31629: LSFH 29.1 Aird Sithaig – SHIELING? SMOKING SHED?

Summary:

SHIELING? (Crofting – 1850 AD to 1950 AD)
SMOKE HOUSE? (Crofting – 1850 AD to 1950 AD)
Sheiling or smoking shed

Location:

NB 27470 16633

Full description:

"Situated at the north end of the Aird Sithaig headland, where it meets the shore, this sheiling or bothie measures 3.8 x 3 metres externally, 2 x 1.2 metres internally and is orientated from north to south. It is built entirely of stone and has an entrance 0.9 metres wide, at the north end of its east wall. It is constructed at the western end of a former blackhouse (29.2) and is likely to have been built using much of the stone from that structure. Its purpose is unclear, as it might have acted as a shoreside sheiling, but equally it might have been related to some localised marine industry, either smoking or possibly kelping, as a number of possible kilns have been identified immediately to the south of the Aird Sithaig headland (29.4, 29.5, 29.6 and 29.7)." "Situated across much of the Aird Sithaig headland this group of monuments are noticeable for their close proximity to one another. Two landscapes may seem to have been identified from among the remains. The first consists of a post-medieval/pre-crofting settlement that includes a blackhouse (29.2) and a feannagan field system (29.11). Several cellular structures formed of stone, along the west shore of the headland (29.8 and 29.9) may also date to this phase of activity. The second phase of activity on the site is likely to be one of marine industry, relating to kelp collection and processing. This phase can be seen as a series of cellular structures or kilns that seem to have been cut into the tops of the earlier feannagan (29.4, 29.5, 29.6, 29.7, 29.10,29.13 etc). These cells or kilns are all of similar size and construction and seem to post-date the earlier landscape. It is possible that the bothie/sheiling (29.1) constructed in the western edge of the earlier blackhouse (29.2) may relate to this phase of activity on the site. Pre-dating all of this is likely to be a Norse phase of activity that is visible solely through the remains of a boat-shaped house (29.3) located under the remains of blackhouse (29.2). There are no other remains that can be firmly dated to this possible earlier activity though it cannot be ruled out that some of the cellular structures in the vicinity may date to the Norse phase. How much of the activity on the headland can be associated with elements of the promontory enclosure (30) at its southern end and thought to be medieval in date, is also unclear, though again it cannot be ruled out that some of the features identified in the vicinity actually owe their origins to this phase of activities on site." (Burgess 2004, 38 and 44-45)

References:

Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2004. Northamptonshire Archaeology Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle. Part No Loch Seaforth Head Gazeteer.

Acknowledgement:

Information provided by Western Isles Council Sites & Monuments Record, January 2006.