Monument record 2149 - AIRD SKAPRAID, LEWIS

NB22NE 1 270 272

There is a pear-shaped structure of stone walling, measuring internally 6.25m by 2.75m, built with stones and boulders up to 1m wide and 1m high, which form the internal faces. The boulders, on the E and S sides, are carefully aligned, and the stones on the N side are carefully built in 'boulder and chips' fashion. There is part of a cross wall separating the upper, narrower area from the lower, wider area. It is located at the foot of the small cliff at the NW side of Aird Skapraid, filling the space between the cliff and a low rock ridge. A stone structure, either an old shieling or a beehive hut, filled with loose tumble stones, stands immediately to the E, with another one 10m further E.
On the facing hill slope to the NW there are the remains of: (A) a rectangular stone-walled building, 8m long inside, with outlying walls; (B) a shieling, 3m by 2m inside; (C) a setting of boulders; and further E, (D) a setting of stones, 2.5m by 2m inside; (E) a setting of boulders, 3m by 2m inside; and (F) a probable shieling, 2.5m by 2m inside.
This site was drawn to our attention by Mr Jim Crawford of Garynahine.
M R Curtis and G R Curtis 1994j

Two roofed shieling-huts and, approximately 100m to the NW, an unroofed building and an enclosure are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Ross-shire, Island of Lewis 1852, sheet 32), but they are not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1973).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 29 July 1997

The area around this small marshy loch is at a high elevation and is almost completely hidden except for a narrow view to the west. As described above, there are three structures located along a flattish area below the rocky hill edge. They comprise of two sheiling type structures, one is sub rectangular with probable opposing entrances (4m x 4m), the second is sub circular with probable opposing entrances (5m x 5m) with other walled features visible externally. The final structure is an oval ended bell shape with two compartments, one significantly raised above the other by a curving stone revetment that has a void or niche in its centre. This gives the overall impression of a kiln type feature; however given the hidden location, it seems possible this is an illicit still site.
K.Murphy (Arch CnES) 03/01/2022

M R and G R Curtis and Curtis, 1994j, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 97 (Bibliographic reference). SWE34032.