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<< Our Photo Pages >> Broch of Borwick - Broch or Nuraghe in Scotland in Orkney

Submitted by h_fenton on Tuesday, 22 December 2015  Page Views: 12318

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Broch of Borwick Alternative Name: Broch o' Borwick
Country: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Broch or Nuraghe
Nearest Town: Stromness
Map Ref: HY2241416777  Landranger Map Number: 6
Latitude: 59.030951N  Longitude: 3.353412W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Redfun visited on 26th Sep 2021 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3

SandyG visited on 7th Jun 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3

jeffrep have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 5 Access: 3

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by h_fenton : The Broch of Borwick viewed from the east with some people in the photograph to help indicate scale in addition to the 1 metre scale leaning on the wall next to the entrance. Kite Aerial Photograph 3 October 2015 (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Broch of Borwick is situated on top of an eroding headland on the Orkney mainland, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The broch has an external diameter of 16.8 m (55 ft) and an internal 8.2 m (27 ft). Outside the broch are the remains of further structures and a defensive bank with moat/ditch. Initially excavated in 1881, further observations through the 20th century have noted the continued erosion of the site including losses to the sea.

Until the late 19th century, in common with other unexcavated broch sites Borwick survived as a turf covered mound. In 1881 William Watt, of Skaill (who also excavated at nearby Skara Brae) cleared the loose material from the mound revealing the remains of the broch. Watt recorded the broch as surviving to a greater height than it does today, although there have been subsequent losses through collapses and natural erosion, it is also likely that the site served as a convenient quarry of building stone.

Watt also excavated some of the outbuildings/settlement that had built up on the landward side of the broch, today these are just a series of irregular bumps and sections of wall in a state of collapse. The outer part of the site is often neglected as it is not much to look at, although is quite interesting as Watt found the entrance to an underground passage here (souterrain?), although no remains are visible today – presumably it was blocked up again after excavation.

When William Watt excavated the site in 1881 and an account of the excavation was promptly published in the 'Proceedings of the Society' (of Antiquaries of Scotland), unfortunately no plans of what he found have been published (if they were made?). His account of the excavation indicates that he found an incredibly complex site used for a long period of time, with some distinct phases of activity represented by structural changes to the site. Further accounts of the excavation were later published in 'The Orcadian' (newspaper) in 1906 although these are not currently available online.

Access: There is a car park at the end of the road at Yesnaby, you can then follow a path (1.2km) northwards around the coast to the Broch of Borwick.

The Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland have all been digitised and are freely (except the most recent volumes) available online from the Archaeology Data Service - see http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/volumes.cfm
The specific article we are interested in regards to William Watt and his excavations at Borwick are here:

References: 'Proceedings of the Society' (of Antiquaries of Scotland) Volume 16 (1881-82)
Notice of the Broch known as Burwick or Borwick, in the Township of Yescanabee and Parish of Sandwick, Orkney. (pp 442-50) Watt, William G T http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_016/16_442_450.pdf

Canmore: https://canmore.org.uk/site/1660/yesnaby-broch-of-borwick

This page was originally submitted by Howar

Note: Hamish Fenton has submitted sixteen amazing new 3D models he has created. These are of various subjects, from large brochs to standing stones, to detailed scans of rock art panels. Scroll down the page to see them, and follow the instructions to rotate and zoom them.
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Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : View from above and south east. (7th June 2015). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : Broch entrance. View from the south east. (7th June 2015). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by h_fenton : The Broch of Borwick viewed from the east. Kite Aerial Photograph 3 October 2015 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by h_fenton : The Broch of Borwick viewed from the north. Kite Aerial Photograph 3 October 2015 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by steveco : Borwick Broch HY224167. On the cliff edge Mainland Orkney.

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : The near right quadrant broch interior. Orkney HY224168

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : The tower entrance with guard cells. Orkney HY224168

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : Settlement Orkney HY224168

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : Stone fence posts leading past the broch at the top of the hill. View from south. (7th June 2015).

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : Rubble strewn broch interior from the south west. (7th June 2015).

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : Rubble and walling east of the broch. (7th June 2015).

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : Broch interior. View from north west. (7th June 2015).

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by SandyG : The broch stands on the edge of a very spectacular cliff. (7th June 2015).

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : View from Lyre Hellie on the northwards side of the Noust of Bigging inlet

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : Broch tower from Cauldrus

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : No trace to be found now - (I paraphrase) "Almost opposite to the door of the main building a pit or shaft has been sunk down to the roof of the top of a large underground cave, dry at half-tide. The margin of the top of this has been finished at ground level with large thick edgeset stones to enclose a square with each side about four feet, narrowing to roughly a yard square some 10' from the cav...

