Excavations at Crosskirk Broch, Caithness

Contributions by D. J. Breeze, C. A. Dickson, J. H. Dickson, D. D. Harkness, D. A. Lunt, E. Macartney, W. D. I. Rolfe, E. A. Slater, A. Young. Illustrations: L. Hunter, M. Scott. The site lay on the edge of the sandstone cliffs of a narrow headland on the northern coast of Caithness (ND 025701). Immediately outside this point is the cemetery wall and ancient chapel of St. Mary, the Crosskirk. Traces of the wall of a broch were clearly visible all the seaward side of a grassy mound. Immediately below, the sea was undercutting the cliff deeply and erosion had already led to the collapse of a sector of the outer face of the wall. As preservation was deemed impossible, excavation began in 1966, under the auspices of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments in Scotland. Informal discussions about a rescue excavation at the Crosskirk broch began in 1961 when the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments in Scotland realised the need for action before the site became dangerous. It was agreed to organise operations from the Archaeology Department at the University of Glasgow. The first major effort was planned for 1966. Reconnaissance had given little indication of the vast amount of rubble which was subsequently found to mantle the broch itself, nor of the existence of an external settlement and rampart. In all, five seasons were spent on the site between 1966-1972, amounting to some fifteen weeks. The work force varied considerably in size, but reached fifty at peak periods.