Archaeology Notes

Event ID 648993

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/648993

NC44NE 3 45715 45010

(NC 4572 4501) Dun Dornaigil (NAT)

(Broch) (NR)

OS 6" map, (1961)

Dun Dornaigil (OS 6"map, [1908]) Dornadilla (A Pope 1777) or Dornagail (A Young 1964) is the ruin of a broch standing generally to a height of 6ft to 11ft externally but to 22ft on the NE, which arc contains the debris-choked entrance with its massive triangular lintel. This section has been buttressed internally in modern times. The interior measures 27ft in diameter and the wall is 8ft thick where visible above the debris filling the courtyard. Only the two outer roof-lintels of the entrance are in situ, but the remains of a guard-chamber survive on the right. An entrance to a mural chamber, or possibly the stairway, is indicated by a large lintel in the internal wall, 24ft to the left of the entrance. Immediately opposite the entrance, a small opening has exposed the top of a chamber roofed with overlapping flags.

Cordiner mentions three galleries surviving within the wall in the 18th century, but, except on the NE, the wall has been reduced to the level of the floor of the first gallery. In 1874, the name was collected as 'Dun Dhoirneghil', but was 'corrected' to 'Dun Donradilla' by Rev J M Joass, Golspie. The broch is still known locally as 'Dun Dornaigil' (Information from Dr C S Sandeman, Durness) , but the 'Dornadilla' form of the name is of interest in that a 'Dornadille' appears in early king lists.

A Pope 1777; C Cordiner 1780; Name Book 1874; OS 6"map, Sutherland, 2nd ed., (1908); Visited by OS (A C) 3 June 1959; A Young 1964.

Dun Dornaigil, a broch as described by the previous authorities.

Revised at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS (N K B) 9 November 1978.