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Publication Account
Date 2007
Event ID 586433
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/586433
ND25 17 WESTER WATTEN ('Green Hill 2')
ND/2299 5502
Probable broch in Watten, Caithness, consisting of a grassy mound c. 32m in diameter and 2.4m high. A broch-like entrance passage had been partly cleared out before 1910 [2] and is still visible, facing south-east [1]. A stretch of the north wall of this, 5.4m long, is visible but most of the lintels have all vanished and a door-check is preserved on the south side. Both checks were apparent in 1910, at distances from the exterior of 2.44m (8ft) on the left and 2.60m (8ft 6in) on the right [2]. In front of the door-frame the passage is 90cm wide and 1.4m behind it, contracting again to 81cm (2ft 8in) at a distance of 4.27m (14ft) from the exterior. Here the first surviving lintel is met.
The doorway to a guard chamber 25cm (2ft 6in) wide can be seen in the north wall, 5.64m (18ft 6in) from the exterior. In 1910 the length of passage wall visible was 9.46m (31ft) on the left and 8.75m (29ft) on the right. This great length must mean that the broch entrance has been extended at some stage. The extension might be inwards since the door-checks are relatively close to the outer end; on the other hand the great distance of the guard cell from the exterior suggests an outward extension, in which case there would be a door in this such as is found in other brochs.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 25 NW 9: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 56-7, no. 464.
E W MacKie 2007
