The site of Badbea (ND087199) is now a deserted 19th-century settlement strung out along a clifftop. The settlement is believed to have been founded by tenants evicted during the early clearances, perhaps from Langwell and then Berriedale and Ousdale. Tradition suggests that between 60 and 100 people lived there in 1847, far more than the number of surviving houses could hold. The population diminished throughout the 19th century, people leaving for other areas including America.

The buildings are longhouses set running down the slope, the lower end the byre, and other small structures including barns, stables and kailyards. Some of the buildings retain features including chimneys.