Archaeology Notes

Event ID 643808

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/643808

133HY31NW2 2 3082 1680.

(HY 3082 1680) Brough (NR)

OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed., (1903).

A mound, known locally as 'Burrian' or 'Knowe of Burrian', standing on a large natural hillock about 400 yds SSW of Garth Farm, is probably a broch. The hillock, about 10 ft high, stands on marshy ground, thought (J Fraser 1923) to have been possibly a loch.

The mound is composed of the remains of buildings and is about 5 ft high (RCAHMS 1946) although prior to partial excavation in 1936 (Information from Inspector of Ancient Monuments file SC 23640/1A) it was 17 ft high and 60 ft in diameter. The west side appeared to have two flat terraces following the curve of the mound with a total diameter of about 130 ft.

The excavation revealed 'broch-like' walling on the east side, curving to N. and S. Near the centre of the mound was found 'a rock-cut and partly built opening which led down a flight of eleven steps to a partly rock-cut and partly beehive-built chamber of rough masonry'.

A Pictish symbol stone, datable to the 6th - 7th centuries, was found in a ruined passage during the excavation. The stone, 3 ft 9 ins by 22 ins by 3 1/2 ins, and in two pieces, is now, according to Stevenson, in the possession of Kirkwall Town Council, (Information contained in a letter from R B K Stevenson to Mrs I Henderson 2 February 1966) in their projected museum at Tankerness House. Measures 1.5m x 0.55m x 0.1m. Stone implements and the upper part of a quern were also found.

C L Curle 1940.

Knowe of Burrian, the locally accepted name, is a fairly steep natural hillock, 5.0m high, with the remains of a broch, 1.2m high, on the flat top. A berm separates S and W sides. Three courses of the outer wall face and vague traces of the inner wall face are visible on the E side, the wall being c.5.0m thick. The underground chamber, probably a well, is covered over but, according to Mr Johnston, it is in the more westerly of the two excavations in the centre of the broch.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB) 2 June 1966.

This stone was found during the excavation of what is probably a broch in 1936 and is now in Tankerness House Museum, Kirkwall. It is a rectangular flagstone (1.5m by 0.55m and 0.1m thick) and bears the incised symbols of an eagle, crescent and V-rod, and a mirror.

RCAHMS 1985.

Class I symbol stone bearing an eagle over a crescent and V-rod above a mirror.

A Mack 1997