Monument record 1884 - BALNABODACH, BARRA

NF70SW 14 centred on 714 014

L8: (Centred NF 7155 0167) A hamlet of 6 houses all reduced to little more than grassy humps, lying to the E of a small stream on a slope by Loch Obe. The houses range from 5.2m to 12m in length, the biggest standing on an elevation a little above the others.
On the opposite (W) side of the stream, centred NF 7154 0168, are a further 6 structures (L9) all with stone walls still standing to a metre or more. The structures include three or four houses (ranging from 7.15m to 14.3m), and two pens or sheds.
Immediately W is an extensive midden, preserved in silt, producing 19th century ceramics. There is a clear impression that the latter buildings replaced the former at some point in time. Oral tradition has it that the later settlement was abandoned when its inhabitants were struck down by an unknown epidemic.
(NMRS MSS give plans of the later buildings.)
K Branigan 1992; NMRS MS/595/7, 3, 13; MS 595/8, 12

(previously NF70SW 15)
L12: NF 7118 0183: Large blackhouse, 16.8 x 4.5m with well-grassed over foundations and the S end of the building crossed by a modern fence-line.
Also L11, a second blackhouse, 9.6 x 5.5m with standing walls.
A short distance NE, at NF 7120 0185 is a small stone-built outbuilding (L10) measuring 5 x 4.9m, door in centre of N wall, standing over 1m high.
NMRS MS/595/7, 4

A township comprising twenty-five roofed, one partially roofed, four unroofed buildings and a short length of head-dyke is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, Hebrides, Barra etc. 1880, sheet lxv). Thirteen roofed, nine unroofed buildings and the head-dyke are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 19 June 1997

NF 715 016 A blackhouse in the abandoned township of Balnabodach was excavated as part of a programme of research into the history and development of post-medieval settlement on Barra. House L8A was selected as surface indications suggested a multi-period construction.
This proved to be the case. The house was first built as a one-roomed structure, 9.5 x 6.8m, with markedly curving end walls. Subsequently an annexe was added at one end, creating an additional room with interior measurements 4 x 2.5m. It had no drain, the entrance to it was only 200mm wide, and there was a 'fireplace' or brazier stand. This room does not appear to have been a byre, but more probably was for domestic use. At some stage the rear wall of the house was demolished and rebuilt, and it was probably at this time that a square brick-built 'stove-stand' was built in the main room.
Material culture was generally poor, but 51 pottery vessels were identified. Their date of production ranges from c 1760-80 to c 1840-60, with the bulk in the period c 1820-50. We believe the house (and others associated with it) was abandoned c 1850, almost certainly as part of Gordon of Cluny's Clearances; census data strongly supports this conclusion.
Sponsor: Sheffield University.
K Brannigan 1996

83.Loch Obe
Site Type:Blackhouse settlement
Across the stream to the east of site 82. Seven blackhouses,all collapsed and embedded. House A was excavated in 1996.
House A was originally 9.3 x 6.8m, and had a room added to its west end to make it 13.2 x 6.8m. Its rear wall was rebuilt and narrowed by 0.8m, before abandonment in 1850/51.
House B is 9.8 x 6.5m, with no internal partitions.
House C is 10 x 6.5m, with no internal partitions.
House D is 10.6 x 6.6m, with a partition wall to the right of the door.
House E is 10.6 x 6.4m, with no internal partitions.
House F is 7.2 x 5.4m, with no internal partions.
House G is 6 x 4.2m, with no internal partitions.
There are boat noosts and breakwaters to the east.
Branigan and Grattan 1998, 20

82. Loch Obe (L9)
Site Type: blackhouse settlement
A cluster of six buildings to the west of the stream at Balnabodach, four with walls still standing to 1.5 - 2 m. There are significant modifications to some houses.
House A is 7.15 x 5.5 m, with no internal partitions. It has a fireplace in the north wall, but this looks as if it may have been inserted into the wall rather than integral.
House B is 10.6 x 5.2 m, has two front and one rear window, and a fireplace and chimney in each end wall. This house was probably built around 1880-1890, and was abandoned and its door and window blocked following an epidemic c. 1900-1910.
House C is 6.8 x 4.9 m, and has been incorporated into a large stone pen. It may have been a byre.
House D is 8.2 x 5.8 m and after partial collapse or demolition has been modified by the insertion of a cross wall to make an outbuilding 5.8 x 5.8 m.
House E is 9.6 x 5.2 m with no trace of internal partition.
House F is 8.7 x 4.8 m, and has two interior partition walls making three narrow 'stalls'. Whether either or both is primary is not clear. The settlement's midden is in the salt marsh adjacent to the stream and contains C19th-early 20th pottery, animal bone, and clothing including shoes. (MP.1).
Branigan and Grattan 1998, 20.

81.Loch Obe (L10)
Site Type:Rectangular stone hut
Building 4.45 x 2.75 m, with door 0.75 m in centre of north wall, facing the loch. Heavily overgrown by ferns.
Branigan and Grattan 1998, 19.

80. Loch Obe (L11)
Site Type: blackhouse
Thick-walled oblong building, 9.6 x 5.5 m, with door in middle of east wall. No internal partitions. Walls still stand a metre high.
Branigan and Grattan 1998, 19.

79.Loch Obe
Site Type:Blackhouse
Large oblong building 16.8 x 6m,with grassed over foundations.The 1m wide door is in the west wall,and there is a partial,possibly secondary,partition wall 2.8m long,towards the north end of the building.
Branigan and Grattan 1998, 19

Also in Branigan and Foster 2000, 17

K Branigan, 1992e, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 87 (Bibliographic reference). SWE25419.

K Branigan, 1996, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 103 104, Fig 31 (Bibliographic reference). SWE38139.

Keith Branigan & John Grattan, 1998, Coastal Assessment Survey Barra and Vatersay, 19 (Bibliographic reference). SWE41024.

Keith Branigan & Patrick Foster, 2000, From Barra to Berneray: Archaeological Survey and Excavation in the Southern Isles ..., 17 (Bibliographic reference). SWE41033.