At the mouth of Smoo Cave is a building measuring 9 m NE-SW by 6 m NW-SE. This building has lime mortared walls 0.6 m thick and the SW gable stands almost entirely intact to over 4 m high. The NE gable stands only 2.5 m high with the pointed top having collapsed in to the interior. The SE wall has a 2 m gap in the central section and this was presumably where the entrance was but this wall is in a poor condition, surviving in places to 2 m but levelled to the ground in others. This structure has an associated stone dyke which runs off the SW corner to the erosional edge of the Allt Smoo. This dyke is under heavy nettle cover but appears to be dry-stone built and surviving to 4-5 courses. The course of the Allt Smoo delineates the rest of the platform upon which this building stands. The NW wall of the building has been protected by the revetment of the grassed outcrop at the rear of the platform but this is collapsing and landslip is encroaching on to the site.
Location
241870.00
967190.00
27700
58.5639000
-4.7201767
Submitted photographs
Image
Date
Caption
User
30/08/2014
Looking southeast
training1
30/08/2014
Looking east
training1
Submitted updates
Update id
Date
User
1748
30/08/2014
joannahambly
Tidal state
Mid
Site located?
Yes
Proximity to coast edge
Coast edge
Coastally eroding?
not eroding
Visibility above ground
Highly visible (substantial remains)
Access
easily accessible - no restrictions; accessible on foot (footpath)
Description
At the mouth of Smoo Cave is a building measuring 9 m NE-SW by 6 m NW-SE. This building has lime mortared walls 0.6 m thick and the SW gable stands almost entirely intact to over 4 m high. The NE gable stands only 2.5 m high with the pointed top having collapsed in to the interior. The SE wall has a 2 m gap in the central section and this was presumably where the entrance was but this wall is in a poor condition, surviving in places to 2 m but levelled to the ground in others. This structure has an associated stone dyke which runs off the SW corner to the erosional edge of the Allt Smoo. This dyke is under heavy nettle cover but appears to be dry-stone built and surviving to 4-5 courses. The course of the Allt Smoo delineates the rest of the platform upon which this building stands. The NW wall of the building has been protected by the revetment of the grassed outcrop at the rear of the platform but this is collapsing and landslip is encroaching on to the site.
As described. Site is stable.
