Archaeology Notes

Event ID 736349

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/736349

ND36SE 5 3729 6375

(ND 3729 6375) Dun (NR)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1973)

This is apparently a promontory dun, more closely allied to those of the Western Isles than to any local site.

R W Feachem 1963.

It consists of a cliff-girt headland cut off by a well-constructed drystone wall, some 62ft long, 12 1/2ft thick, and about 4ft high. Somewhat to the east of the centre, the wall is pierced by a passage with door-checks, door-sill and bar-hole. 'At the inner end of the passage, and to the left, some 4ft back from it, is an oval chamber, measuring about 10ft by 7ft'.

A hearth defined by flags set on end, and containing ashes, food refuse and fragments of pottery, was located in the rear of the entrance.

A drain passed from the interior outwards below the floor of the entrance passage.

The site was excavated by Sir Francis Tress Barry.

RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.

This is a ruined dun. It is generally as described above except that this east bar hole and door-check have been destroyed and the hearth was not evident at investigation.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 14th September, 1965.

A blockhouse-type structure on an L-shaped promontory whose seaward section lies parallel with the mainland, which is slightly higher (of Dun Whairtein: NC86NE 1).

Unlike others of its type on the mainland, Sgarbach appears to have been a complete barrier across the promontory; and while it is not known if it contained a ground gallery, it is massive enough to have done so.

The defence now appears as a broad mound across the isthmus and various mounds on either side of the rampart are probably excavation spoil.

It is probably to be dated not much before the 1st century BC, if not within it.

R G Lamb 1980.

'Promontory fort of a type related to Midhowe forework and ultimately to Shetland blockhouses'.

Information from Dr R Lamb, 1980.

Very badly damaged by stone removal and collapse.

C E Batey 1982.

A dun, as described by previous authorities.

Visited by OS (NKB), 22 July, 1982.