Highland Archaeology Services Ltd Bringing the Past and Future Together Archaeological Walk-over Survey Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig Hydro Electric Scheme 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 Registered Office: 10 Knockbreck Street, Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1BJ VAT No. GB 838 7358 80 Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig: Hydro-electric Scheme: Walk-over Survey July 2014 Archaeological Walk-over Survey Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig Hydro Electric Scheme Report No. HAS140707 Site Code HAS-LTL14 Client Green Highland Renewables Planning Ref N/A OS Grid Ref NN 30807 69237 (Power house) Date/ 01/08/2014 revision Author John Wood Summary An archaeological desk based and walk-over survey was undertaken to inform plans for construction of a hydro-electric scheme on the Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig, Highland. No significant cultural heritage features are expected to be directly affected by the scheme. 2 Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig: Hydro-electric Scheme: Walk-over Survey July 2014 Contents Aims and objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Location ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Legislation and Policy ................................................................................................................................... 5 Archaeology background / Desk Based Assessment .................................................................................... 5 Walk-over Survey ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 6 Appendix: Photographs ................................................................................................................................ 7 Illustrations Figure 1: Location ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2 Camera points ................................................................................................................................ 8 Figure 3: Project layout ................................................................................................................................. 9 Figure 4 1st edition OS 1:10560 map superimposed on modern 1:25000 map. ........................................ 10 Figure 5 Powerhouse area showing drystone walls to N ........................................................................... 11 Acknowledgements Background mapping has been reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey under Licence 100043217. Historic mapping is courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. Fieldwork was carried out by John Wood, assisted by Maggie Dove. Aims and objectives • 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. • 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. Location The proposed hydro electric scheme is to run along the Allt na Lairige from an intake at NN 29004 71464 to a turbine house at NN 30807 69237 (Figure 2). In addition, a new access is required to the north to provide a link to the existing Spean Bridge track, and the western end of the existing path to the east leading to Loch Treig and from there to Corrour is to be upgraded. This is a remote area, with Glen Spean to the north, and Kinlochleven and Fort William to the west. 3 Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig: Hydro-electric Scheme: Walk-over Survey July 2014 Figure 1: Location From OS mapping, reproduced under Licence. Not to original scale. Red line indicates extent of survey to include access routes 4 Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig: Hydro-electric Scheme: Walk-over Survey July 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 were secured by adherence to the Codes of Conduct and Approved Practice and Standards of the Institute for Archaeologists and the Highland Council’s published Standards for Archaeological Work. Archaeology background / Desk Based Assessment A run of river hydro electric scheme is proposed along the Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig, Highland. An archaeological desk based assessment and walk-over survey were carried out ahead of the planning application to help establish the best route for the scheme and to identify at an early stage any archaeological features that might be affected. The Highland Council’s Historic Environment Record (HHER), the National Monuments Record for Scotland (NMRS), and historic maps held by the National Library of Scotland were checked for sites. The first and second Statistical Accounts for the parish of Kilmonivaig were also examined2. No archaeological sites were noted in the areas to be affected by the development, but field enclosure dykes are shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey Six Inch (1:10560) map (surveyed 1870) in the area just north of the proposed turbine house. This map also shows the extent of Loch Treig before conversion to a reservoir in about 1929 (Figure 3). William Roy’s Military Survey (1747-55) shows the Abhainn Rath as the River Traig, its valley as Glen Traig, leading to Loch Traig. The Allt na Lairige is shown as Corry Lechick. However no settlement is shown in either valley at all. According to A.R.B.Haldane3, two drove roads crossed at the southern end of Loch Treig, with one coming from the NW, apparently along the Allt na Lairige, from Spean Bridge and continues to the SE towards Crieff; while another followed roughly the line of the modern railway along the eastern edge of the Loch then continued south to Bridge of Orchy and Tyndrum. The two loch-side settlements of Creaguaineach and Lochtrieghead may have served these. However no evidence of droving or related features such as stances was found along the penstock line. In 1924-9 an aluminium smelter was established at Fort William, fed by the huge Lochaber hydro-electric scheme, with a catchment that included the headwaters of the Rivers Treig and Spean and the floodwaters of the River Spey. Lochs Lagan and Treig were dammed, linked by tunnels, and converted to reservoirs: the main tunnel from Loch Treig to Fort William being 15 miles long and 5 m in diameter. The whole 1 A full statement of current legislation and public policy is available from the Highland Archaeology Services office on request 2 http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/link/1791-99/Inverness/Kilmonivaig/ http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/link/1834-45/Inverness/Kilmonivaig/ 3 Haldane A R B 1997, 2008 The Drove Roads of Scotland, Birlinn. 5 Allt na Lairige, Loch Treig: Hydro-electric Scheme: Walk-over Survey July 2014 was serviced by a narrow-gauge railway. However, as far as can be established, none of the features or former features of this scheme will be affected by the present proposals. The increase in water level following the construction of the dam submerged the two townships at the loch’s southern end, apart from Creaguaineach Lodge. The First edition OS Six Inch (1:10560 scale) map shows several cottages, a footbridge and a school (Figure 3 above4). However the present scheme is unlikely to affect any of these features. Walk-over Survey The survey was undertaken on 28 July 2014. Visibility was good with dry weather, sunny in the morning and clouding over in the afternoon. The proposed intake, penstock route, powerhouse location, and access tracks to be upgraded were walked from the Loch-side at approximately NN 32100 68710, to the walkers’ bothy at NN 28255 73654. A corridor approximately 50m wide centred on the penstock line was checked and inspected for signs of archaeological or other cultural heritage features, including any potential for buried evidence. No significant archaeological sites were noted that might be affected. However, immediately north of the proposed turbine house there are stock enclosures formed of drystone walls that are shown on the 1st edition OS map (Figure 4). Conclusions and Recommendations As far as can be seen at present it should be possible to avoid the enclosure walls, but if there is a need to cut through them a section should be recorded by an archaeologist at each cutting point to determine the construction style and whether possible buried soil horizons or earlier features are evident beneath. Otherwise, no archaeological features or areas of potential appear