Condition

2
Settlement and mound
Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age
2766
Orkney

Description

A large mound and a coastal exposure containing structural remains are located in close proximity but may not necessarily be associated. It has been suggested previously that these remains represent a broch and adjacent settlement. The structure(s) revealed in the section is associated with anthropogenic soils and midden deposits and would appear to represent a settlement; if not a broch, then a substantial house. The mound, which has been identified as a broch, however, has a well-defined form which appears more designed than the result of post-abandonment build-up. The broch mound interpretation cannot be entirely ruled out at this stage, but the possibility that it may be a burial monument should be borne in mind. The area in which the site is situated appears to be a sand-trap and there may be a considerable depth of sand covering any further archaeological deposits in the wider locality. Clearly, this is a complex site with two or more large structures represented. The substantial depth of deposits would suggest that activity in the area continued over a long period of time. The depth of sand covering this site suggests that the remains may have survived well up to now, but it is currently being destroyed by coastal erosion and attention is very urgently required. (i) A pudding-shaped mound with steep sides lies approximately 5m from the coast edge. It measures some 22m in diameter and stands up to 2.2m high. The summit is disturbed and the tops of some large stones are visible within the hollow. The surface of the mound is lumpy and uneven. There are further, more amorphous mounds to the north and east sides of the main mound. Over 90% of the overall site area is grass-covered. The large mound is separated from the coast edge by a track which appears to run over buried archaeological deposits. (ii) There are extensive archaeological deposits visible nearby in the eroding coastal section. Here, the remains of several curvilinear walls and wall ends protrude from the section face. Towards the northern end of this exposure are the remains of a corbelled cell. These walls are all substantial drystone constructions formed from regularly coursed slabs. Interspersed between the walls are anthropogenic deposits containing inclusions of shell and bone. The exposure extends for some 90m, with up to 3m of archaeological deposits being visible above the level of the storm beach. These deposits extend below the level of the beach and the base of the section was not exposed. 05/07/2014 ShoreUPDATE More or less as described. This north facing section contains remains of at least 2 substantial (wheelhouse?) structures and associated cultural deposits containing shell, peat ash, bone and pottery. Remains are constructed upon till, and are overlain by approx. 1m of blown sand. See photos taken from West to East for more detailed description of exposed remains.

Location

342500.00
1049480.00
27700
59.3277626
-3.0122006

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
7_ Walling, 5-6m of flag stone floor and midden material 05/07/2014 7_ Walling, 5-6m of flag stone floor and midden material training1
7_ Walling, 5-6m of flag stone floor and midden material
6_ Dry-stone structural remains 05/07/2014 6_ Dry-stone structural remains training1
6_ Dry-stone structural remains
Mound with coastal section on north side, Links of Noltland in background, looking East 05/07/2014 Mound with coastal section on north side, Links of Noltland in background, looking East training1
Mound with coastal section on north side, Links of Noltland in background, looking East
2_ Edge set orthostats and flag floor? 05/07/2014 2_ Edge set orthostats and flag floor? training1
2_ Edge set orthostats and flag floor?
1_ Possible corbelled structure at west end of section, c. 2m wide. West wall cuts till. 05/07/2014 1_ Possible corbelled structure at west end of section, c. 2m wide. West wall cuts till. training1
1_ Possible corbelled structure at west end of section, c. 2m wide. West wall cuts till.
8_ East end of section showing anthropogenic soils over till, covered in windblown sand 05/07/2014 8_ East end of section showing anthropogenic soils over till, covered in windblown sand training1
8_ East end of section showing anthropogenic soils over till, covered in windblown sand
4_ E-W oriented wall with blind chamber at east end (possible intramural chamber) 05/07/2014 4_ E-W oriented wall with blind chamber at east end (possible intramural chamber) training1
4_ E-W oriented wall with blind chamber at east end (possible intramural chamber)
3a_ Possible box cist and walling 05/07/2014 3a_ Possible box cist and walling training1
3a_ Possible box cist and walling
3_ Jumble of angular stone containing at least 3 possible piers 05/07/2014 3_ Jumble of angular stone containing at least 3 possible piers training1
3_ Jumble of angular stone containing at least 3 possible piers
5_ Wall oriented WSW-ENE with possible corbelling at east end over void 05/07/2014 5_ Wall oriented WSW-ENE with possible corbelling at east end over void training1
5_ Wall oriented WSW-ENE with possible corbelling at east end over void
4a_Slabs laid vertically to form blind (intramural?) chamber 05/07/2014 4a_Slabs laid vertically to form blind (intramural?) chamber training1
4a_Slabs laid vertically to form blind (intramural?) chamber
5a_ Detail of structure over void 05/07/2014 5a_ Detail of structure over void training1
5a_ Detail of structure over void

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
1809 05/07/2014 training1
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion; has eroded in the past
Visibility above ground Limited visibility (partial remains)
Visibility in section Limited visibility in section
Access accessible on foot (no footpath)
Local knowledge is well known
Description A large mound and a coastal exposure containing structural remains are located in close proximity but may not necessarily be associated. It has been suggested previously that these remains represent a broch and adjacent settlement. The structure(s) revealed in the section is associated with anthropogenic soils and midden deposits and would appear to represent a settlement; if not a broch, then a substantial house. The mound, which has been identified as a broch, however, has a well-defined form which appears more designed than the result of post-abandonment build-up. The broch mound interpretation cannot be entirely ruled out at this stage, but the possibility that it may be a burial monument should be borne in mind. The area in which the site is situated appears to be a sand-trap and there may be a considerable depth of sand covering any further archaeological deposits in the wider locality. Clearly, this is a complex site with two or more large structures represented. The substantial depth of deposits would suggest that activity in the area continued over a long period of time. The depth of sand covering this site suggests that the remains may have survived well up to now, but it is currently being destroyed by coastal erosion and attention is very urgently required. (i) A pudding-shaped mound with steep sides lies approximately 5m from the coast edge. It measures some 22m in diameter and stands up to 2.2m high. The summit is disturbed and the tops of some large stones are visible within the hollow. The surface of the mound is lumpy and uneven. There are further, more amorphous mounds to the north and east sides of the main mound. Over 90% of the overall site area is grass-covered. The large mound is separated from the coast edge by a track which appears to run over buried archaeological deposits. (ii) There are extensive archaeological deposits visible nearby in the eroding coastal section. Here, the remains of several curvilinear walls and wall ends protrude from the section face. Towards the northern end of this exposure are the remains of a corbelled cell. These walls are all substantial drystone constructions formed from regularly coursed slabs. Interspersed between the walls are anthropogenic deposits containing inclusions of shell and bone. The exposure extends for some 90m, with up to 3m of archaeological deposits being visible above the level of the storm beach. These deposits extend below the level of the beach and the base of the section was not exposed. 05/07/2014 ShoreUPDATE More or less as described. This north facing section contains remains of at least 2 substantial (wheelhouse?) structures and associated cultural deposits containing shell, peat ash, bone and pottery. Remains are constructed upon till, and are overlain by approx. 1m of blown sand. See photos taken from West to East for more detailed description of exposed remains.
The remains exposed in the coastal section are included in the Scheduled area of the broch (1457). HS to be forwarded this update for their records. Retain Priority 2 status.

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