Brandsiclett
Souterrain (Prehistoric)(Possible)
Site Name Brandsiclett
Classification Souterrain (Prehistoric)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Lu Ness; Trolla Rigs
Canmore ID 613
Site Number HU33NE 5
NGR HU 36968 35441
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/613
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Lerwick
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HU33NE 5 3696 3544.
This site is now apparently destroyed and marked by a pile of rubble containing several lintel stones, at HU 3697 3545.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(AA) 15 May 1968
See also HU33SE 43. The location of the 'souterrain' noted by the Royal Commission is some 50m south east of Burnt Mounds II and III (HU33NE 6) on the edge of ploughed land attached to the croft at Brandisclett and on the south col of the valleys running from Hamnavoe to Lu Ness. Parry described the site as destroyed, only several large structural stones, including lintels, surviving. He also observed short stretches of shallow banking radiating from the site but could not distinguish any pattern. The chief feature mentioned by the Royal Commission was a lintelled underground passage although whether this was originally subterranean is not clear. Finds including a trough quern, and grain rubbers suggest the site to have been domestic.
J W Hedges 1984
Field Visit (26 July 1930 - 5 June 1936)
Underground Structure, Brandsiclett. At the edge of some cultivated patches of ground 100 yards S.W. of Brandsiclett, and on the slope called Trolla Rigs, there is an underground structure of indeterminate character. It is said to have been excavated many years ago, after which it was freely drawn upon as a quarry for building stones, suffering very heavily in consequence. In 1936 it was accidentally rediscovered and partially opened up. All that is now visible is a subterranean passage, running from N.E. to S.W. It has been cleared for 13 ft. and, although what lies beyond is choked with earth, it appears to continue in a southerly direction and may have communicated with other buildings. These, however, are now probably destroyed, as the ground to the S. is level and cultivated and not much higher than the roof of the passage itself. The breadth varies from 2 ft. 6 in.to 3 ft. II in., and the height probably did not exceed 2 ft. 7 in., although this dimension could not be measured exactly as the floor had not been fully uncovered. The masonry of the walls incorporates some large stones set on edge or on end, among which is part of a large trough-quern, broken across (Fig. 597). Lintels which formed the roof had been about 18 in. below the present surface; eight of these were found to have been torn out during the operations of 1936, but three remained in situ at the date of the second visit. Finds, recovered from the earth apparently thrown out by the excavators, included two rude stone implements, a pounder, and two grain-rubbers, all suggestive of a domestic site.
RCAHMS 1946, visited 26 July 1930 and 5 June 1936.