Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey Looking south-east across compartment Yellow 5 towards Creag Mheadhonach A Report on an Archaeological Walkover Survey Prepared for Scottish Woodlands Limited Nick Lindsay B.Sc, Ph.D Tel: 01408 621338 Sunnybrae West Clyne e-mail: [email protected] Brora Sutherland KW9 6NH April 2018 Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey Contents 1.0 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 3 2.3 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.5 Setting ............................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 Results .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1 Desk-Based Assessment .................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Field Survey .................................................................................................................... 11 4.0 Conclusions......................................................................................................................... 24 5.0 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 25 References ................................................................................................................................ 26 Appendices ............................................................................................................................... 27 1 Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey 1.0 Executive Summary An archaeological desk-based study and walk-over survey of a widespread area around Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey, was undertaken in April 2018. The survey was required by Scottish Woodlands Ltd in order to establish the extent of archaeological remains in advance of proposed tree planting. Pityoulish is situated in the modern-day parish of Abernethy and Kincardine (formerly just Kincardine) on the east bank of the River Spey, approximately 3km to the north-east of the centre of Aviemore (see Appendix I). The site is accessed from the B970, this section of which runs from Coylumbridge to the south to Nethybridge to the north. The survey resulted in the discovery of 35 archaeological features/sites, only four of which had previously been recorded on the Highland Council Archaeology Unit’s Historic Environment Record (HER) and none of which are regarded as being more than of local significance. 2 Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Background Scottish Woodlands proposes to plant trees in several discrete compartments around Pityoulish. Prior to this, they commissioned a desk-based assessment and subsequent walk-over survey to record and survey any archaeological remains present in the areas and assess the impact which the proposal may have on the archaeology. 2.2 Objectives The objectives of this survey were to: • Identify the historic environment baseline within the proposal area. • Assess the proposed development in terms of the historic environment potential. • Consider the potential impacts of construction and operation of the proposed development on the historic environment. • Propose measures (where appropriate) to mitigate any predicted adverse impacts. 2.3 Methodology A desk-based study was made of the Highland Council’s Historic Environment Record (HER), as well as Historic Environment Scotland’s Canmore online database, in conjunction with many other available resources, in order to identify any known and/or visible archaeology. Google Earth was also consulted prior to the survey to get an overview of any archaeology likely to be encountered. The subsequent walkover survey adhered to the principles set out in The Highland Council’s ‘Standards for Archaeological Work’ and Forestry Commission Scotland’s ‘Historic Environment Resource Guide’, using the most recent Ordnance Survey maps with a hand-held Garmin GPS unit for GPS co-ordinates, and a pocket compass clinometer was used for 3600 whole circle bearings and slope gradients. 2.4 Limitations The majority of the compartments were open grassed fields, although three compartments (Yellow 1, 4 and Green 2) was extensively covered in broom and Green 5 was rough grass. There were few possible limitations to finding archaeology on the ground, although the survival of any significant upstanding remains had been minimised by extensive and intensive agricultural ploughing. It must be borne in mind, however, that archaeology may still lie concealed beneath the ground surface within the areas examined. GPS co-ordinates are found to differ from Ordnance Survey National Grid co-ordinates generally by around 10m (can be up to 18m) to the SSW. This may pose local problems when relating recorded features to large-scale OS maps. GPS accuracy is wholly determined by the ability to access available satellites by line of sight. This ability can be reduced by proximity to hillsides and valley-sides and also by tree cover. 3 Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey 2.5 Setting Pityoulish is described as a farmsteading in the Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1876-78. It lies above the east bank of the River Spey and its surrounding area comprises a series of relatively level grassed fields separated by areas of hummocky ground which is less suitable for agriculture and is set to woodland or scrub. The land rises gently to the south-east, towards the rough ground of the lower slopes of the Cairngorm massif. The 19 compartments, which are the subject of this survey, are accessed from the B970, which runs south-west to north-east and dissects the survey area. There are 9 compartments on its north- west side and 10 on the south-east (see Appendix II). The area is now sparsely habited, but map evidence suggests that there has been a long-lived and rich human habitation history in the wider area, from as far back as the Neolithic period. Early colonisers would have grown subsistence crops and would have hunted on the hillsides and fished in the rivers and it clearly shows that several communities would have been able to sustain an existence in this area. Following the establishment of the larger farms, such as Pityoulish, at the end of the 18th Century, and the associated agricultural improvement, the sites would have been used for growing crops and grazing of livestock and some small areas have already been made over to forestry plantations. 4 Pityoulish, near Aviemore, Badenoch & Strathspey 3.0 Results 3.1 Desk-Based Assessment 3.1.1 Historic Environment Record/Canmore Initial consultation of the Highland Council’s Historic Environment Record (HER) and Historic Environment Scotland’s Canmore online database showed that there are 4 recorded sites within the survey areas, though several others lie just outwith. The nearest Scheduled Ancient Monument is the Pityoulish Barrow Cemetery, which is just to the south-east of the north-east end of compartment Green 3. 3.1.2 Aerial Photographs After online consultation with Google Maps and Bing Maps, several other features were identified which warranted a field visit. The most substantial of these were in compartments Yellow 2, Green 5 and Green 6. 3.1.3 Documentary Evidence The name Pityoulish derives from the Gaelic Peit gheollais, or 'Portion of bright station' (Watson, 1926). The ancient church of Kincardine, 2km to the north-east of Pityoulish dates back to at least the 12th Century (Law, quoting from Forsyth), when the Barony of Kincardine was occupied by the Comyns. Alexander, ‘the Wolf of Badenoch’, was given these lands by his father, King Robert II, after the King had displaced the Comyns. A slight variation on the passing of the Comyns is found in an article in the Banffshire Journal & Advertiser of 18th August, 1863. It informs that the Comyns were dislodged by the Shaws after an event which occurred at the Hill of Calart (sic.), less than 0.5km to the south-east of compartment Yellow 1. It was here, in a hollow in the heather, that Shaw ‘Buck-tooth’ waylaid and murdered the last of the Comyns in Badenoch and the place was known thereafter as Lag-nan- Cumineach. Kincardine became part of the Duke of Gordon’s estate in the 17th Century and was largely turned over to sheep farming when the 4th Duke’s nephew inherited the estate in 1836. This involved the removal of small tenants and the destruction of the small settlements which appear on Roy’s map (see inset below). A notice to creditors of Lieutenant James Stewart, which appeared in the Inverness Courier of 17th September, 1828, states that his whole property is to be assigned to Captain Patrick Cruickshank. A further notice in the Courier on 29th April, 1829,