Archaeology Notes

Event ID 645912

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/645912

HY50NW 3 5142 0899.

(HY 5142 0899) Broch, probable, 'Howie of the Manse' Tankerness. - At the end of the short promontory is a grassy mound rising 8ft above the shore line, and measuring 60ft in diameter. There are many stones in the interior, and several large slabs havebeen dug out by the farmer, while a midden deposit of shells and bones has been notes on the NW arc. On the landward side there are three or four lower mounds which may cover building, while traces of two lines of low mounds, suggesting defensive walls, extend across the low-lying neck of the promontory, respectively 85ft and 145ft from the centre of the main mound. The inner-line, in which a few stones show here and there, curves inwards near its middle as if towards an entrance.

The character, dimensions, and situation of these remains all suggest that they may be those of a broch and its 'outbuildings' but no coursed masonry or wall-faces could be seen.

RCAHMS 1946.

This probable broch now consists of a mutilated grass covered mound rising about 2.5m above the shoreline and measuring 17.0m x 12.0m. Many stones protrude from the top at its northern end. Three almost rectangular banks and the remains of others could be discerned to the south and west of the broch and 27.0m and 42.0m from the centre, the remains of what could have been two defensive walls were found, one of these connects up with one of the almost rectangular banks. All the banks were grass covered earth and stone with a few stones protruding here and there; no bank was higher than 0.3m.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 8 April 1964.