Monument record 10552 - LSFH 25.4 Beinn Lobheir

Summary

Blackhouse

Location

Grid reference NB 28483 16542 (point)
Map sheet NB21NE
Island Lewis
Parish LOCHS, Western Isles

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

"Situated on the southern slopes of Beinn Lobheir, above the north shore of Loch Seaforth Head the fragmentary remains of this blackhouse have been cut/truncated by the line of the modern Balallen to Eisgean road. Orientated from north to south they measure 7 x 5 metres and stand up to 1 metre tall. Much of the stone wall facing has been removed, presumably to contribute to the building of some crofting phase structure closer to the shore, leaving only the very largest stones and the earth core surrounding what must have been the house (uphill) end of the house. To the south of the modern road are the remains of a stone edged platform measuring 2 metres from north to south and 3 metres from west to east. This feature is on the general alignment of the house remains to the north of the road, though how it relates to that house is unclear as the relationship between the two features is obscured by the road." Part of: "The fragmentary remains of a blackhouse settlement can be seen along the line of the Balallen to Eisgean road where it turns to the east and runs parallel to the north shore of Loch Seaforth Head. Consisting of two blackhouses (25.2 and 25.4), a well (25.3) and cultivation features (25.1 and 25.5) the settlement is likely to date to the pre-crofting period as the focus of early crofting and later settlement is located to the south within the extents of the modern crofts immediately above the shore of the loch. The surrounding area was cleared a number of times from 1610 onwards (with the arrival of the MacKenzies) through to the early 1820s. When the site was visited for the 1st edition Ordnance Survey in the late 1840s no occupied settlement was recorded in the area. The preservation of these structures suggests that they probably relate to the last pre-crofting clearances in the area (1823?). The full extent of the settlement has been obscured by the construction of the modern road, and by stone robbing for the construction of the crofting phases structures located to the south on the loch shore." (Burgess 2004, 36 and 37-38)


Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology, 2004, Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle (Unpublished document). SWE41054.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • --- Unpublished document: Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2004. Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle. Loch Seaforth Head Gazeteer.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Aug 6 2004 10:06AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any questions or more information about this record? Please feel free to comment below with your name and email address. All comments are submitted to the website maintainers for moderation, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible. Comments, questions and answers that may be helpful to other users will be retained and displayed along with the name you supply. The email address you supply will never be displayed or shared.