Burnside, Durran

ND16SE 13 1951 6359.

(ND 1951 6359) Brough (NR)

OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)

This is a grassy mound of inconsiderable height, evidently containing the remains of a broch. No part of the building is visible. RCAHMS (1911) say the broch is probably covered by the foundations of secondary buildings.

Mr Durran (Hall of Durran), in removing part of the broch, came upon what appeared to be gravestones, possibly of secondary burials associated with the nearby chapel (ND16SE 14).

Name Book 1872; RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910

The remains of this broch are generally as described by the RCAHMS. Situated at the S side and on the top of a stream bank, it is now a grass-covered mound measuring about 58.0m E-W by 42.0m transversely and 2.7m high. In the N and E there are traces of a terrace similar to those on other proven brochs in the area. On top of the feature there is a mound of earth and stones about 9.5m in diameter by 0.5m high, probably the remains of a later construction. No further information concerning the gravestones could be found locally.

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (R D) 11 November 1965

(ND 1951 6358) Broch (NR) (remains of)

OS 25" map, (1968)

The remains of a broch, in the margin of a field and on the S edge of a stream gully. It is visible as a turf-covered mound 42.0m E-W by 30.0m transversely by 0.7m high. There are signs of a ditch around the base of the mound in the SE quarter. The traces of a terrace and the mound of earth and stone are as previously noted; the latter, which is centrally placed, may be the remains of an old marker cairn.

Revised at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (J M) 27 October 1981

'Broch'. Dimensions: 36 x 28m. Grass-covered subcircular mound 0.72m wide with traces of 'mound on the mound' form. On the NE and SW there are faint signs of a ditch running around the back of the mound.

R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995