31674: Cnoc a’ Bhaile, Laxay, Lewis – TOWNSHIP (Undated), MILL (Undated)

Summary:

TOWNSHIP (Undated)
MILL (Undated)
Centred on NB 333 215, township shown on 1st ed. OS map 1852

Location:

NB 333 215

Full description:

NB32SW 1 centred on 333 215

see also: NB32SW 2 3437 2155 Horizontal Mill

A township comprising thirty-seven roofed buildings, three of which are annotated as Corn Mills, two partially roofed buildings, five unroofed buildings, four of which are annotated as Ruins, and a head-dyke are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire, Island of Lewis 1852, sheet 32). Forty-seven roofed, five partially roofed, thirty unroofed buildings and a head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 12 August 1997

Acknowledgement:

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

Further informationis provided below by Chris Burgess, Archaeologist who was on a site visit on 2 September, 2006

A pre-crofting ‘Corn-kiln’, Laxay: NB 3335 2140 (approx)

Located on a croft immediately to the north-east of Eilean Dunan are the remains of a pre-crofting baile or clachan, a small collection of blackhouses and associated buildings arranged in a nuclear group. These are typical of the Island’s settlements immediately prior to apportionment (say 17-18th century) and many of the extant (surviving) features are marked on the modern OS map.

We visited an area of flat ground on the first rise above the shore and found a ‘stack-yard’ or ‘threshing platform’ created deliverately to allow the processing and safe storage of summer crops. This platform area was surrounded by a low terrace/wall, constructed of turf and stone and was notable as it had the remains of a small turf structure to its north-east? corner. This building appeared to be the remains of a small drying-kiln, supporting the theory that the larged ‘yard’ area it was situated with was constructed for use in processing and storing grain crops.