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Achastle-shore is a fishing station located in Caithness, Scotland. The site sits upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period, comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This geology is characteristic of the Caithness flatlands, where such sedimentary deposits underlie much of the coastal landscape. The fishing station is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13642.
Fishing stations of this type represent the infrastructure of Scotland's historical marine exploitation, typically sited at advantageous coastal locations. Achastle-shore's position on the Caithness coast made it suited to access fishing grounds, though the exposed rocky shoreline formed from the underlying Old Red Sandstone bedrock would have shaped the practical operations of the station. The ancient sedimentary geology that forms the bedrock has weathered over millennia to create the rocky intertidal zone that would have been essential to fishing activities.
The site's protection reflects its archaeological and historical significance to understanding Scotland's fishing heritage. As a scheduled monument, Achastle-shore remains an important example of coastal resource use in Caithness, a region with a long and significant history of marine subsistence and exploitation.
Achastle-shore, fishing station is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13642. View the official record →
Achastle-shore is a fishing station located in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13642.
Achastle-shore, fishing station is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM13642.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Swiney Castle, remains of, Achastle-shore (0.1 km), Forse Castle (0.7 km), Forse House, settlement, field system, burnt mounds and cairns WSW of (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Achastle-shore, fishing station's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Achastle-shore, fishing station stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.