Orkney Smr Note

Date June 1986

Event ID 619714

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Orkney Smr Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/619714

'Broch-probable' - a very stony mound, prob. remains of a

broch, but too much disturbed to show any distinctive features

except on the N side where a wall thickness of 13ft 6in can be

made out. On the landward, W side, a kitchen-midden deposits

extend over a considerable area. Local reports state that many

years ago a stair came to light in the mound, but now it is choked

up and invisible. Adjacent are traces of 'outbuildings'. [R1]

In the 1970s this site was very overgrown, and took the form

of a broad lumpy ridge extending in a curve across the promontory;

in this condition it was planned by Steedman. Small exposures of

walling included a face at the N end suggested that the structure

might be of 'forework' or 'blockhouse' type. In 1981-2 it was

excavated by the late P. S. Gelling but the work was left

incomplete at his death. The examination exposed a neatly-curving

segment of broch-type ground-galleried wall, which Gelling thought

might represent a 'semibroch' rather than a residual fragment of a

complete-circuit broch. There were traces of outbuildings outwith

the wall as well as domestic occupation within the defended area.

A few erect slabs on the knife-edge ridge extending towards

Moustack suggest further occupation here. Mr J. R. Foubister

confirms that the dark midden material extends a very considerable

way into the adjacent field, covering nearly a hectare of ground.

Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) June 1986. [R2] [R3] OR 1149.