Lewis, Dun Borve
Broch (Iron Age)
Site Name Lewis, Dun Borve
Classification Broch (Iron Age)
Alternative Name(s) Dun Bhuirgh
Canmore ID 4360
Site Number NB45NW 4
NGR NB 41862 58030
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4360
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Barvas
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NB45NW 4 41862 58030.
(NB 4185 5803) Dun Bhuirg (NR)
OS 6"map, Ross-shire, 1st ed., (1852)
Dun Borve (NR) (In Ruins)
OS 6"map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1898)
In 1781 Dun Bhuirgh was a heap of ruins. The dun was circular in plan, or drystone masonry, internal diameter 30ft and with walls 11ft thick. "There appear to have been seven bee-hive cells in the thickness of the walls" and also a large cell which was entered from the central area.
F W L Thomas 1890.
Dun Borve - broch: so much destroyed that the outline is only partly discernible. Nowhere is it more than 4ft high, and the chambers and openings in the walls are indistinct.
The plan, though generally circular, is slightly flattened at the SW, the internal diameter averages 31ft 6 ins, and the walls vary from 9ft to 10ft 6 ins in thickness. Evidence of at least six cells is visible, together with one or more galleries.
A short section of scarcement, about 20 ins above the present ground level, can be seen.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 28 June 1921.
Small sherds of kitchen-midden pottery found among shells and refuse in the wall-passage immediately above the scarcement level in Borve broch were presented to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) by R B K Stevenson (HR 640-646).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1951.
Dun Borve, a broch, is as described and planned by the RCAHMS.
Revised at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (N K B) 18 June 1969.
Field Visit (30 June 1921)
Dun Borve, Mid Borve.
The remains of Dun Borve lie on the undulating ground, 120 feet above sea-level, 1 mile north-northeast of the Clachan of Bail Ard, near Borve, and ½ a mile to the north-west of the main road to the Port of Ness. It is so much destroyed that the outline in parts is not perceptible, and nowhere is it higher than 4 feet above the present ground level, while the chambers and openings in the walls are indistinct and the interior is covered with debris.
Circular on plan, but slightly flattened on the south-west, its internal diameter averages 31 feet 6 inches, and the walls vary from 9 feet to 10 feet 6 inches in thickness. It has evidently been entered from the west. An unusually large number of cells are noticed, there being four in the southern half and a suggestion of another in the north-east. On the south of the latter, about 8 feet of a gallery may have been the stair to the upper stories. There are vestiges of a gallery having occupied the north and north-western portion. The doorways are concealed by fallen stones.
For a short distance a scarcement is visible, but it is no more than 20 inches above the present outside level, which suggests several feet of debris inside and a similar height of growth of the peat surround. Later, on removing some stones, the interior of a cell was seen, the bottom of which appeared to be flagged, at a depth of about 7 or 8 feet below the scarcement.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 28 June 1921.
Publication Account (2007)
NB45 1 DUN BORVE 5 ('Dun Bhuirg')
NB/4185 5803
This probable transitional broch in Barvas, Lewis, stands on undulating open ground within sight of the sea (visited 13/8/85). The structure is now badly ruined and much of the inner face has been rebuilt as an animal pen; a modern cairn stands on the wallhead. Even in 1921 it was nowhere more than 1.2m (4 ft) above the present ground level [3] but the position of the scarcement then visible suggested that another 1.8m (6 ft) at least of the wall lies buried under rubble and peat growth.
There were signs of the entrance passage on the west side, evidently buried, and a scarcement ledge was visible for a short way round the interior wallface, no more than 50cm (20 in) above the rubble. The Commission's surveyors moved stones and exposed the top of an empty cell whose paved floor seemed to be about 2.1 - 2.4m (7-8 ft) below the level of the scarcement. Four such cells were seen in the south half of the building while there are signs of a mural gallery in the north half, part of which may contain the stair. None of these features can be seen now except for a trace of the curved end of one of the cells on the south side; the scarcement may be hidden behind the modern rebuild.
Dimensions: the internal diameter averages 9.61m (31.5 ft) and the wall at its present highest point varies from 2.75 - 3.20m (9 - 10.5 ft) in thickness. Thus the present external diameter is about 15.6m (51 ft) and the wall proportion 39.5%. However these measurements seem to be at a height of at least 2.44m (8 ft) above the original ground so the wall is likely to be somewhat thicker lower down.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NB 45 NW 4: 2. Thomas 1890, 373-4: 3. RCAHMS 1928, 5-6, no. 11, fig. 27.
E W MacKie 2007
