Alness, Easter Ross Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Evaluation 1.0 Background A hydro-electric scheme is proposed at Kildermorie, Alness, Easter Ross. This evaluation has been prepared for inclusion in an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Statement on the proposed development, and covers the potential impact of the scheme on the archaeological record and cultural heritage of the area. This evaluation aims to • Identify the cultural heritage baseline within and in the vicinity of the proposed area of the development • Assess the proposed development site in terms of its archaeological and historic environment • Consider the potential impacts of construction and operation of the proposed development on the cultural heritage and archaeological record. • Propose measures (where appropriate) to mitigate any predicted adverse impacts The cultural heritage resource of an area is taken to consist of the following elements which might be adversely affected by the development: • Scheduled Ancient Monuments • Listed Buildings • Designed Landscapes and Gardens • Other archaeological features, conservation areas, historic cemeteries and battlefield sites The evaluation contains the following elements: • A desk-based assessment of the archaeological sites and areas of historical or cultural interest considered likely to be affected by the development. • A field evaluation of the area of the proposed development, to locate known and recorded archaeological sites and areas of archaeological and cultural significance and to identify previously unrecorded sites 2.0 Baseline Conditions 2.1 Archaeological Background 2.1.1 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Listed Buildings, Gardens and Designed Landscapes There are no sites with statutory protection within the evaluation area or within a zone of potential indirect, visual impact. 2.1.2 Archaeological Sites Other recorded archaeological sites, recorded either on the Highland Historic Environment Record, or on the National Monuments record for Scotland (NMRS), are protected by Planning Policy Guidance 16 and managed by Highland Council Archaeology Unit. In brief, all archaeological sites are a finite, non-renewable resource, which should be preserved in situ where possible and adequately investigated and recorded where preservation is not possible. Any work affecting these sites will require to be carried out after consultation with HCAU. Unrecorded sites or areas of archaeological potential are not so clearly protected by law. These are most often first identified in advance of development, often where a brief for archaeological investigation has been issued by HCAU. Where this is not the case, as in the present proposed work, best practice will be to treat the newly located sites in the same way as recorded features, balanced with common sense about the potential impact of the proposed development. 2.1.3 Previous fieldwork On archaeological field survey has been carried out in the general area of Kildermorie. This is a pre- afforestation survey carried out in November 2002 (C. Dagg) No archaeological features were located within the areas of proposed forestry. This survey did not cover the areas potentially affected by the present proposed development. There is therefore a possibility of unrecorded sites being located in these areas. 2.1.4 Recorded archaeological sites The following archaeological sites are recorded on the Highland Historic Environment Record (HER) as within or adjacent to the area of this evaluation: 1. Kildermorie Lodge at NH 5191 7786 HER ref. No. MHG 25208 lodge MHG 21288 Head Stalker’s Cottage MHG 21289 Ice House MHG 21290 Stalker’s Cottage MHG 23967 Steading MHG 20651 Building: one unroofed structure recorded on 1st edition OS map MHG 8888 House 2. Tigh an Staca at NH 5060 7850 HER ref. No. MHG 7120, 43316, 43314: Township. Six unroofed buildings and an enclosure recorded on 1st edition OS map 2.2 Archaeological Field Survey The following archaeological sites or areas of archaeological or historical interest were noted during the field evaluation, carried out on 4.8.08. The listing runs from east to west. 1. Kildermorie Lodge: Buildings at NH 5191 7786 With the exception of MHG 20651, the unroofed building marked on the 1st edition OS map, the buildings recorded on HER are all standing and in use and are unlikely to be affected directly or indirectly by the present scheme. The grouping is surrounded by mature forestry plantations, which will provide a visual barrier between any structures associated with the development and the buildings and their setting. While the setting of the older buildings should, as best practice, be protected from the visual intrusion of modern elements, this setting is already altered from its original late 19th century design by the construction of the new lodge and associated fencing. 