31484: Loch Seaforth, Isle of Lewis – BLACKHOUSE

Summary:

BUILDING (Undated)
SITE (Undated)
BLACK HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Location:

NB 2746 1665

Full description:

NB21NE 30 2746 1665

One unroofed building annotated as a Ruin is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire, Island of Lewis 1854, sheet 37) and on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 9 July 1997

Could be a blackhouse: "Situated at the north end of the Aird Sithaig headland, where it meets the shore, the remains of this blackhouse measure 10 x 5 metres externally, 3 x 7 metres internally and are orientated from west to east. Standing less than 0.2 metres high for the most part, this structure has been heavily robbed for stone for the construction of structures including the sheiling/bothie (29.1) inserted into its west end. At the southern edge of this bothie a fragment of the blackhouse wall still stands to a height of 0.3 metres and a thickness of 1.2 metres. The remaining wall footings are, however, clear enough to demonstrate the presence of a structure formed of stone-faced, earth-cored walls in a form that is typical of post-medieval, pre-crofting blackhouses. A possible entrance may be seen at the centre of the north wall, and the remains of a possible internal partition can be seen as a low turf bank immediately to the east of the entrance, ca 2 metres from the east end of the building. This blackhouse sits on a platform that is clearly visible at its south side, also formed of turf and stone, that may be the remains of an earlier house." "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, 39 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.