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Burnside, Murkle
Broch (Iron Age)(Possible), Human Remains (Period Unassigned), Quern
Site Name Burnside, Murkle
Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible), Human Remains (Period Unassigned), Quern
Canmore ID 8392
Site Number ND16NE 2
NGR ND 1626 6881
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/8392
- Council Highland
- Parish Olrig
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Caithness
- Former County Caithness
ND16NE 2 1626 6881.
(ND 1626 6881) Broch (NR) (rems of)
OS &2 map, (1970)
Broch, Murkle: About 1/2 mile SSE of West Murkle is a grassy hillock on the top of which are the remains of a broch. The lower slope, which is steeply scarped, has an elevation of about 8ft, and between its upper edge and the higher portion of the hillock containing the broch, is a level area measuring some 28 to 30ft in width. The upper mound has a diameter of about 60ft and a height of some 8ft. No part of the structure is visible. The hillock has to some extent been ploughed down and broken into on the E side (RCAHMS 1911). Querns and human remains have been found here (ONB 1872).
Ordnance Survey Name Book (ONB) 1872; RCAHMS 1911.
The broch, situated on a level field, stands on an amorphous grassy mound, 3.2m maximum height, which appears to be artificial with many stone slabs visible in the steeply scarped slopes. The broch is a stony circular mound with a 0.6m deep indentation in the centre, and is in all other respects as described above. On the level area between the broch and the outer slopes of the platform on which it stands, can be seen a vague grassy bank, 0.5m high, on the N, which is probably either part of an outer defence, or the remains of a collection of cells associated with the broch.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 16 February 1965.
No change to the previous field report.
Visited by OS (J B) 7 December 1981.
Publication Account (2007)
ND16 8 MURKLE ND 1626 6881
Possible broch in Olrig, Caithness, consisting of a grassy, flat-topped hillock on which is another mound, thought to be the remains of a broch [2]. No part of the structure is visible, and the overall height is 4.88m (16ft). Querns and human remains have been found here [1], and there are traces of a ditch around the whole, with a bank beyond it on the south-east and south sides [3]. There are traces of outbuildings between bank and ditch on the north-east.
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 16 NE 2: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 87, no. 319: Mercer 1981, 154, no. 516.
E W MacKie 2007
