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Achorn
Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Site Name Achorn
Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Canmore ID 8215
Site Number ND13SW 3
NGR ND 1369 3050
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/8215
- Council Highland
- Parish Latheron
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
ND13SW 3 1369 3050.
(ND 1369 3050) Broch (NR)
OS 6" map, (1962)
In the highest of the cultivated fields about 1/3 mile WSW of Balcraggy Lodge is a grassy mound containing the ruins of a broch. The outline of the broch is not recognisable, but the diameter of the mound is 70ft and its greatest height, 11ft. Much of the ruin has been removed.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.
All that is left of this broch is a large, mutilated mound of earth and stone measuring 30.0m N-S by 27.0m transversely and some 3.5m high on the N side. Approximately 6.0m SE from the centre of the mound, a small trench has been dug, revealing the rubble core of a wall 1.4m long and 0.6m high; E of this, the base of the outer wall face can just be discerned.
Visited by OS (W D J) 25 June 1960.
As described above. Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 14 March 1968.
The mound containing the broch remains is generally as described by the previous authorities. The small trench noted, 2.0m long and 0.8m deep, exposes one side of a mural gallery. There are no other wall faces to be seen.
Visited by OS (J M) 19 August 1982.
Publication Account (2007)
ND13 1 ACHORN ('Balcraggy Lodge') ND/1369 3050
Possible broch in Latheron, Caith-ness, consisting of a mutilated grassy mound of earth and stone in the highest of the cultivated fields near Balcraggy Lodge. Despite the damage there are traces of what may be an intra-mural gallery on the south side, and the site has been diagnosed as another typical Caithness 'mound on mound' [3]. There are also suggestions of an outer wall [3].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 13 SW 3: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 58, no. 214: 3. Swanson (ms) 1985, 700-02 and plan.
E W MacKie 2007
