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Avoch, High Street

Cottage (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Avoch, High Street

Classification Cottage (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 184397

Site Number NH75NW 318

NGR NH 704 551

NGR Description NH c.704 551

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/184397

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Avoch
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Activities

Standing Building Recording (2000)

NH 704 552 As part of the renovation of the cottage on the harbour side, the iron roof was removed exposing the remains of the thatch beneath. At least two and possibly three phases of 'thatch' were identified.

The oldest layer comprised a turf and oat stob thatch. The turves were very sandy and friable and were placed vegetation side down. They were roughly oblong with the longest axis running down the pitch. Between some of the turves, lengths of twisted oat straw (bottles) survived, having been pushed between the turves to fix them in place. Much of the straw that would originally have been exposed at the surface was no longer present, having been raked off or removed by wind erosion.

Above the stob thatch was a layer of rye straw. This, too, had been formed into 'bottles' or 'twists' but in no cases were they fixed between turves. These represent either a bedding layer for the metal roof or material pushed under the eaves from the outside and through damaged parts of the roof interior in order to stop drafts and as insulation.

At the eaves handfuls of wheat straw had been folded over as if pushed in with a forked tool or stick. This is interpreted as straw inserted under the eaves to stop wind penetration. It may have been put on at the same time as the rye or somewhat after but was only found at the eaves.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

T Holden 2000

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