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Transcription

[Page] 9
[Continued from page 8]

[Left Hand Page]
Sketch inserted
Sketch plan Castle of Old Wick

MacG. & R. consider this probably the oldest castle in Caithness.

[Right Hand Page]
At 60' onwards, a trench some 30' in width
and 10' in depth has been cut through the
rock from side to side immediately below
the keep. The approach over this has probably
been by a drawbridge onto the area some 20'
in width between the N.W. [North West] wall of the castle
and the edge of the cliff. Towards the
outer end of the promontory for a
distance of 174' there are foundations
of buildings on either side with a roadway
down the centre, leaving a court measuring
so 70' x 47' unbuilt on at the seaward extremity.
In the neighbourhood of the castle the
Primula Scottica is growing plentifully
though we did not see many plants in flower.

[Margin] "Mound"
OS [Ordnance Survey] Picts House
(46)

About 1 1/2 m. [miles] S. [South] of the castle of Old Wick
and 1/2 m. [mile] E.S.E. [East South East] of Hempriggs House in rear
of a deserted cottage is a low grassy
mound. It has a diameter of some
50' and elevation of from 3' to 4'.
Near the centre two large slabs nearly
at right angles to each other protrude
through the turf. The largest lying
nearly N & S. [North & South] is 3'4" long, 6"- 8" thick & is
visible for 2'. The true character of the
mound is not obvious but the slabs suggest
[Continued on page 10]