Monument record MHG42050 - Broch, Scottag

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred ND 2565 5698 (4m by 4m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet ND25NE
Old County CAITHNESS
Civil Parish WATTEN
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Cairn (NR) OS 1:10,000 map, (1975)

Broch, Scottag: The flat stones exposed about surface show this to be remains of a broch whose present elevation is about 5ft; it is low mound overgrown with grass surmounted by a modern cairn.
RCAHMS 1911

Part of this mound was removed by Mr Sutherland (Scottag) in the winter of 1870-1. A small square stone cist was discovered full of decayed bones and black earth. A bronze buckle and finger-ring, also some pieces of deer's horns in excellent preservation and of a very large size were found.
Name Book 1871

Situated on fairly level ground is an irregular mound 21m E-W by 16m transversely and 1.7m high, surmounted by a modern beehive-shaped cairn. There is little evidence of flat stones about surface as stated by the RCAHM and little to indicate that this feature has been a broch. From the finds described in the ONB (1871), this monument is more likely to be a cairn.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D L) 23 April 1963

A bronze spiral finger-ring, found in a mound at Watten was purchased for NMAS in 1894 (Acc No: DO 35).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1894; D V Clarke 1971

The mound, situated in a prominent position in the corner of a pasture field, is generally as described by the previous field investigator; it is turf-covered and no details of its content are exposed. It appears to occupy summit of a lower mound which is itself ploughed down; in N a farm road runs over it. The impression given is of a 'mound on mound ' effect common to brochs in Caithness, but this effect is accentuated by ploughing across S side. On E side this lower mound has been quarried down to original ground level. The purpose of this feature remains uncertain. Though its appearance suggests a broch rather than a cairn, discovery of a cist is strong evidence for a cairn, though conceivably it could have been found in the aforementioned quarry, overlaid by a broch. The modern cairn noted by previous OS field investigator has collapsed.
Visited by OS (J B) 5 April 1982

Bronze spiral finger-ring. E W MacKie 1971

'Broch'. Diameter: 50m. Grass-covered mound 2m high showing mound on mound construction. The lower mound 50m diameter is surmounted by a 16m diameter mound.
R J Mercer, NMRS MS/828/19, 1995

Sources/Archives (5)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Clarke, D V. 1971. 'Small finds in the Atlantic Province: Problems of approach', Scot Archaeol Forum Vol. 3 1971, p.22-54. Scot Archaeol Forum. 22-54. 46.
  • --- 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. . 130-1, No. 470.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Name Book (County). Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. Book No. 12, 78.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1894. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library, with exhibits', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 28 1893-4, p.5-9, 58-62, 119-25, 178-85, 213-18, 234-43. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 5-9, 58-62, 119-25, 178-8. 239.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: MacKie, E W. 1971. 'English migrants and Scottish brochs', Glasgow Archaeol J Vol. 2 1971, p.39-71. Glasgow Archaeol J. 39-71. 69.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Jan 28 2008 12:00AM

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