Publication Account
Date 2007
Event ID 587625
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/587625
NX06 1 TEROY (‘Craigcaffie’)
NX/0992 6410
This probable broch in Inch stands on a rocky prominence about 36.6m (120 ft) long by 21.4m (70 ft) broad, protected on the east-north-east end by a trench some 7.9m (26 ft) broad from crest to crest, 2.7m - 3.1m (9 - 10 ft) across the bottom, 3.1m (10 ft) deep from the top of the scarp and 0.9 - 1.2m (3 - 4 ft) below the counterscarp. The slopes of the knoll on which it is situated are artificially scarped [1]. The broch was excavated by A O Curle in 1911 and at that time was already reduced almost to its foundations. Curle also compiled the field reports for the RCAHMS Inventory of Wigtown (1912).
Description
The wall is about 3.86m (12 ft 8 in) thick and forms a central court 8.81m (29 ft) in diameter. The entrance was in the east-north-east, on the higher end of the hillock, 4.88m (16 ft) back from the top of the scarp of the ditch; the inner end was photographed [2, fig. 4]. There is a guard chamber on the right (west) which is unusual in having the base of its wall formed of large slabs set on edge [2, fig. 3]. It is also unusual in having a smaller annexe at its inner end. The greatest height of wall visible in 1912 was 0.71m (2 ft 4 in) but more than one third of it has been entirely removed.
The occupation layers found were thin – entirely absent in places – and Curle inferred that Teroy had not been inhabited for long.
Finds: Curle [2] describes these which include – 2 small pieces of dark red pottery, 1 lump of iron 1 lb 12 oz in weight, 1 upper stone of a rotary quern, 1 disc of coarse pottery perforated in the centre and 10cm (4 in) in diameter (rather large for a spindle whorl), some small particles of burnt bone, part of a cockle shell, a small ox bone, and particles of extremely corroded iron.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NX 06 SE 7: 2. Curle 1912 (plan and two photo-graphs): 3. RCAHMS 1912, 20-22, no. 28: 4. Feachem 1963: 5. RCAHMS 1987, 24, no. 158.
E W MacKie 2007
