Monument record 14218 - Loch na Cartach, Scarasta/Borve, Harris

Site 4, shieling group
this group of shielings, located at NG 03941 92164, are marked on the modern OS 1:10,000 edition as two separate shielings. The group actually comprises 5 structures, one ow chiwh is built upon another. Four of the structures occupy a rocky knoll of 4-5m height, the fith is built against another outcrop 4m away.
H
this structure is circular, with a diameter of 3.2m, and overgrown but well-defined walls 0.8-0.9m thick, standing 0.3-0.4m high. Three courses of dry stone wall are visible to the north of the interior of the structure, in what seems to be the remnants of an internal feature. Strangely, it has two entrances directly opposite each other, opening roughly east-west
I
This structure remains as three sides of a rectangle, mearuing 2m x 2m externally, with regular, but overgrown walls 0.4m thich standing to 0.3m high. It is very close to H on its eastern side, suggesting it may have gone out of use before H was built or vice versa. It may also originally have had a fourth wall which has been robbed to provide stone for the other structures.
J
This is the biggest and best preserved of thed sturcutres at this site. It occupeis the summit of the outcrop, overlooking the others. Oval in plan, measuring 2.3m x 3m, the sturcture is up to a metre deep on the inside, but stnads less than half that on the outside, being dug into the outcrop. Shelf-like area of up to 0.4m width skirt the east and south sides of the structure just inside the walls. Two to three courses remain of the 0.8-1m thich dry stone wall backing these. A large flagstone to the north of the oval seems to have been the entrance. No internal features were visible
K
structure K is only just visible, what remains of its walls being low, well rounded and overgrown. Structure J clearly overlies them. They are slightly less substantial than thos of J being 0.7m thich. A large aperture facing southwest may have been an entrance.
L
Sturcture L is more of a common shieling design, being circular, of 2.6m diameter with 0.4m thich walls and with an entrance to the south east. It is built at the foot of a rock outcrop which forms its back wall.
McHardy 2006, 8-10

Ian McHardy, 2006, Scarasta & Borve common Grazings Forestry Scheme, Loch na Cartach, Harris (Unpublished document). SWE41126.