31526: LSFH 1.10 Garadh an Tighearna – FIELD BOUNDARY; WALL

Summary:

FIELD BOUNDARY (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WALL (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 and stone wall

Location:

NB 28075 17785

Full description:

"Starting at the noth-east shore of the unnamed loch (Loch Mhor?) to the east of Loch Beag this turf dyke runs for 60 metres to the east north-east before turning towards the north-east and running for 370 metres. Turning to the north north-east it runs for a further 170 metres before turning back towards the north-east. From this point onwards for another 270 metres it is mirrored by a drainage ditch on its east side, that issues into the Abhainn Chleiteir, where the dyke terminates against the west shore of that burn. At its east end where the dyke runs into the waters of the unnamed loch (Loch Mhor?) to the east of Loch Beag it is constructed of drystone. Turning west it runs for a further 4 metres into the water, partially cutting the neck of an inlet at the north end of the loch, Then there is a break of 4 metres (the mouth of the inlet) and the drystone dyke takes up again, running along the north shore of the unnamed loch for 5 metres before turning to the north as a turf dyke. The continued course of this dyke could not be followed as the heather growth was too heavy to allow its line to be established. This dyke is named Garadh na Tighearna. Garadh is presumably a corruption of the Gaelic/Norse word gary or geirridh (as in Timsgary or Garynahine) meaning cattle/stock enclosure behind the shore. Tighearna refers to a house (Tigh) and tends to suggest that the Garadh na Tighearna was the stock corral relating to a specific house or settlement in the vicinity, possibly that of the landlord or his factor/tacsman." 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, 27-28 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.