MHG1846 - Broch, Golsary
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- BROCH (Iron Age - 550 BC to 560 AD)
Protected Status
Full Description
Broch (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)
Amended Scheduling Details - Letter received from HS, dated 15/01/03. See assoc. docs. File.
J Aitken : 20/02/03
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The remains of a broch contained within a conical grassy mound, the outer face visible intermittently, indicating an overall diameter of 56ft. Built on a sloping rock on a ridge, it survives to max height of 12ft, and is defended on N by rampart or wall with an external ditch, crossing the ridge at a distance of 18 or 20ft. The rampart 3ft 6ins high on inner side, and flat-bottomed ditch is 27ft wide and 7ft deep. Traces of outbuildings occur along slope of ridge to S.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910.
A broch with outworks on a low, narrow ridge running N-S. The broch survives as a quarried, grass-covered mound of debris spread to 19m diameter and 4m maximum height, with one or two stones of the outer face visible, giving an overall diameter of 15.7m. No other structural details are visible.
About 12m to N ridge has been cut through by a curving ditch 7m wide and 2m deep with spoil thrown on both the inner and outer lips forming two ramparts, both about 4m broad and up to 1m high. Quarrying has almost completely destroyed W half of the inner rampart. Outside the outer rampart is another ill-preserved ditch some 2m wide which may be contemporary. Similar terrain to S of broch appears to demand a defence, but there is no trace of one, nor of the outbuildings described by RCAHMS. This area is occupied by quarry holes and two or three grassy platforms, probably of a later period.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (A A) 21 April 1972.
No change. Visited by OS (J M) 23 March 1983.
ND23 5 GOLSARY ND/2057 3749
Possible broch in Latheron, Caithness, consisting of a conical grassy mound, on top of a rock, in which traces of the outer wallface are visible, indicating an overall diameter of 17.08m (56ft); it stands up to 3.6m (12ft) in height. On the north is an outer rampart or wall with an external ditch which crosses the ridge at a distance of 5.49-6.10m (18-20ft). The rampart is 1.05m (3ft 6in) high on the inside face and the flat-bottomed ditch is 8.24m (27ft) wide and 2.1m (7ft) deep. There is another rampart on the outer edge of the ditch with traces of a second ditch beyond [1].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 23 NW 14: 2. RCAHMS 1911b, 60, no. 220.
Sources/Archives (2)
- --- SHG2664 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Third report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Caithness. . 60, No. 220.
- <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. ND23 5 GOLSARY.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 2056 3748 (70m by 70m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND23NW |
| Civil Parish | LATHERON |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM550 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/8613 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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