MHG11619 - Broch, Torboll Farm
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- BROCH (Iron Age - 550 BC to 560 AD)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
NH79NE 6 75 99.
'Ruins of Druid Temple'. Info from 'Survey of Skelbo' 1788, No 13
About 1833 a very fine broch, Thor's Tower stood on the farm of Torboll, or Thor's Field. L Tait 1870.
Mr Vass (Duncan Vass, Torboll) indicated point at NH 7537 9920 where in dry summers he has observed a circular green mark in pasture or a dark mark in crops. He estimates diameter of circle at 10 to 12 yards.
No surface indications of antiquity in this position at time of investigation, nor could any crop marks be seen on available air photographs. The situation, however, is a good one for a broch, being on summit of a low ridge overlooking a wide expance of low-lying cultivated land.
An alternative site is a small area of uncultivated land at NH 7530 9930. This is much disturbed and very strong, but has more the appearance of an old quarry that has been used for dumping stones from field clearance. All the stones appear to be small and undressed. Mr Vass has no knowledge of the names "Thor's Tower" or "Thor's Field". Visited by OS (R D L) 11 April 1964
There is no trace and no local knowledge of a broch.
Visited by OS (N K B) 25 November 1969.
NH79 3 THOR'S TOWER ('Thor's Field’, 'Torboll')
NH/7537 9920
Site of a probable broch in Dornoch, Sutherland, reported as the “ruins of Druid temple” in 1788 [2]. In about 1833 a fine broch, known as Thor's Tower, is said to have stood on the farm of Torboll, in 'Thor's field' [3]. Nothing can be seen now, although the situation is a good one for a broch, being on the summit of a low ridge and overlooking a wide expanse of cultivated land [1].
In 1964 Mr Duncan Vass of Torboll pointed out the spot where in dry summers he has observed a circular green mark in pasture or a dark mark in crops. He estimated the diameter of the circle at 10 to 12 yards. No crop marks could be seen on the available air photographs. Mr Vass had no knowledge of the names 'Thor's Tower' or 'Thor's Field' [1].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NH 79 NE 6: 2. Survey of Skelbo, 1788, no. 13: 3. L. Tait 1868, 528. <1>
Sources/Archives (2)
- --- SHG1226 Text/Publication/Article: Tait, L. 1870. 'Notes on the shell mounds, hut-circles, and kistvaans of Sutherlands', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 7 1866-8, p.525-32. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 525-32. 528.
- <1> SHG26111 Text/Publication/Monograph: Mackie, E.. 2007. The Roundhouses, Brochs and Wheelhouses of Atlantic Scotland c.700 BC - AD 500: Architecture and material culture Part 2 (I & II) The Northern and Southern Mainland and the Western Islands. BAR British Series. 444. Paperback. NH79 3 THOR'S TOWER.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 7499 9899 (70m by 70m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH79NW |
| Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
| Civil Parish | DORNOCH |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/14791 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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