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Keeper's cottage, within a wider settlement area (NO08NW0032) probably built in the early 19th century. A three bayed building with a corrugated iron roof, which has been abandoned and gutted of furnishings. A cobbled stand for an outbuilding is attached to the west northwest (thought to have been a timber framed stables and deer larder in use until the early 1970s). There is also a turf-banked enclosure to the east northeast which was used for sheep grazing until the late 1950s. A building survey was carried out by Kirkdale in 1998. This revealed two main structural phases. The earlier is represented by four upright cruck-posts embedded in the rear (northwest) wall, the remnants of a cruck-framed building. Most of this building was demolished during the second phase of construction, the cruck frame being largely removed, the building widened to the front and reroofed. In 2000 a conservation plan was devised for the structure known as The Red House. The building has deteriorated over the last 30 years and at the time of the plan had a large hole in the south gable, and a bulging and collapsing north gable. The flooring at attic and ground level was gone and some of the roof timbers had been burnt through. Recent survey work has provided detail of at least two phases of construction, from a small cruck framed building to a larger corrugated iron roofed structure. Originally the building was constructed from mortared river boulders, later the east wall was rebuilt using dressed granite and the level of the roof was raised. A building survey identified the remains of a porch, and there is also evidence of a lean-to structure on the north gable. Dendrochronological samples were taken from elements of both phases of the building as part of the SCOT2K project from the cruck-posts from the first phase gave dates of 1799 and circa 1808. The different dates is suggested as resulting from the estate stockpiling timber for local use. Excavation and measured survey was carried out by NTS in May 2018 as part of a Thistle Camp scheme, ahead of proposed redevelopment of the building as part of a partnership project with the Mountain Bothy Association. The excavation uncovered remnants of an internal timber floor and stone footing of a front porch, along with well preserved remnants of a paved external area, all relating to the buildings final phase of occupation. Much of the floor boarding had been removed and burnt during the buildings more-recent use as an unofficial shelter, demonstrated by a large area of burning at the centre of the house, as well as a large amount of nails and door furniture deposited inside the building. A watching brief was carried out in 2019 by NTS during ground works for a new soakaway for external toilets. Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered during the work.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)