Historic Assynt has completed the third of three archaeological digs, with the successful excavation of a pre-clearance house in Glenleraig, in Assynt, Sutherland. The community group’s work has revealed objects suggesting the inhabitants may have been better off than expected, with spare cash to spend on luxury items.

Gordon Sleight, projects leader for Historic Assynt said, ‘The whole project has been a huge success so far with a lot of local people and visitors taking part in the excavations, workshops and activities. Each of the excavations has produced important new insights into Assynt’s past. At Glenleraig we have learnt that the people there in about 1800 had devised ingenious flues to allow them to control their centrally placed fire for cooking and heating, and that they owned some fine pottery.’

The pottery finds included an intricately decorated Staffordshire mug, which has intrigued the archaeologists. It appears to date from prior to 1770, and is a delicate piece of ceramic not normally associated with a poor family making a subsistence living. This implies that whoever lived in the croft house had sufficient money to buy special goods and raises the question of how the people here were making their extra income.

Gordon Sleight said, ‘Fishing for herring which they sold on to herring ‘buses’ (actually big ships in Minch), military service, cattle droving, seasonal work and specialist skills could have all played a part in the late 18th century economy of Assynt.’ The unusual flue in the floor has also raised speculation about whether cash was being generated from whisky distilling.

Other finds at Glenleraig include pieces of bottles, a small hobnailed boot and a belt buckle. The overall assemblage suggests a level of prosperity unusual for such a small house in that period and is in stark contrast to the conventional view that the pre-clearance crofters were living in conditions of near destitution.

Erlend Hindmarch, the archaeologist who led the dig at Glenleraig said, ‘The pottery assemblage is not what one may expect from such a site as it is of good quality and suggest that the occupants had a fair amount of disposable wealth, also indicated by the presence of wine bottles.’

The Life and Death in Assynt’s Past project now moves into the post-excavation phase, analysing finds in detail and interpreting the lifestyles of the people who inhabited the three excavated buildings.

On 12 November, some aspects of the way of life of the dwellers of the house at Glenleraig will be explored at a public event in Lochinver Hall. There will opportunities to try out a range of crafts including carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, basketry and fishing net making, with pre-clearance foods on the menu for lunch.

The three digs: at a Neolithic cairn at Loch Borralan, Ledmore, an Iron Age broch at Clachtoll, and a pre-Clearance longhouse in Glenleraig, were carried out by AOC Archaeology and funded by Historic Scotland, Leader and the Lottery.

For more information contact Gordon Sleight, Phone: 01571 855207, Email: gsassynt@gmail.com  or see the dig diary at http://www.aocarchaeology.com/ldap/

Source: Historic Assynt