Building record MAB33918 - CLAYLEITH

Remains of a small settlement.

Remains of a small settlement. Clayleith is depicted on the OS 1st edition map as consisting of at least seven houses and small enclosures. On the 2nd edition (circa 1888), only two buildings are depicted and shown as disused. Only remains of some enclosure walls are depicted on the current edition (2006) OS map but it is unknown if grass-covered footings are still visible. RCAHMS survey of Glen Clova in 1999 recorded the remains of at least 12 buildings and huts, a corn-drying kiln, a stack yard and several enclosures. Nine rectangular buildings (five with two or more compartments) are between 8 m and 17.8 m in length, the walls reduced to grass-covered footings. Three huts measure up to 5.6m in length, the walls also reduced to low footings. The corn-drying kiln is set into an east facing slope at the southeast end of the township, its bowl measuring 2.1 m in diameter within a rubble-faced wall, with a flue on the east side. The township is depicted on the John Ainslie map of 1794. The site was also recorded during walkover survey in 2021 ahead of proposed woodland creation (NO37SW0151): MM18a is an artificial channel with walls capped by flags, possibly related to a mill. MM18b is a ford leading to a track which is revetted into the hill. MM18c, a clearance cairn measuring 3 m by 2 m. MM18d is a concentration of stones. MM18e is a curvilinear relict drystone wall, circa 0.4 m wide and circa 0.1 m high. MM18f is a bridge comprising a substantial stone culvert or channel overlain by larger slabs, the channel at least 3-4 courses high. MM18g is a stone enclosure, open to the southeast, measuring 3 m by 4.5 m with walls circa 0.5 m wide and up to 0.4 m high. MM18h is an ephemeral structure measuring 4 m by 3 m with walls circa 0.3 m wide and up to 1.5 m high. MM18i is a curvilinear wall. MM18j is a low sub-rectangular building measuring 4.5 m by 3 m, the walls circa 0.75 m wide and up to 0.3 m high. MM18k is a sub-rectangular building, measuring 7 m by 2.5 m. MM18l is a building 12 m long, with a small building at the east end measuring 3.2 m by 4.2 m. MM18m is a two-compartment structure, measuring 14 m by 4.5 m. MM18n is a two-compartment building measuring 5.5 m by 4 m, with entrances on the southwest. MM18o is a curvilinear enclosure wall, circa 0.4 m wide and up to 0.4 m high. MM18p is an earth bank enclosure open to the northeast and measuring 3 m across. MM18q is a curvilinear earthen bank. MM18r is a possible oval embanked area circa 4 m by 9 m. MM18s is a sub-circular feature, 2 m by 1 m internally. MM18 records a lime kiln, dug into the northeast facing slope of the hill, with an opening for the drawhole on the northeast. Up to four courses of construction are visible. The kiln measures circa 2 m internally and circa 5 m externally.

MOTT MACDONALD, 2021, GLEN CLOVA WOODLAND CREATION SCHEME: HISTORIC ENVIROMMENT DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT AND WALKOVER SURVEY, Site MM18, MM89 (Bibliographic reference). SAB7541.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2023 9:23AM