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Burg Ruadh

Broch (Iron Age)

Site Name Burg Ruadh

Classification Broch (Iron Age)

Alternative Name(s) Burg Ruaidh; Borgue Roy

Canmore ID 8063

Site Number ND12NW 6

NGR ND 1160 2852

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/8063

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Latheron
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Caithness
  • Former County Caithness

Archaeology Notes

ND12NW 6 1160 2852.

(ND 1160 2852) Burg Ruadh (NR) (Remains of)

OS 6" map, Caithness, 1st ed., (1871)

Broch, 'Burg Ruadh': About half a mile N of the Berrie- dale Water and two miles NW of Borgue are the ruins of Burg Ruadh: The broch wall on the exterior is in great measure exposed, and on the N where best preserved, it is visible for a height of 7ft and is concealed at its base by some 4ft of ruin. The entrance is not evident and the wall thickness is unobtainable without excavation. At various points, openings into the galleries or chambers are visible. The greatest elevation is some 14ft. There are indications of outbuildings towards the S.

RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.

Generally as described above. The overall diameter of the broch is 16.0m, but it is impossible to determine the wall thickness. A good stretch of the outer face is exposed on the N side, where it stands to a height of some 2.0m; part of a stairway has been exposed on the same side. The broch appears to have been enclosed by a stone wall and there are traces of (? later) buildings between this wall and the broch.

Visited by OS (W D J) 23 June 1960.

(ND 1160 2852) Broch (NR)

OS 6" map, (1965)

This broch is as described by the previous authorities; the mural gallery at first floor level is exposed intermittently around the whole periphery. The outer defence is clearly visible in the N arc, where the facings of boulders are apparent indicating a thickness of approximately 1.7m, and around the S side, where it survives as a stony scarp. There is such a quantity of stone debris, largely turf-covered, S of the broch, that there must have been outbuildings in this sector, but no structural remains can be identified.

(The broch is known locally as "Borgroy" {phonetically}, but no local inhabitant was found who knew the correct spelling. The OS in 1871 and the RCAHMS give the name 'Burg Ruadh'. The OS 6" map (1965) applies the name 'Borgue Roy' to the vicinity, which is erroneous.)

Visited by OS (N K B) 15 November 1982.

Scheduled as Burg Ruaidh or Borgue Roy, broch,

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 28 February 2000.

Activities

Publication Account (2007)

ND12 4 BURGH RUADH ('Borgroy', 'Burgh Ruaidh', ‘Borgue Roy') ND/1160 2852

Broch in Latheron, Caithness, stand-ing at the head of a small valley about half a mile north of Berriedale Water. On the north the exterior wallface is exposed to a height of 2.14m (7ft) with an estimated 1.2 m (4ft) more hidden under debris; part of a stairway has been exposed on the same side [1]. A 1982 report states that the mural gallery at first floor level is exposed intermittently all the way round [1]. The external diameter is 16.0m (54ft) but there are no indications of the main entrance or of the wall thickness. Openings to galleries or chambers in the wall are visible in places. The building seems to have been enclosed by a stone wall and there are signs of outbuildings to the south.

Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 12 NW 6: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 56-7, no. 207.

E W MacKie 2007

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