31542: LSFH 1.19 Loch Beag – FIELD BOUNDARY; DYKE

Summary:

FIELD BOUNDARY (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
DYKE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
DRAINAGE DITCH (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Turf dyke and ditch

Location:

NB 27996 17695

Full description:

"Linking the east shore of Loch Beag to the west shore of the unnamed loch (Loch Mhor?) to its east, this turf dyke has a drainage ditch dug along much of its north side, that issues into both of the lochs. This wall is up to 80 metres long, stands a maximum of 0.5 metres high and is up to 1 metre broad." Part of: "Stock grazing management field system; probably relating to pre-crofting or early crofting period summer grazing, consisting of a series of turf walls with some stone reinforcements around gateways and where the walls run across areas of bedrock." (Burgess 2004, 31-32 and 17)

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.