A group of seven shieling mounds which may be seen as outliers of the probable early medieval settlement at Block Eary.
They include two hut circles set on ground sloping to the west and near the point where two streams converge. One (PRN 0466.10) is a rather irregular mound built up to a flat top with an average diameter of 9.5 metres and minimum height of 0.6 metres. On top of the mound the tops of several stones protrude. The second (PRN 0466.20) has a diameter of 5.0 metres and its minimum height is 0.5 metres. There is an inner circle of stones on edge surrounding a shallow hollow with a diameter of 1.7 metres. There is an apparent entrance to the south. They are comparable to the built up hut circles at Block Eary.
Another mound in this group was considered to be a corn-drying kiln, but excavation in 1960 revealed that the structure had been drastically remodelled at some time, and had obscured its original feature. The interior in its later phase consisted of upright slabs forming a small pen with a narrow entrance. Below the partly-paved floor of the pen was a deposit of peat-ash, and on the lower side of the mound were the remains of two short 'arms' of turf possibly a flue. Although the peat-ash would imply a corn-drying kiln it cannot be claimed with certainty.
The site of a sheiling mound or hut circle within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date.
This feature is a mainly grass covered mound and is lower than the majority having a diameter of 7.0 metres and a height of 0.4 metres. In the south it has part of a circle of flat stones one of which leans outwards and beside it, but nearer the circle centre is a quartz orthostat 0.6 metres high and with sides of 0.4 metres. Around the rest of the circle are low stone slabs some of which point towards the circle centre. This feature more obviously the remains of a round hut than most of the other features in the settlement.
The site of a sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It is an elongated mound on a north-south alignment.
Of the elongated mounds in the group it is significant that they are nearly all orientated north-south i.e. across the contours of the slope. In several examples it is obvious that the elongation results from a build up on the downhill side and provide a level platform for a round hut on top. In some of the cases mentioned the outline of the round hut can be traced by a barely perceptible bank. The elongation is not always so easily explained since in some cases the top slopes down only slightly less than the surrounding ground.
The site of a sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It has a fairly level oval, almost rectilinear top.
The site of a sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It is an elongated mound on a north-south alignment.
Of the elongated mounds in the group it is significant that they are nearly all orientated north-south i.e. across the contours of the slope. In several examples it is obvious that the elongation results from a build up on the downhill side and provide a level platform for a round hut on top. In some of the cases mentioned the outline of the round hut can be traced by a barely perceptible bank. The elongation is not always so easily explained since in some cases the top slopes down only slightly less than the surrounding ground.
The site of a sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It is an elongated mound on a north-south alignment.
Of the elongated mounds in the group it is significant that they are nearly all orientated north-south i.e. across the contours of the slope. In several examples it is obvious that the elongation results from a build up on the downhill side and provide a level platform for a round hut on top. In some of the cases mentioned the outline of the round hut can be traced by a barely perceptible bank. The elongation is not always so easily explained since in some cases the top slopes down only slightly less than the surrounding ground.
The site of a sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It has a fairly level oval, almost rectilinear top.
The site of a possible sheiling mound within the Block Eary settlement, which is thought to be of early medieval date. It is a small mound on the lip of an excavation and cannot be visibly assessed as a hut.
