caithness-1911/05_171

Transcription

INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS, ETC., IN COUNTY OF CAITHNESS. -- [Page] 93

PARISH OF REAY

probably been revetted. The broch has been situated at one side of
the knoll, leaving a space some 30' in width in front of it. The
elevation of the mound containing the ruins is about 5' and its
diameter 70'. No part of the structure is visible. Over the top
are a number of circular hollows, from 2' to 3' in depth, and varying
from 10' to 15' in diameter, which appear to be the remains of
secondary constructions. The edge of the knoll has been surmounted
by a parapet.
O.S.M., CAITH., x. Visited, 17th August 1910.

345. Broch, Stemster. - At the edge of a field, about  1/2 m. N. of
Stemster Farm, is a conical grassy mound which appears to contain
the ruins of a broch. One half of it has been under cultivation and
at no point is any part of the structure exposed. The mound has an
elevation of about 11' and a diameter over all of 108'.
O.S.M., CAITH., iv. Visited, 17th August 1910.

346. Broch, "Tulloch of Lybster," Hill of Lybster. - On the W. side
of the farm road leading from Lybster to Crosskirk, and about half-
way between the two places, are the ruins of a broch. The tower
has been surrounded by a rampart and ditch, the former some 23'
distant from its base and faced with stone on the inner side. The
land around is under cultivation, but these defences are still visible
on the S. and SW. The broch itself has been cleared out and a wide
gap made through the wall on the SE. and NW. The interior
diameter has been about 32' 6" and the thickness of the wall 14' 6".
Small portions of the inner face of the wall are exposed at various
points, and also of the exterior face, but the structure is much ruined.
Against the outer wall towards the E. are slight remains of secondary
buildings.
O.S.M., CAITH., iv. Visited, 25th August 1910.

347. Broch, Crosskirk. - At the edge of the rocks about 30 yards
to the N. of the ruined church of St Mary's, Lybster (No. 338), are the
remains of a large broch. The structure has been broken into to a
small extent on the S., from which direction the entrance appears to
have been. The interior diameter is not accurately ascertainable
without excavation, but has been approximately 30' to 32'. The
thickness of the wall is 14' to 15'. The top of the mound covering
the wall is some 6' above the ground level on the exterior and 5' on
the interior. On the left of the position of the entrance the sides
of a chamber are visible in the wall. On the exterior, at the edge
of the cliff, for a distance of some 20', a portion of wall, about 4' to
5' in height, is exposed. On the landward side, about 10' from
the broch, are the remains of an outer bank or wall now some 8'
wide at base.
The symbol stone (No. 405), said to have been found in this
broch, is illustrated in The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland,
pt. iii. p. 30.
O.S.M., CAITH., iv. Visited, 25th August, 1910.

348. Broch, "Green Tullochs," Borrowston Mains. - At the edge of
the cliffs which descend in broken terraces of rock to the water's