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MHG9328 - Broch, Altanduin

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Broch (NR) (Site of) OS 6"map, (1962)

The site of a broch, walls of which had been removed by 1871.(Name Book 1871) The remains are now considerably mutilated with some large stones lying about, but broch may have measured about 18m in diameter within outer wall-faces. The site is defended on west by an arcing double ditch with medial rampart. The inner ditch is 8m wide and 2m deep, and is well-preserved, as is the rampart. The slighter outer ditch is not mentioned by RCAHMS. (RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909) Visited by OS (WDJ) 25 may 1961

No change. Visited by OS (JB) 7 Feburary 1977

Occupying NE end of steep-sided promontory to NE of roofed buildings at Altanduin, there are remains of a broch and its outworks. The broch measures about 9m diameter within a wall (up to 4m in thickness) which has been reduced by stone-robbing to little more than a stony mound, with a number of possible outer facing-stones visible on E and W. The neck of promontory has been protected by a series of outworks, comprising two ditches and a medial wall interrupted by a causeway for entrance. The outworks are best preserved on SW, where inner ditch measures up to 7.5m in width and 3m in depth; on the SE there is now no trace of the outer ditch and the wall has been wasted, but a number of possible outer-facing stones to the N of the broch suggest that, originally, it may have formed a continuous line of defence around the broch. To E of broch and within line of the inner ditch there are the poorly defined footings of a rectangular building. Lying outside the outworks, to SSW of broch and roughly parallel to the track from Altanduin there is a rectangular building measuring 33m from NE to SW by 3.8m transversely within a stony bank 1.2m in thickness and 0.3m in height. The building has been partially robbed and it may incorporate more than one compartment.
(KILD91 470) Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 4 May 1991.

NC82 1 ALLT an DUIN 2 (‘Altanduin’)
NC/8097 2605
Site of possible broch or ditched home-stead in Kildonan, Sutherland, which had been demolished by 1871 [1]; it is now a heap of stones, doubtless having been robbed to build the recent longhouses nearby [3]. Although there are some large stones which may be from the bottom of the outer face of a broch wall “there is no surviving evidence that a broch was located at this site” [3]. On the west there are outer defences consisting of a curved double ditch with two ramparts but how these defences continue around the site is not clear [3].
Sources: 1. NMRS site no. NC 82 NW 4: 2. RCAHMS 1911a, 106, no. 313: 3. Swanson (ms) 1985, 807 - 09 and plan: 4. RCAHMS 1993. <1>

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

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 8096 2605 (70m by 70m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC82NW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	KILDONAN

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