Documents

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The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM10577_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013713)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises two neighbouring depopulated settlements and an associated schoolhouse at Crackaig and Glac Gugairidh, Treshnish, Mull.

Crackaig has the better preserved buildings of the two settlements, consisting of a group of fifteen buildings with associated enclosures. The buildings stand mostly to eaves height, with the rounded external corners characteristic of Mull, and many have door and window lintels in situ.

There are indications of multi-period use of this settlement, with turf-covered foundations visible around and below some structures. One building at the far NW end of the Crackaig settlement is most unusual in having one gable-end.

A dwelling house at the eastern end of the settlement has ship graffiti carved on the outside wall. Local tradition has it that this was carved by one of the last inhabitants and represents the ship that was to take the people away across the Atlantic to their new home in America. At the time of the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map in the 1870s, the schoolhouse and all but three of the dwellings at Crackaig were roofless.

A single-roomed structure 175m to the SSE of the main cluster of buildings at Crackaig is said to be the schoolhouse.

The settlement of Glac Grugairidh lies 200m to the NE of Crackaig, and has been subject to later re-use for stock pens and enclosures. The buildings are therefore less well-preserved and have additional lengths of dyke joining up structures and creating enclosures.

However, this is of interest in terms of the change of land-use and adaptation of the buildings and is in contrast with neighbouring Crackaig, which appears to have been left largely untouched. The name of the settlement on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey is 'Glac Dubh-airidhe', indicating use of the area for sheilings at some point. All of the structures here are shown as roofless by this time (1870s).

The area proposed for scheduling comprises three separate areas forming an interrelated complex: the schoolhouse, the structures at Crackaig, and the structures at Glac Gugairidh. The scheduled area of the schoolhouse is a rectangular shape measuring 22 by 13m; the scheduled area at Crackaig is an irregular shape measuring a maximum of 110m N-S and 148m E-W; and the scheduled area at Glac Gugairidh is an irregular area measuring 166m NE-SW and 108m NW-SE, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to an understanding of post-medieval settlement, economy and land-use. Its importance is increased by the wide range of different types of structure represented, by the indications of multi-period use of the settlement and by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.