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MHG39859 - Possible Site of Cemetery, Burnside Broch

Summary

During excavations of 1910 it was said that gravestones, the remains of secondary burials from a nearby chapel, were found on an Iron Age broch.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

(ND 1951 6359) Brough (NR)
OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)

Grassy mound of inconsiderable height, evidently containing remains of broch. No part of the building is visible. RCAHMS (1911) say broch is probably covered by foundations of secondary buildings. Mr Durran (Hall of Durran), in removing part of broch, came upon what appeared to be gravestones, possibly of secondary burials associated with nearby chapel (ND16SE 14).
Name Book 1872; RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910

The remains of this broch are generally as described by RCAHMS. Situated at S side and on top of a stream bank, it is now a grass-covered mound measuring about 58m E-W by 42m transversely and 2.7m high. In N & E there are traces of terrace similar to those on other proven brochs in area. On top of feature there is a mound of earth and stones about 9.5m diameter by 0.5m high, probably remains of a later construction. No further information concerning gravestones could be found locally.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D) 11 November 1965

(ND 1951 6358) Broch (NR) (remains of) OS 25" map, (1968)

The remains of a broch, in margin of a field and on S edge of a stream gully. It is visible as a turf-covered mound 42m E-W by 30m transversely by 0.7m high. There are signs of a ditch around base of mound in SE quarter. The traces of a terrace and mound of earth and stone are as previously noted; the latter, which is centrally placed, may be remains of an old marker cairn.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (J M) 27 October 1981

'Broch'. Dimensions: 36 x 28m. Grass-covered subcircular mound 0.72m wide with traces of 'mound on the mound' form. On NE and SW there are faint signs of a ditch running around the back of the mound. R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 1950 6359 (200m by 200m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND16SE
Civil Parish	OLRIG
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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