DUN CARLOWAY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE. Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC288

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1 Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC288 Designations: Scheduled Monument (SM90110) Taken into State care: 1887 (Guardianship) Last reviewed: 2004 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE DUN CARLOWAY We continually revise our Statements of Significance, so they may vary in length, format and level of detail. While every effort is made to keep them up to date, they should not be considered a definitive or final assessment of our properties. Historic Environment Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC Principal Office: Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH

2 Historic Environment Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC Principal Office: Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH

3 DUN CARLOWAY SYNOPSIS Dun Carloway (Dùn Chàrlabhaigh) is prominently set on a rocky knoll just south of the modern township of Carloway (Carlabagh) along the A858 on the west side of Lewis. It is accessed from a small visitor centre, managed by Urras nan Tursachan, along a short path through rough grazings. The property comprises a remarkably-well preserved broch tower of later prehistoric (Iron Age) date. Despite the ravages of time it remains the tallest surviving broch tower in the Western Isles, standing to c. 9m high. The site was taken into State care in 1887, one of the earliest properties to be so protected. CHARACTER OF THE MONUMENT Historical Overview: Iron Age at some stage in the later Iron Age (perhaps the 1 st century BC) the broch tower is erected. Its monumental size suggests it was built by a local leader of considerable status. c. AD 500 archaeological evidence indicates that the broch is still in use, with a ground-floor cell being used to make pottery. c archaeological evidence shows occupation of the broch. c the abandoned broch is reportedly used as a shelter by the Morisons of Ness after being caught red-handed rustling cattle frm the lands of the local Macaulay clan. They retire inside and block the entrance, only to be smoked out by Donald Cam Macaulay, who climbs the wall and throws down burning heather. 1870s a respectable looking family is recorded as living in the ground flat the broch is one of the very first legally protected scheduled ancient monuments, following the passing into law of the first Ancient Monuments Act. Five years later (1887) the broch is formally taken into State care during the course of masonry consolidation, an archaeological investigation is carried out in one of the ground-floor cells. Evidence for re-use or re-occupation in medieval times is discovered. [The blackhouses below the broch are still in use as homes.] 1998 Urras nan Tursachan (Standing Stones Trust), established to promote and strengthen pride in the deep past of the outer Hebrides, builds a visitor centre the Doune Broch Centre/Ionad an Dùin Mhòir - beside Dùn Chàrlabhaigh. Archaeological Overview: Archaeological excavation work, directed by Chris Tabraham for the Ministry of Public Building and Works, was carried out in 1972, during masonry conservation of the broch tower. The work was confined to one of the groundfloor cells and revealed that the cramped space was being used for light industrial use, most probably pottery manufacture, around AD 500. At least three superimposed hearths were found. The best hearth, formed of flat 1/5

4 stones, was accompanied by a clay feature and drain, presumably for holding water. A similar hearth and water-holding feature was excavated at Calf of Eday (Orkney).The large amount of pottery sherds recovered were broadly similar to examples found at A Cheardach Mhor, Drimore (S. Uist), and dated to the 5 th -7 th centuries AD. A dump of molluscs near the top of the deposits was scientifically dated to c This work demonstrated that the broch tower still retains archaeological potential, even though the interior had been cleared of debris soon after coming into State care. The area immediately beyond the broch has not been studied, but it may well contain archaeological evidence pertaining to the primary occupation of the broch tower and its subsequent re-use into later medieval times. Architectural/Artistic Overview: Dun Carloway is one of the best preserved of Scotland s broch towers. Lieut- General Pitt Rivers, the first Inspector of Ancient Monuments, in 1882 described it thus: Next to Mousa, the most perfect of the Pictish towers. The broch still stands over 9m high, close to its original height. The collapse of part of its wall provides an excellent cross-section showing the typical doubleskinned wall with two tiers of internal galleries, formed by flat slabs which also serve to tie the wall together. As with all brochs the plan is circular. The interior of the broch retains evidence for: (1) its single entrance doorway (very low and with an equally low cell off its right side); (2) two ground-floor cells); (3) a third ground-floor cell giving access to the stone stair that corkscrews up between the outer and inner wall skins; (4) a stone scarcement, or ledge, about 2m above the ground, and two upper galleries within the wall thickness. All the surviving broch towers share most of these characteristics. (Dun Carloway is representative of those brochs with ground-floor cells, as distinct from those with solid bases.) They belong to what archaeologists call the Atlantic roundhouse tradition, with origins (in northern Scotland so far only) in massive simple roundhouses (dating c BC) and more widespread, complex Atlantic roundhouses (dating c BC). Dating these highly developed broch towers, the ultimate expression of this roundhouse form, is proving problematic, but they seem to appear c. 200 BC, with occupation peaking around the 1 st -2 nd centuries AD, and sometimes continuing into the middle of the 1 st millennium AD, as seems to have been the case at Dun Carloway. Brochs are unique to Scotland. Atlantic roundhouses are difficult to classify in the absence of archaeological excavation and because they have usually lost their upper levels, but the best estimate is that there may be 500 examples in Scotland, of which less than 100 fall into the category of broch towers. Of 2/5

