Monument record MHG7808 - Broch - Dun an Ruigh Ruadh

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 1493 9008 (70m by 70m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NH19SW
Geographical Area ROSS AND CROMARTY
Old County ROSS-SHIRE
Civil Parish LOCHBROOM

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Dun an Ruigh Ruadh (NAT). Broch (NR) (rems of)
OS 6"map, (1968)

Dun an Ruigh Ruadh or Rhiroy, NH19SW0006A

Rhiroy sits in a dramatic position on the edge of a steep bluff, overlooking Loch Broom. In local tradition, stone for the broch was brought from other side of the loch, “by men stationed at regular intervals upon rafts”. Unfortunately, outcrops of similar stone are found on both side of the loch and this is unlikely to be true. (61)

Excavations demonstrated that there had been a central hearth in the interior, surrounded by a number of wooden posts supporting an upper floor. Among the finds were a rotary quern for grinding corn, a pot-lid, hammerstones, as well as a silver ring, all of which attest to the domestic occupation of the broch. (53)

Armit, I., 1997. Celtic Scotland. Edinburgh: Batsford.
Close-Brooks, J., 1995. Exploring Scotland’s Heritage. The Highlands. Edinburgh: HMSO, 145, No. 86.
Info from SCRAN Project, March, 2000

Dun an Ruigh Ruadh: The remains of a galleried dun according to MacKie, but a broch according to other authorities, of which roughly a third of NE arc has fallen over rocky bluff on which it stands, but the remainder still stands to a maximum height of 9'6" over accumulated debris of about 4'. It measures c. 38' in diameter internally with walls c. 14' thick.
Excavations by MacKie in 1968 revealed a flattened circle on plan, the straighter side of which runs along edge of bluff. Here, wall is thinner and less well built, lacking intra-mural gallery visible elsewhere. The stairway to first-floor level and part of stair to an even higher level are discernible. The doorway in E is checked. A scarcement is visible 4.5' - 5' above ground level. Within central court are post-holes indicating a raised wooden structure resting on scarcement and posts, which was later pulled down, and dun used as an ordinary dwelling. The post-holes were filled in, cobbles laid on top of them, and a stone tank was sunk into interior. Finds include several rotary querns, a stone pot lid, a jet counter, hammer stones, and a silver finger ring.
MacKie 1968b, 1969d, f; R W Feachem 1963; Calder and Steer 1951

Dun an Ruigh Ruadh, a galleried dun as described by MacKie.
Surveyed at 1:2500 Visited by OS (N K B) 25 September 1970

Surveyed at 1:10560 Visited by OS (N K B) 1 May 1968

(NH 1494 9009) The site is an IA stone fortlet, of semibroch type and probably a prototype broch; it is only second of its class to be excavated. Radiocarbon dates show that it was built in 3rd or 2nd centuries b.c. and this early date is supported also by artefacts. The mainly aceramic material culture shows strong links with southern Scotland but fort itself is Hebridean, as are three early potsherds found. The wall has an upper and lower intra-mural gallery and seems originally to have contained a roofed round-house with an oval of wooden posts and a central hearth. Later wall was partly demolished and IA occupation continued for a while. After a period of abandonment there was some Medieval use of wall gallery and sheep dippers worked in ruined fort in recent times.
E W MacKie, GAJ vol.7, 1980

Field sketch of dun - see Assoc. Docs. File.

J Aitken : 18/12/00.

Thumbnail photo of Dun an Ruigh Ruadh
Wester Ross Project - Cathy Dagg, 02/04

The site was visited and photographed by Andrew Puls of the Highland Council on the 24th of April 2008. <1>

AOC Archaeology were commissoned by the Forestry Commission Scotland to survey the broch in 2015. Although not on the National Forest Estate, it was selected in order to advance the methodology of survey and visualisation and to provide images for a national archaeology strategy document. Work included topographic survey and high resolution photography and laser scanning of the whole structure to allow for the production of 3D imagery. <1>

Sources/Archives (20)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: MacKie, E W. 1968. 'Lochbroom, Dun An Ruigh Ruaidh', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1968, p.42. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 42. 42.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: MacKie, E W. 1969. 'Lochbroom, Dun An Ruigh Ruaidh, semibroch', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1969, p.44-5. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 44-5. 44-5.
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Rhiroy Broch. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Rhiroy Broch. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Rhiroy Broch. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Rhiroy Broch. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Image/Photograph(s): Dun an Ruigh Ruadh. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Armit, I. 1992. 'The Atlantic Scottish Iron Age: five levels of chronology', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 121 1991, p.181-214. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 181-214. 209; illus 3.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Close-Brooks, J. 1986. Exploring Scotland's Heritage: The Highlands. 149, No. 79.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Feachem, R W. 1963. A Guide to Prehistoric Scotland. 1st. 169-70.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: MacKie, E W. 1980. 'Dun an Ruigh Ruaidh, Loch Broom, Ross & Cromarty: excavations in 1968 and 1978', Glasgow Archaeol J Vol. 7 1980, p.32-79. Glasgow Archaeological Journal Vol 7. 32-79. 32-79.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Calder and Steer, C S T and K A. 1951. 'Dun Lagaidh and four other prehistoric monuments near Ullapool, Ross and Cromarty', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 83 1948-9, p.68-76. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 68-76. 72-4; plan 73, plate xvi.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: MacKie, E W. 1969. 'Dun Lagaidh', Curr Archaeol Vol. 2 Jan 1969, p.8-13. Curr Archaeol. 8-13. 12-13; plan 12, illust 13.
  • <1> Image/Photograph(s): Puls, A. 2008. Photographic record of Dun an Ruigh Ruadh, Loch Broom. Colour digital. Digital.
  • <1> Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: AOC Archaeology Group. 2015. Dun and Ruigh Ruadh: Broch: Archaeological Survey, June 2015. AOC Archaeology Group. 10/08/2015. Digital.

Finds (5)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Jun 7 2016 4:48PM

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