Description

The monument comprises the remains of a broch flanked by defensive ramparts and with traces of early agricultural land-use nearby. The broch alone was scheduled in 1934, and this proposal extends protection to the surrounding remains.

The broch is set at the NE end of Burra Ness, on a slight rise overlooking the sea, which may have encroached slightly since the middle Iron Age. On the seaward side the lichen-covered remains of the broch tower still stand over 3m tall. On the S and W sides the height of the broch wall is reduced, and a cell can be seem within the wall thickness. The broch stands on a low artificial platform, and this has been built onto and into by later structures, which survive as low grass-covered banks. To the S and SW of the broch are much-reduced earthen ramparts. To the S is a ruined croft, outside the scheduled area. This seems to have been accompanied by only limited arable agriculture, and near to the broch, on the W side, are several small cairns of field-cleared stones which clearly have two phases of accumulation, with recent and fresh-looking (croft-related) stones piled on top of much older, turf-covered (presumably Iron Age) cairns.

The area now to be scheduled consists of the NE tip of the promontory. On the N and E sides the edge of this area is formed by the high water mark of the sea, and on the S and W by straight lines running E-W and N-S respectively. It measures a maximum of 95m N-S by 80m, to include the broch, its outer works and the nearer of the small cairns together with ground between and around these remains in which further evidence of their construction and use is likely to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

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Source: Historic Environment Scotland