Publication Account
Date 2007
Event ID 587160
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/587160
NG56 1 DUN GRIANAN
NG/5055 6529
This badly dilapidated probable ground-galleried broch in Kilmuir, Skye, stands on a low, short promontory on the north shore of Lochmealt and next to an area of flat farmland; it must often have been robbed for stones in the past (visited in 1963 and 22/06/88). Much of the outer wallface is reduced to the lowest course, but the inner face of the mural gallery – clearly at ground level – is easily traceable much of the way round. Both faces can be seen in the west and north-west and two of its lintels are in place on the north-west arc. In the north-north-west – facing inland – can be seen a lintelled door to the gallery from the interior with a possible second such door in the south-west [4]. Part of the foundations are just under water at present [4, plan]. The inner face is about 1.2m (4 ft) high but has been rebuilt in modern times. A trace of the entrance passage was noted on the east side [2] and this is confirmed by Swanson [4].
The lintels over the gallery on the north-west side are only about 20cm above the rubble in the interior [4] so, despite its dilapidated appearance and closeness to the water level, Dun Grianan may be standing at least 1.5m high as far as the central court is concerned.
Dimensions: internal diameter about 10.75m (35 ft 3 in), wall thickness 3.05m (10 ft) on the west and 3.3m (11 ft) on the north; so the external diameter is about 17.lm (56 ft) and the wall pro-portion about 37.5%.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NG 56 NW 1: 2. RCAHMS 1928, 169, no. 539: 3. MacSween 1984-85, 44, no. 19 and fig. 19: 4. Swanson (ms) 1985, 819-21 and plan.
E W MacKie 2007