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : View from Cauldrus on the southwards side of the Noust of Bigging inlet.

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by jeffrep : Remains of Outlying Building in front of Broch o' Borwick, West Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by jeffrep : Looking South from the Broch o' Borwick, West Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by jeffrep : The Broch o' Borwick perched on a cliff above Borwick Bay, West Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by jeffrep : The Yesnaby Castle Stack Near the Broch o' Borwick, West Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. (2 comments)

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : Looking down on part of near right quadrant of broch interior. Orkney HY224168

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : The door-check inside broch tower entrance passage. Orkney HY224168

Broch of Borwick
Broch of Borwick submitted by howar : The external structure of the broch. Orkney HY224168

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"Broch of Borwick" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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3D Models of the Broch of Borwick by h_fenton on Friday, 18 December 2015
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A 3D model of the Broch of Borwick, created from a combination of ground and kite aerial photographs. Photographed October 2015.


The Broch of Borwick, Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland by hfenton on Sketchfab
Sketchfab 3D model navigation controls



Another version of the above 3D model showing the whole site.

The Broch of Borwick - whole site view by hfenton on Sketchfab
Sketchfab 3D model navigation controls

[ Reply to This ]

Re: Borwick by Anonymous on Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Appears on 1st 25" as The Bull, Bu(ll)/Bow being a large farm
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Re: Broch of Borwick by howar on Sunday, 06 September 2009
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Access to the site has been improved and it is now part of the West Coast Walk (the Viking Heaths project is out of booklets at the moment), still from Yesnaby car park - though there is as yet no signpost for the walk at this. DO NOT park on the grass
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Re: Broch of Borwick by jeffrep on Thursday, 21 February 2008
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Condition: 3
Ambience: 5
Access: 2
Accuracy:
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Re: Broch of Borwick by jeffrep on Thursday, 21 February 2008
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The Broch o' Borwick sits on a headland above Borwick Bay north of the Yesnaby area on the west coast of the West Mainland of Orkney. Approaching the broch, one passes the impressive stack known as the "Yesnaby Castle." Many theories advance a use for the broch, from a family dwelling to a territorial marker. Remnants of several outbuildings may also be found in the vicinity. It has been estimated that the broch was in use for over 1,000 years, from the first millenium B.C. to around 500-600 A.D.
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Re: Borwick by howar on Saturday, 24 April 2004
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Condition:
Ambience:
Access:
Alternative name Yescanaby.
Going down the road to Yesnaby almost instantly you realise that this is one of the routes in Orkney that has missed out on a closer look by the archaeological community, using CANMAP there seems little here but on the ground it appears jam-packed. Abundant rocky outcrops do confuse matters I suppose. If I were looking for the broch again I would try for the more direct approach from Borwick Farm. Going along the coast as I did is only for the very able bodied and definitely not when it has been chucking it down. First obstacle a barbwire fence, which fortunately at one section has a couple of lines missing. Here tou can see two lines of 'standing stone fences' intersect [see Breck spine for a fence example]. One of the fences goes across till it hugs all along the very cliff edge. Oh these standing stones are real beauties standing in sturdy big slab-lined rectangular sockets magnificently constructed. Eventually you see the broch ahead on a small headland. For most people the best thing to do would be to use a good telephoto shot from this spot (which I missed out on) and then turn back. The photo would look as if taken from a rock-steady boat to my mind. But now you descend a steep and slippery hillside and cross the stream just above the ruin in the narrow valley. Now an uphill struggle and a barbwire fence. The stile over this is of inferior modern construction - two strips of wood parallel to the fence at no distance and resting on narrow pillars. There is no gap in the fence here and my shortish legs only just scraped over. At the top of the hill entrance to the site is over a less rickety stile thank goodness. Before this standing stone fence at left there is a rectangular depression with several stones that is definitely not wall. To the front right of the broch tower there is a large area covered with stones of various sizes and conditions. Once inside the fence you can see that there is one large thin slab that appears to show a structure. The entrance to the broch tower is round to the left. In front of this are two now uncapped guard cells in plain view, the left being especially well preserved. The doorway is only preserved up to the lintel but apart from a bit of a gap there the broch continues up for several courses more. Some large stones lie on the entrance floor and make it so that you have to bend over to scramble through. Inside there are still some suggestions of structure. All the back is gone of course, and there the broch wall remains are only a couple of feet across and back onto sheer cliff. In order to obtain an overview I had to stand on this hunched back with my 28mm attached, when I just managed the shot. On going back I could see two structural holes either side of the entrance - for a bar ??
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Re: Borwick by howar on Friday, 23 April 2004
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Condition:3
Ambience:4
Access:1
Only accessible by the very physically able - you have to negotiate steep hillsides, fences, a stream and a very badly designed modern stile.
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