Smerral
Broch (Iron Age)
Site Name Smerral
Classification Broch (Iron Age)
Alternative Name(s) Bunellich; Latheronwheel Burn
Canmore ID 8158
Site Number ND13SE 4
NGR ND 1780 3379
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/8158
- Council Highland
- Parish Latheron
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
ND13SE 4 1780 3379.
(ND 1780 3379) Broch (NR) (remains of)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1979)
About a mile N by W of Latheronwheel House, and some 130 yds E of the road that leads up the glen of the Latheronwheel Burn, is a broch. It is overgrown with grass except at one or two places where the base of the wall is visible. The diameter over all is some 63ft and maximum height about 12ft. Towards the SE there appear to be the remains of outbuildings. The ruin appears to have been robbed at one time for stones to a small extent.
RCAHMS 1911.
The remains of a broch, 18.5m in diameter and 3.0m high, now turf-covered. The footings of the outer wall-face are visible on the NW, W and S sides. Only slight traces of outbuildings can be seen.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 13 March 1968.
No change to the RCAHMS report except that the remains of outbuildings appear doubtful.
Visited by OS (J M) 14 October 1982.
Scheduled as Smerral, broch to E of Bunellich.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 12 February 2001.
Publication Account (2007)
ND13 11 SMERRAL ('Bunellich', 'Latheronwheel Burn') ND/1780 3379
Probable broch in Latheron, Caith-ness, consisting of a grass-grown mound up to 3.66m (12ft) high with a little of the curved outer wallface showing; this suggests an overall diameter of 19.2m (63ft). There are traces of outbuildings on the SE.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 13 SE 4: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, no. 209, 57.
E W MacKie 2007
