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MHG39527 - Watch Tower, Poll Gorm Promontory Fort

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

A promontory fort formed by two banks, 14m long and 5m wide, crossing neck of promontory. On the promontory itself are a possibly secondary, roughly square structure, 13 by 14m, with traces of walling, a corn-drying kiln, and another small structure.
C Batey 1982.

On summit of a precipitous coastal promontory are remains of a fort, comprising a circular dry-stone structure further defended by an outwork cutting across neck of promontory on landward approach from SW.
The dry-stone structure, about 20m overall diameter, survives as a turf-covered bank, 4 to 5m wide and up to 0.7m high, which has been truncated in NW arc by erosion of the cliff. The area enclosed by the bank has a somewhat angular appearance (Batey, 1982, describes feature as 'roughly square'), but this is due, at least in part, to removal of turf at some time for an unknown reason; this turf-cutting has exposed a single course of stones defining an inner curving wall face for a distance of about 6m along base of the enclosing bank in S arc. If the curve of the wall were to be extended, it would suggest diameter of 8-10m. The wall appears to end abruptly at its W end, which may suggest an entrance passage at that point. The 'corn-drying kiln and another small structure' noted by Batey are in fact a look-out post with chimney which is known locally to have been used during the 1939-45 war. It is inserted into fabric of fort on E side, exposing a wall core of local sandstone flags fragmented by weather action.
The outwork consists of a turf-covered stony bank and outer ditch, the former being 1.7m above the base of the ditch. Fronting the ditch is a less significant bank, 0.6m high, which has been partially quarried.
The whole extends for 14m across promontory from cliff edge in SE to terminate on a distinct causeway hard against the cliff edge in NW.
The remains of crude, stone-built, bothy-like structures of unknown date and purpose occur on a shelf at a lower level, SE of fort.
The fort cannot be classified with certainty without excavation. Its size and shape, the constructional material and existence of a curving inner wall face may indicate a broch, but, whereas the remains suggest a massive defensive construction, there is insufficient tumble remaining to postulate a monument on scale of a broch unless there has been large scale robbing and/or erosion. There is no reason to suggest that the fort and outwork are not broadly contemporary.
Surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (N K B) 24 March 1983.

Sources/Archives (8)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 1702 2948 (10m by 10m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND12NE
Civil Parish	LATHERON
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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