Tag: Iron Age
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The Broch at Levenwick
This photograph looks across the Burn of Burgadies, which drains the Loch of Levenwick towards the sea. Beyond the boggy, pool-scattered moor, the broch stands sentinel on the higher ground. This rather damp approach from the nearest tarmac at Southpunds may go some way towards explaining why this remarkable site rarely features in visitors’ plans…
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Mousa: Beyond the Broch
Rising from the rocky shores of Mousa, this 13-metre-high drystone tower is more than an ancient ruin; it is a marvel of Iron Age engineering. Known as the best-preserved broch in the world, Mousa has stood defiant for over 2,000 years. But what exactly was a broch? These circular, double-walled towers are unique to Scotland.…
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Iron Age on the Moors: Percy Rigg’s Hidden Houses
For centuries, five Iron Age round houses sat quietly on this ridge in North Yorkshire, and nobody noticed. Not bad for a neighbourhood that was probably occupied for over 300 years. The site was only spotted in 1962, when Fred Proud of Sleddale Farm found it and reported it to local archaeologists Roland Close and…
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Dùn Vùlan
This was an unexpected discovery on South Uist, though the Gothic lettering on the map did hint at something worth noting. Rubha Àird Mhuile is a low, sandy peninsula that juts into the Atlantic. Most of it is taken up by a shallow ‘inland’ loch. On the summit of a storm-thrown shingle ridge, barely ten…
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Dùn Sgùrabhal
Dùn Sgùrabhal stands on a low hill, facing the sea to the west and the expanse of Tràigh Eais to the south. What remains is a collapsed stone structure, but it is still recognisable. Among the rubble, archaeologists have identified a double wall with a gallery between—clear signs of Iron Age construction. Though it has…
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Percy Cross Rigg’s Hut Circles
I thought I would take a re-look at the Percy Rigg Iron Age hut circles. It has been quite some time. Alas, the perimeter fence lies in disrepair, casting a pall of melancholy over the entire site. Located on the Percy Cross Rigg, just 460 metres down from the remains of the medieval cross, this…
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High Bride Stone Dyke, Bridestones
On a pleasant morning at Bridestone Moor, near Dalby Forest, soaking in the apricity, and enjoying the azure sky. Regrettably, clouds gathered post-lunch. However, an opportunity presented itself to inspect an ancient dyke delineating the boundary between National Trust property and the Forestry Commission. Over several winters, we endured all weathers on this moor, dedicating…
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An Iron Age Boundary?
A view along an obvious alignment of stones, stretching from the boundary barrow at Hob on the Hill to the head of North Ings Slack. Associated with it is a pronounced dyke, termed a cross-ridge, although that appears a stretch of the definition. The date is believed to be the Iron Age, and the structure’s…
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Another day, another dùn
Yesterday, I was unaware of the term “galleried dùn,” but today I came across another one. This is Dùn Ardtreck and is located at Ardtreck Point, near the entrance to Loch Harport. I must say, it is even more remarkable than yesterday’s. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure about the difference between a galleried…
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Birchdale
I had a faint recollection of crossing Newton Mulgrave Moor before and indeed I had. It’s still a bit of a haze though. Lying north of the A174, it’s an unfrequented area. Very flat, and exposed to winds from all directions. But a relatively deep valley provides a welcome incision — Birchdale or Birk Dale…