32166: ECC 75.2 Loch Mharabhig

Summary:

BLACK HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
COW HOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
LONGHOUSE (Post Medieval – 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Blackhouse

Location:

NB 40760 19689

Full description:

"Situated on flat ground to the west of the western shore of Loch Mharabhig the remains of this large blackhouse measure 19 x 7 metres overall and are orientated from south-west to north-east. Constructed of stone faces with an earthen core the walls of this building are largely collapsed and robbed with the exception of the north-eastern, of former byre end, which appears to have had some later re-use. Two entrances may be seen, one located 3 metres from the south-western end providing entrance into the dwelling end of the house, and the other located 3 metres from the north-east end providing access into the byre end of the house. The north-eastern end of this building (the former byre end of the building) is apsoidal in form. Blackhouses of this size and form seem to date to the pre-crofting phase of settlement and largely appear to have gone out of usage in the Lochs area by the time that enclosure/encrofting occurs during the first half of the 19th century. The north-eastern (byre) end of this structure appears to have had some later re-use. As part of this a new wall has been constructed within the building to shorten it. This is located 5 metres from the south-eastern wall. This re-use is likely to have taken the form of a barn relating to one of the other two blackhouses in the vicinity (75.1 and 75.3)." (Burgess 2004, 167-168)

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.