32996: TIGH A’BHEANNAICH,LEWIS – HUT CIRCLE (Undated)

Summary:

HUT CIRCLE (Undated)
Very small and ephemeral hut circles

Location:

NB 0387 3790

Full description:

NB03NW 5 0387 3790.

(Area NB 038 378) A number of very small hut circles formed of small blocks of stone laid loosely on the surface of the ground, which in places shows a depth of only a few inches of soil, are noticeable near ‘Tigh a’ Bheannaich’ (NB03NW 1)
About 11′ east of the church are the foundations of an oval structure measuring internally 10 1/2′ E-W and 7′ N-S, with faint indications of a partition across the middle; about 39′ NW of the church on a rocky out-crop is a second, 5 1/2′ in diameter; a third lies about 47 yds west of the church, 6′ in diameter and another about 42yards from the building in line with the north wall shows the same internal diameter. In the last two examples the rocky outcrop is utilised to form one arc of the structure. Beside the third hut circle, on the rocks at a slightly higher elevation, is a small circular setting of stone 2’9″ in diameter, with the enclosed area covered with small broken stones, said to be the site of a beacon. Another hut-circle lies 40′ north of the last.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 1914.

These alleged hut-circles in the area centred NB 0387 3790 are as desribed by RCAHMS. They are all too small to be considered as dwellings and are probably rough shelters of indeterminate period.
Visited by OS (R L) 1 July 1969.

References:

RCAHMCS. 1928. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Ninth report with inventory of monuments and constructions in the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, Publisher: HMSO The RCAHMS 9th Report and Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles. 23, No. 83

Acknowledgement:

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