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MHG2199 - Fort, Garrywhin

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Fort occupies total area of large hill top lying to E of and below of higher ground, but overlooking the lower land that has an extensuive range of prehistoric monuments including cairns and several ranges of stone rows. Entrance from S (Cairn of Get end) shows one slab on side. Wallng of fort not particularly dominant, but it is noticeable that there is tumble down slope in places. Peat cover to depth of about 6" is covering the interior of the fort. Erosion track along ramparts where visitors walk - HAW 24/05/2005

ND34SW 3.0 3125 4135.
Garrywhin (NAT) Fort (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)

(ND 3128 4147) Standing Stones (NR) OS 6" map, (1960)

The Garrywhin fort occupies summit of a broad-backed ridge, bounded on all but N side by bogs, and is 590ft long by up to 200ft wide. Its single stone wall averages about 8ft in width and contains three entrances lined with large slabs of stone. A fourth (possible) entrance, halfway along E wall, may have been, instead, site of two chambers. There are ruins of some outbuildings outside S entrance. RCAHMS 1911; R W Feachem 1963.

Garrywhin is generally as described above. The slabs at N entrance are those published as 'Standing Stones', and the wall itself is now a mere tumble. The alleged E entrance has been utilised to form a crude rectangular yard. There is a small circular hollow, possibly a cistern, within fort. There are definite traces of at least two outbuildings on a narrow terrace to S of, and almost contiguous with fort, but they are obscured by tumble from the fort. At N side of one of outbuildings there is a dry- stone aperture, roofed with a heavy lintel, and recessed into the hillside. The aperture measures 0.7m across, 0.5m high, and 0.8m deep. Its purpose is unknown.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (N K B) 21 April 1967.

At ND 3123 4133 towards S end of fort are remains of a probable hut circle partially exposed by recent heather burning. It survives as a barely perceptible platform about 7.5m in diameter, on the gentle S-facing hillslope bounded by a discontinuous band of rubble stones visible around the N, S and E sides, but obscured by peat on the W arc. No facing stones are visible, and the position of the entrance is uncertain.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (N K B) 16 December 1976.

The fort was visited and photographed by C Jones in April 2011. <1>

The site was included in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland online database. See link below fore site entry. <2>

Sources/Archives (10)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 3125 4137 (97m by 195m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND34SW
Civil Parish	WICK
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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External Links (3)