Archaeology Notes

Event ID 704813

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/704813

NS69SE 12 6926 9399.

NS 693 940. Situated on a prominent nose of land between the steep-sided gullies of two small streams are the remains of a broch, measuring c.21.0m NW-SE by 20.0m.

Excavation has revealed that there were two constructional phases to the site, both constructions apparently having been built, used, burnt out, and dismantled within a limited period, probably the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

The first phase, on the N half of the site, seems to have been a solid-based broch, the foundations of which, including the mural stair, are quite well preserved. The second, built on the S half of the site after the destruction of the first, was a simple curved wall crossing the promontory. At the base of the outer wall face on the NE, a large piece of outcrop rock has at least eight typical cup marks.

The broch deposit contained one fragment of late 1st century, and several pieces of 2nd century Roman samian ware and some pieces of Roman glass. The promontory fort produced fewer finds, but iron hub-rings and bronze fittings from a vehicle came from its latest occupation stratum. There was a complete absence of native pottery from the site. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the broch was destroyed about AD 45 +/- 120 and the promontory fort, about AD 110 +/- 150.

E W MacKie 1973.

NS 6926 9399. This site is as described by previous authorities and is still in the course of excavation. Most of the circumference is still visible as is the mural stair. In the NW the wall measures 6.0m thick and it is doubtless therefore a broch. The suggestion that this first phase was replaced by a promontory fort is, however, difficult to follow since most of the useable space to the N would be occupied by the broch. Furthermore, there seems to be no real remains of the so-called curving wall which if it were later would surely have been of some strength and should have survived in the same way that the broch has.

Surveyed at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS (J P) 26 November 1975.