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MHG1881 - Broch, Links of Greenland

Summary

Site of broch. It is assumed from the description that previous authorities believed the feature to be a hut circle. More recent excavations seem to have confirmed the correct interpretation as broch.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

No change. Visited by OS (J M) 22 April 1982.

A broch, 15m diameter and 2m high, comprising a circular, banked structure on the top of a mound with stones visible in the centre. Excavation revealed a sub-oval chamber of slabs and dry-walling.
R J Mercer 1981.

(A: ND 2224 6967) (one of three) Hut Circles (NR) (B: ND 2221 6960) Mound (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)

'A' is a circular, stone-walled hut on a slight knoll in an area of grass-covered sand dunes and it measures 9.8m in diameter within a wall of which traces of inner face are visible for most of periphery. A recent excavation inside E arc has exposed 2m of this face which is carefully built dry walling of flat slabs laid horizontally and visible to a maximum height of 0.6m. There is no trace of the outer face and wall thickness could not be ascertained. The excavation occurs within a sub-oval chamber built against inner face measuring 3.5 by 1.7m internally. W side is built of slabs on edge. Neither entrance to hut nor to chamber is visible. About 15.0m to SE of hut and just protruding through turf is a thin slab on edge 1.1m long facing WSW-ENE. Its purpose is obscure. There is no trace of contemporary cultivation.
'B' is a sandy mound of uncertain classification c15m diameter and 1m maximum height. A recent small excavation on top has exposed several 'building type stones' which may be part of a structure not fully uncovered and of uncertain purpose. There is no trace of thin slabs noted by RCAHMS although a prostrate slab, 0.9 by 0.5m lies on SE side of mound.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (I S S) 9 March 1972.

(A: ND 2224 6967; B: ND 2221 6960) Cairns (NR)
OS 6" map, (1959)

A: A probable hut circle comprising a bent-covered mound 55ft N-S by 66ft transversely and 4ft high with a depression in the centre, about 30ft in diameter. Two or three thin slabs protrude through surface of interior. Limpet shells, etc, have been turned up by rabbits around site.
B: A conical, sandy mound 33ft diameter and 5ft high. From the top two thin slabs protrude 5ft 8ins apart, inclining towards each other at an angle of about 15 to 20. Some 6ft and 9ft respectively to W, another pair on similar alignment are just visible about 5ft distant from each other. The construction does not appear to be a chambered cairn.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.

ND26 8 LINKS OF DUNNET
ND/222696
Originally diagnosed as a hut circle [2] this site, in an area of grass-covered sand dunes in Dunnet, Caithness, was later identified as a probable broch 15m in diameter and 2m high comprising a circ-ular banked structure on top of a mound with stones visible in the centre. Excavation revealed a sub-oval chamber of slabs and dry walling [3].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 26 NW 5: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 24, no. 66 and 26, no. 77: 3. Mercer 1981, 158, no. 552. <1>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 2223 6964 (56m by 98m) (3 map features)
Map sheet	ND26NW
Civil Parish	DUNNET
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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