|
The A830 between Loch nan Uamh and Arisaig in Lochaber is the last remaining single-track trunk road in Scotland. A desk-based assessment undertaken by ASH in 2003 was updated by a walk-over survey in early June 2005. CFA Archaeology Ltd then investigated those remains that would be affected by the planned upgrading of the road.
The known features comprised old road alignments, estate infrastructure and a Listed bridge. These were subjected to written and photographic survey and recording during the evaluation in late June and July. This also involved programmes of test-pitting and trial trenching. Hand dug trenches investigated a slab-built structure and a possible cairn at Beasdale and two buildings by the Brunary Burn. Machine trenching was undertaken at Arisaig and Borrodale. At Arisaig, a machine trench positioned to investigate a field bank on the edge of the village led to the discovery of an underlying burnt mound. At Borrodale, trenching recorded several pits, a stone feature and an area of buried soil from which a thumbnail scraper was recovered. Test pitting on what may be a raised beach at the mouth of the Beasdale Burn recorded no archaeological remains.
Excavations between September and November 2005 targeted the burnt mound at Arisaig and the features discovered at Borrodale. The structures at the Brunary Burn were also excavated.
At Arisaig, a trench measuring c.13m by 12m was excavated by machine, revealing a weathered spread of reddened fire-cracked stones with intermittent charcoal covering an area of 11m by 6m. Although damaged by the later excavation of a ditch and field drain, it appeared the burnt mound lay on low banks of sand, which may be natural or may have been introduced to the site. These had a stream on one side and a marshy area on the other. The sand banks sealed an underlying primary deposit of burnt material containing stones that were not similarly reddened and this was associated with a stake-hole. There was no sign of either a hearth or of a trough.
At Borrodale, an L-shaped trench measuring 60m by 40m was excavated by machine. This covered both a level area and a slope down to a former palaeochannel. Unusually deep topsoil deposits (for the Highlands) of up to 1m were testament to damaging ploughing in the past, although the area has not been cultivated since the Second World War. Two cairns of differing nature were exposed on the slope, one with dimensions of 7m by 5m composed of small stones and the other of 6m by 4m, composed of larger stones and boulders. Several lithics, including two thumbnail scrapers were recovered from the topsoil. On the more level area, several linear gullies suggested strip cultivation in the past and a series of shallow pits contained quartz lithics and charcoal.
At Lochan Torr Na Nighinn (Brunary Burn), both structures were cleared of vegetation and debris. An area around them was deturfed and excavated. The more substantial building was 8m by 3.5m internally, within a drystone wall featuring rounded corners and splayed windows on either side of an entrance in the long side. Only the central area was paved and this surrounded a central hearth. A network of drains ran under the floor. Finds dating to the 19th century were recovered. The smaller building measured 6m by 2m internally, within a wall of similar construction but without obvious windows. Neither paving nor a hearth were recorded and the finds were of a less domestic nature. There were nevertheless no drains which might suggest its former use as a byre. External features included a crudely paved area, an external hearth and a further series of drains. These structures would appear to have been built as part of the land improvements made in the area following the 1745 rebellion but are within an estate that was not forfeited and therefore are unlikely to have been built to house incomers, as was the case on many forfeited estates.
Other recording work took place at Rose Cottage, a brick-built building with piped services within a road-side quarry which appears on the 1st Edition map (1876) and was abandoned around World War II.
Ian Suddaby |
