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Cairn of Elsay, broch, Staxigoe

A Scheduled Monument in Wick and East Caithness, Highland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 58.4519 / 58°27'6"N

Longitude: -3.0518 / 3°3'6"W

OS Eastings: 338715

OS Northings: 951991

OS Grid: ND387519

Mapcode National: GBR L6TD.4QX

Mapcode Global: WH7FM.3T1L

Entry Name: Cairn of Elsay, broch, Staxigoe

Scheduled Date: 24 July 1934

Last Amended: 12 August 2005

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM532

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: broch

Location: Wick

County: Highland

Electoral Ward: Wick and East Caithness

Traditional County: Caithness

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a partially excavated, grass-covered broch. The monument was first scheduled in 1934 but an inadequate area was included to protect all of the archaeological remains. The present rescheduling rectifies this.

The monument is situated close to the shore on level ground. It was excavated and planned by the late Sir Francis Tress Barry in the early 20th century. It is 18m in diameter, has a wall 4.8m thick and stands to a maximum height of 2.7m. The entrance, in the SE, is 0.7m wide, its walls exposed to a height of 1.2m at the outer end.

The area to be scheduled is a circle of diameter 50m centred on the centre of the broch, to include the broch and an area around in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

This monument is of national importance as the remains of an Iron Age broch which, as the partial excavation demonstrates, continues to offer the potential to provide important information on the nature of settlement and defensive architecture during this period of prehistory.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as ND 35SE 6.

References:

Batey C E 1981, CAITHNESS COASTAL SURVEY 1981: INTERIM REPORT, TYPESCRIPT, Durham, No. 152.

Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1909, 'DONATIONS TO AND PURCHASES FOR THE MUSEUM AND LIBRARY, WITH EXHIBITS', Proc Soc Antiq Scot 43, 17

RCAHMS 1911, THIRD REPORT AND INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF CAITHNESS, Edinburgh, HMSO, 162-3, No. 521.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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