Broch of Borwick

The Broch of Borwick is an Iron Age broch located on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland (grid reference HY22411678). It is a scheduled monument.[1]

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick
Shown within Orkney Islands
LocationMainland, Orkney
Coordinates59.031023°N 3.353398°W / 59.031023; -3.353398
TypeBroch
History
PeriodsIron Age

Location

The Broch of Borwick is located 8 kilometres southwest of Dounby on Mainland, Orkney.[2] The broch stands on top of a cliff-top promontory 20 metres above the sea.[3] A small stream runs past the site immediately to the east.[3]

Description

The broch has an external diameter of 17 metres and an internal diameter of 8 metres.[3] The walls which are 3.5 to 5 metres thick currently stand to a maximum height of 2.6 metres.[3] The eastern half of the broch and the entrance passage are well preserved, but the western half has been destroyed by erosion.[2] The entrance passage, which is still lintelled over, is 5.6 metres long with door-checks each formed of a slab set on edge 3 metres from the outside.[3] A guard cell opened off the right of the passage.[3]

The broch was once cut off from the flat land beyond by an outer wall, and there were outbuildings between the wall and the broch.[3]

Excavations

The site was excavated in 1881 by W. G. T. Watt, and the interior was cleared of debris.[3] Ashes, bones and shells mixed with clay were found under the rubble.[3] Beneath this was a layer of small flat stones and under this the broch floor.[3] Finds included several combs, a small whale vertebra cup, a spindle whorl, a stone gaming piece, a whetstone, hammerstones, some stone knives and choppers, an iron rod, and some querns.[3]

References
  1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Borwick,Brough of,broch (SM1418)". Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  2. Ritchie, J N G (1998). Brochs of Scotland. Shire Publications. p. 49. ISBN 0747803897.
  3. Historic Environment Scotland. "Yesnaby, Broch Of Borwick (1660)". Canmore. Retrieved 3 September 2014.

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