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Tota An Dranndain
Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Site Name Tota An Dranndain
Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Forss Water; Shurrery
Canmore ID 7738
Site Number ND05NW 8
NGR ND 0374 5792
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/7738
- Council Highland
- Parish Reay
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
ND05NW 8 0374 5792.
(ND 0374 5792) Tota an Dranndain (NR)
OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)
Tota an Dranndain: The ruins of a large circular con- stuction, in the building of which stones of great size have been employed. It has been circular, 53ft in over all diameter. The entrance has been from the NW, measuring 2ft in width at its outer extremity, and the passage wall is evident on the right for a distance of 10ft; on the left side, there appears to be the entrance to a chamber. The inner face of the wall is not visible. While in some respects the ruin resembles a broch, a number of large flat slabs lying exposed over the surface and certain other features suggest that it possibly is not one. It is 4 or 5ft in maximum height.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.
The remains of this broch are generally as described by the RCAHMS. The overall diameter is about 17.0m, the height is 1.5m, and the wall appears to have been about 4.0m wide. The interior of the broch is a pile of grassed-over rubble.
Visited by OS (E G C) 10 April 1961.
(ND 0374 5792) Tota an Dranndain (NAT)
Broch (NR)
OS 6" map, (1963)
No change to the previous field report; there is the impression of a mural chamber in the S side.
Visited by OS (J B) 21 July 1981.
Scheduled as Tota an Dranndrain, broch, Shurrery.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 26 July 2001.
Publication Account (2007)
ND05 2 TOTA AN DRANNDAIN ('Forss Water', 'Shurrery')
ND/037579
Probable broch in Reay, Caithness, set beside a stream in low-lying country [3] and consisting of a mound of stones with structural features visible. Courses of facing stones of the outer wall are visible in places, some being of great size, and suggest a circular building with an overall diameter of 16m [3] (or 53ft [1]). The entrance has been on the north-west, 60cm (2ft) wide at the exterior; its right wall can be traced for 3m (10ft), and there may be a chamber on the left A linear depression in the south arc of the mound might be the remains of a mural gallery [3]. The building is on top of an older mound, itself possibly of two phases [3].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 05 NW 8 and fig.: 2. RCAHMS 1911a, 106, no. 391: 3. Mercer 1985, 101 (fig. 56) and (Mon. no. FOR 312).
E W MacKie 2007
