Building record MAB8316 - INVERHARROCH, LOWER CABRACH

Farmstead, still in use, depicted on OS 1st and 2nd edition maps on which it is named Invercharach.

Farmstead, still in use, depicted on OS 1st and 2nd edition maps on which it is named Invercharach. These show a quadrangular-plan steading open at the southeast corner, the northwing extended to the east. The 2nd edition also shows an attached horse-mill on the south side. To the east is an L-plan building. To the north stands a possible smithy NJ33SE0043. The earliest record of Inverharroch goes back to the 8th century when the land was granted, it came into the possession of the House of Gordon in 1488 and 'Invercharach' is shown on the 1636 Robert Gordon map. A castle was said to be still standing in 1725, but by the late 18th century was described as a 'visible ruin'. A standing building survey of the steading was carried out by Cameron Archaeology between June and September 2018 and at least four phases of development were recorded. The earliest phase was probably the west wing of the steading, the other three wings added some time before the mid 19th century. Extensions on the east side of the farmstead as shown on the 1st and 2nd edition maps have since been demolished and a wooden extension added. Large tractor doors were added to several rooms around the 1960s and various openings blocked. South of the steading is a Nissen-style Dutch barn purchased from Dallochy after World War 2, and another Dutch barn added in the 1980s. A geophysical survey was carried out by RGC in July and September 2018 in advance of renovation work. Amorphous anomalies in the courtyard may indicate remnants of a cobbled surface, Stronger anomalies in the southeast of the survey area beyond the main building complex probably relate to remnants of foundations visible at the surface and of relatively modern date. Anomalies in the southwest of the survey area are likely to relate to recent work and modern ground disturbance. A trial trenching evaluation was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in September 2018. Trenches within the steading buildings revealed evidence of the early 19th century farm, including cobbled surfaces where animals had been stalled, and animal feeders of 19th and 20th century date. Below the cobbled surfaces the finds were of mid 19th century date. Trenches within the steading court were all dug through modern rubble and backfill of what had been a sunken midden. No features or artefacts earlier than the early 19th century were recorded. There was no firm evidence found of a former castle on the site. A watching brief was carried out in February 2019 during hand excavation and machine excavation of test pits to investigate the ground conditions and the extent of building foundations. Hand dug test pits next to the foundations of the current steading building showed that the north, east, west and the west end of the south range all have shallow foundations. The west and east range foundations are visible above current ground level. The east end of the south range has a deeper foundation, suggesting it may be the latest structure in the farm complex. The machine dug test pits showed that the ground in the northeast corner of the mound is made up ground. Test Pits 2 and 3 had very shallow topsoil with natural sand underneath. Test Pit 4 had a depth of deposits of stone, metal and soil, indicating that this area was levelled, probably when the adjacent shed was built. These pits indicate that there is a sand mound under the farm, but the small trenches did not reveal the depth or date of the raised platform on which the farm is built. Further excavation for the development may reveal further details about this process.

GERMAN, K, , THE HISTORY OF DISTILLING IN THE CABRACH: A REPORT FOR THE CABRACH TRUST (Bibliographic reference). SAB4256.

SAVEGE, S, 2016, INVERHARROCH CASTLE - SOLVING THE MYSTERY (Bibliographic reference). SAB1787.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2018, INVERHARROCH, LOWER CABRACH, HUNTLY: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT, Evaluation report (Bibliographic reference). SAB7105.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2018, INVERHARROCH, LOWER CABRACH, HUNTLY: LEVEL 1 STANDING BUILDING SURVEY, L1 SBS (Bibliographic reference). SAB7104.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2018, INVERHARROCH, LOWER CABRACH, HUNTLY: WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION (WSI), WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB7128.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2019, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 19, 2018, pp. 139-40 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6524.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019, INVERHARROCH, LOWER CABRACH, MORAY: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT - HAND AND MACHINE DUG TEST PITS, WB DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB8142.

Aug 8 2017 , AAS-GR-17-08-002 - 005, AAS-GR-17-08-002 - 005 (Ground Photograph). SAB34465.

May 26 2016 , AAS-GR-16-05-341 - 364, AAS-GR-16-05-341 - 364 (Ground Photograph). SAB35001.

Sep 20 2016 , AAS-GR-16-09-004 - 011, AAS-GR-16-09-004 - 011 (Ground Photograph). SAB35002.

Sep 22 2018 , AAS-GR-18-09-011 - 016, AAS-GR-18-09-011 - 016 (Ground Photograph). SAB35141.

Record last edited

May 7 2021 12:17PM