ARCHAEOLOGISTS are to examine the remnants of a turf house that may have links to the Glencoe Massacre.

The building is thought to date from the 17th century, around the time when 38 MacDonalds were killed on the orders of the government on February 13, 1692. However, all that remains now is a low earthen bank defining the rectangular outline of a building.

Just a few days after the anniversary of the massacre, a team of specialists from the National Trust for Scotland will carry out a survey of the building which was found at Achtriochtan, near the loch, during a routine inspection of other archaeological sites.

Derek Alexander, head of archaeology at the Trust, said: “We were very excited to discover these remains. Most of the archaeological sites in the glen are stone-built structures, likely to date to after the agricultural changes of the mid-18th or 19th century.

"Prior to then, most buildings would have been built of turf, perhaps with one or two stones included in the base of the wall.

"It is impossible to provide a precise date for the Achtriochtan structure from their surface remains alone but by carrying out a detailed drawing of the site and undertaking a comprehensive photographic record we will provide a basis for any future research.”

The conservation charity has owned the site since the 1930s.