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Latitude: 58.246 / 58°14'45"N
Longitude: -3.4151 / 3°24'54"W
OS Eastings: 317030
OS Northings: 929457
OS Grid: ND170294
Mapcode National: GBR K6YY.09X
Mapcode Global: WH6F8.HZZY
Entry Name: Inver,fort,post medieval house and look-out post 570m SE of
Scheduled Date: 4 October 1991
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5073
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort); Secular: house
Location: Latheron
County: Highland
Electoral Ward: Wick and East Caithness
Traditional County: Caithness
This monument consists of a fort, a post medieval building and a WWII look-out post on a precipitous coastal promontory. The fort comprises a circular dry-stone structure which is defended further by an outwork cutting across the neck of the promontory on the landward approach to the SW. The circular structure is about 20m in overall diameter and survives as a turf covered bank 4 to 5 m wide and up to 0.7m high. The structure has been truncated on the NW side by erosion of the cliff.
The area enclosed by the bank has a somewhat angular appearance as a consequence of turf cutting. It is possible that the circular fort is the surviving remains of a broch. The outworks consist of a turf-covered stony bank and outer ditch, the former being 1.7m above the base of the ditch. Fronting the ditch is a less significant bank which has been partially removed.
There is a causeway against the edge of the cliff on the NW and traces of a possible bank along the edge of the cliff on the landward side of the outworks to the S of the promontory. The remains of a crude stone-built bothy-like structure are situated on a shelf at a lower level, SE of the fort. A look-out post with chimney has been inserted into the fabric of the circular fort on its E side - this was constructed and used during the 1939-45 war.
The area to be scheduled measures a maximum of 180m SSW-NNE and 80m NW-SE, to include the possible broch, the outworks, the post medieval building and the WWII look-out post. The scheduled area is extended beyond the outworks to the SW to include the external bank and is shown in red on the attached plan.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance for its potential contribution to our understanding of prehistoric fortifications. The fort consists of a possible broch with outworks and incorporates important information on prehistoric warfare and defence. The later building may have been a shepherd's hut or connected with fishing.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as ND 12 NE 3.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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