2. Tigh an Staca: Township at NH 5060 7850. Recorded, probably erroneously, on Roy’s military survey as Achnagulan, on Thomson’s 1823 map as Teyslack and on the 1st edition OS map as Tighastac. All the township remains, as recorded on the 1st edition OS map, lie north of the modern vehicular track and between the Allt Cnoc a’ Bholla to the west and the Allt Sron Fhearchair to the east as follows, from west to east: a. Small rectangular building, possibly a byre or barn, aligned NE-SW and immediately adjacent to the bank of the Allt Cnoc a’ Bholla. It is possible that this structure has already been destroyed during construction of the present vehicular track. b. Enclosure, NE of a. and aligned NNE-SSW. Possibly an animal pen. Extant walling, visible as moss-covered boulders truncated to the south by the present vehicular track, noted during the walk-over survey (Photos 1-4) is likely to be this structure. c. Small sub-square building, aligned NW-SE and 120m east of a., immediately south of and parallel to the stalkers path, possibly a byre or barn. Not noted during the walk-over survey but probably surviving within the forestry north of the vehicular track. d. Rectangular building, aligned ENE-WSW, located 150m east of a. immediately south of the stalkers path. This is probably the main, or only, dwelling of the settlement. The 1st edition OS map places the name Tighastac adjacent to this structure. Likely to be a shed, hen house or similar associated with the dwelling. north of the vehicular track. Not noted during the walk-over survey but probably surviving within the forestry north of the vehicular track. e. Small square structure immediately south of d. Likely to be a shed, hen house or similar associated with the dwelling. It is possible that this structure has already been destroyed during construction of the present vehicular track. f. Small rectangular building immediately south of e. Likely to be a shed, hen house or similar associated with the dwelling. It is possible that this structure has already been destroyed during construction of the present vehicular track. g. Small sub-square building, probably a byre or barn, immediately east of d. but on the north side of the stalkers path. Not noted during the walk-over survey but probably surviving within the forestry It is possible that further structures associated with the township or farmstead were not recorded by the Ordnance Survey but lie within this area, and therefore within the 20m corridor of the proposed pipeline route. Although no structures are recorded on the 1st edition OS map to the west of the Allt Cnoc a’ Bholla, a boulder dyke is visible there (Photo no. 5) with a possible structure between this and the road. No structures or dykes were noted south of the road. Further buildings and cultivated ground are also recorded south of the river, also afforested, but were not investigated. 3. Allt Cnoc a’Bholla: stalkers path from NH 5080 7845 to NH 4885 8017 This track follows the Allt Cnoc a’Bholla to Lochan Lice then descends steeply to rejoin the Abhain na Glasa 4. Achadh nan Cuillean/na Bruanagan: Farmstead at NH 4920 7857 Recorded on Roy’s military survey and on Thomson’s 1823 map as Brumach and on the 1st edition OS map as Achadh nan Cuillean. No buildings are recorded on the 1st or 2nd edition OS maps but the area between the river and the stream is shown as improved ground, with a footbridge and path (Site 4, below) The 1988 OS 1:25000 Pathfinder map shows a roofless building and dyke. The building cluster occupies a slight knoll at the west edge of the improved ground (Photo no. 6) and consists of one long house (Photo no. 7) with a rectangular enclosure to the east, with another, sub-oval enclosure south of this (Photo no. 8). Other indistinct structures may include a corn kiln. A section of dyke runs from the building to the river and on the improved ground are three prominent conical field clearance piles. To the west, further low boundary dykes and enclosures occupy the ‘island’ where the river divides. To the south of the forestry, on the east side of the Allt a’Mhagharaidh at approximately NH 490 780 are what appear to be peat cuttings (Photo no. 9) 5. Allt a’ Mhagharaidh: Stalkers path from NH 4920 7857 to NH 4803 7743. This runs up the NW side of the stream and has been roughly constructed, proving difficult to follow in its upper stretch. (Photo no. 10) 6. Allt Loch a’ Chaorainn: Stalkers path from NH 4743 7900 to NH 4872 7895. Similar to no. 4, but better constructed on the steep higher ground and indistinct on its lower stretch. 7. Abhainn na Glasa: trackway from NH 4616 8002 to NH 4883 8015. The original stalkers path or track from Kildermorie Lodge to Bad Sgaleach as recorded on the 1st edition OS map, did not follow the river but cut across the high ground NW from Tigh an Staca and past Lochan lice.