Field Visit
Date 28 September 1953
Event ID 926115
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/926115
(?) Broch, Stairhaven (Inventory No. 310).
Shortly before the date of visit, Mr de Bear Nichol uncovered the entrance of this structure on the NW (seaward) side, together with the outer face eastwards for a distance of 25 ft from the N side of the entrance. The outer face was found to be standing to a height of 3 ft in seven courses, the stone consisting of a mixture of natural boulders and quarried blocks. The entrance narrows from front to back, and exhibits no sign of door-checks. The width of the wall varies, being only 8 ft 6 inx on one side of the entrance and 12 ft 6 ins on the other, so that, if uniform thickness of the wall is a criterion, the work is not a broch but a dun.
At a distance of 4 ft from the inner corner on the N side of the entrance, a wall face has been exposed and returns obliquely from the inner face of the structure for 3 ft 6 ins in to the thickness of the wall. This suggests the possibility of a chamber at this point. A proper survey should be undertaken as soon as Nickol has completed his exploration.
Visited by RCAHMS (KAS) 28 September 1953.