5 these, the vast majority lie in the Northern and Western Highlands, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland. Dun Carloway is one of only five such towers (all now in State care) that survive to anywhere near their original height. Because all that survives of these broch towers is the tower itself, there is considerable debate about how the interior accommodation was arranged and what form the roof took. This makes brochs such fascinating structures, inviting more questions than answers. For example, where was the principal accommodation? It used to be argued that this was at ground level, but the latest theory is that this was on the first floor, and supported on the stone scarcement. The patch of raised bedrock in the ground floor at Dun Carloway is one of the possible indicators of this layout, hinting that the ground level was for storage only, including beasts in the winter (helping to provide warmth throughout the building in much the same way that the later blackhouses did). Broch towers seem to have been replaced as the main house type by wheelhouses, so-called because of their distinctive floor plan - the circular interior being divided up by a series of regularly-spaced radial piers (like the spokes of a wheel). Wheelhouses have recently been excavated, and a replica built, at Bosta, Great Bernera. One theory for the relatively short life of the broch is that their construction consumed a great deal of structural timber, a material in short supply in the Western and Northern Isles. Social Overview: Dun Carloway is an important and much-valued built heritage attraction in the Isle of Lewis, and its image is used widely to promote tourism in the Western Isles. The broch was appreciated for what it was, one of the best preserved in Scotland, following the passing of the first Ancient Monuments Act in 1882 and taken into State care five years later. The State s primary function was to stabilise the ruin and enable safe public access. Community interest in promoting and presenting the broch to visitors took off relatively recently, following the creation in 1995 of Urras nan Tursachan (Standing Stones Trust), the trust responsible for building and managing the Visitor Centre beside the Calanais Standing Stones. In 1998 the Trust created a small visitor centre and car-park close by the broch, and formed a new access path to it. Other than its role as a major visitor attraction, Dun Carloway seems to play no other social role. Spiritual Overview: Our knowledge of brochs, and how they were used in antiquity, is hazy, and it is not known if Dun Carloway played any role in ancient beliefs or philosophies. There is growing evidence that prehistoric architecture may have been inspired in some way by spiritual beliefs but we still have much to learn here. The broch seems not to play any current spiritual role. 3/5

6 Aesthetic Overview Dun Carloway is a visually stunning ancient monument set amid a rugged, evocative landscape. Its image is frequently used in books and as a vehicle for promoting the heritage (built and natural) in the Western Isles. From most angles as one approaches it, good views may be had of the property, without the intrusion of modern buildings. The now ruined blackhouses at the foot of the hill below the broch add to the ready appreciation of the time-depth of settlement here. Because only one third of the broch survives almost to its full height, the feel of the interior courtyard is a trifle disappointing. However, this is compensated by the atmosphere inspired by the darkened spaces of the ground-floor cells and stair-well. The views out from the wall-head 9m above the ground afford fine views out over the surrounding rugged landscape, and particularly westward out over Loch an Duin and East Loch Roag to the distant Flannan Isles. [Note: there is currently no visitor access to the wall-head because of safety considerations.] What are the major gaps in understanding of the property? When was the broch built, and for whom? The potential exists for further archaeological work, both inside and around the broch, but the clearance of rubble from the interior reduces that potential considerably. It may be that only excavation elsewhere, on other largely undisturbed brochs (eg, Dun Dornaigil), will furnish answers. What was the broch used for in later centuries, and for how long? Here too archaeological investigation may cast further light, but a closer study of written records may be more rewarding. ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Key Points Dun Carloway is one of the most outstanding surviving examples of a broch a very unusual and sophisticated type of later prehistoric (Iron Age) settlement that is unique to Scotland, and among the best preserved prehistoric architecture in Europe. Brochs are the best preserved Iron-Age buildings of any sort in the Western Isles. The wonderful cross-section provided by Dun Carloway broch makes it one of the best examples to examine and appreciate the architectural sophistication of our Iron Age forebears The broch is visually stunningly and set within a rugged, evocative landscape environment. The opening of the new visitor centre beside the broch is a great example of the co-operation between the State sector (preservation) and the local community (promotion and presentation). 4/5

7 Associated Properties (some other brochs and duns in Lewis) Dùn Borve, Borve; Dùn Loch an Dùin, Shader; Dùn Loch an Dùna, Bragar; Dùn Bharabhat, Great Bernera; Dùn Bharabhat, Cnip; Loch na Berie, Cnip (other brochs and duns in Historic Scotland s care) Carn Liath; Clickhimin; Dun Beag; Dun Dornaigil; Dun Telve; Dun Troddan; Edin s Hall Broch; Gurness Broch; Jarlshof; Midhowe Broch; Mousa Broch; Ness of Burgi; Torr a Chaisteal Keywords: broch tower; Atlantic roundhouse; complex roundhouse; Iron Age; secondary occupation; Clan Morison; Clan Macaulay Selected Bibliography: Armit, I., Beyond the Brochs (Edinburgh University Press, 1990) Armit, I., The Archaeology of Skye and the Western Isles (Edinburgh University Press, 1996) Armit, I., Celtic Scotland (Batsford, London, 1997) Armit, I & Fojut, N., Dùn Chàrlabhaigh and the Hebridean Iron Age (Urras nan Tursachan Ltd, Stornoway, 1998) Calder, C S T., Excavation of Iron Age dwellings on the Calf of Eday in Orkney, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 73 (Edinburgh, ) Fojut, N, Pringle, D & Walker, B., The Ancient Monuments of the Western Isles (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1994) RCAHMS., Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1928) Tabraham, C & Close-Brooks, J., Excavations at Dun Carloway broch, Isle of Lewis, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 108 (Edinburgh, ) Young, A N & Richardson, K M., A Cheardach Mhor, Drimore, S Uist, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 93 (Edinburgh, ) 5/5