CLICKIMIN BROCH HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE. Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC232

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1 Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC232 Designations: Scheduled Monument (SM90077) Taken into State care: 1888 (Guardianship) Last reviewed: 2015 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE CLICKIMIN BROCH 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 CLICKIMIN BROCH SYNOPSIS Clickimin (or Clickhimin) Broch is situated on a low grassy promontory projecting into the Loch of Clickimin, located beside the A970 about 1 mile south of the centre of Lerwick. When the site was first exploited by humans, in the early first millennium BC, the Loch of Clickimin was an arm of the sea, not an inland loch. The site is a complex archaeological monument with physical remains reaching from the later Bronze Age through the Iron Age into Pictish times (from c.1000 BC to c. AD 500). These remains comprise, in chronological order, a farmstead, a ring-fort, a blockhouse, a broch (subsequently converted into a wheelhouse ), and a number of later, more flimsy houses built into the ruins. At the inner end of the stone causeway that led to the later site is a curious stone slab with the outlines of two footprints carved into it, possibly of Pictish origin. The site was excavated in the mid-1950s by John Hamilton for the Ministry of Works (who also excavated at Jarlshof) and a sequence of development of the monument established. This has since been questioned and alternative interpretations proposed. The dating of the various elements is also a matter of debate because Hamilton s excavations were carried out without the benefit of scientific dating techniques. The property was taken into State care in 1888, making it one of the first to be afforded such protection following the passing of the first Ancient Monuments Act in CHARACTER OF THE MONUMENT Historical Overview: later Bronze Age (c. 8 th /7 th -century BC) a farmstead is established on a low promontory projecting into the Loch of Clickimin, then a sea loch. The farmstead comprises a small stone-built house with an outbuilding attached, standing within a walled enclosure. c. 500 BC a storm beach is created to the SE of the site, cutting it off from the sea and raising the water level in the now landlocked loch. There are indications that a large roundhouse perhaps replaces the original farmstead. early Iron Age (c BC) - the site is strongly fortified by the erection of a ring-fort with a shallow ditch beyond it across the landward approach. The fort is lived in for a considerable period and frequently repaired and modified. middle Iron Age (c. 200 BC AD 200) an attempt is made to upgrade the defences. A large masonry blockhouse (a rectangular, free-standing multistorey structure with central entrance passage and internal cells) is erected immediately inside the entrance into the ring-fort. This is shortly followed by the construction of a broch behind it, entered through a low, narrow passage. later Iron Age (c. 3 rd 5 th century AD) the broch is abandoned as a defence and a wheelhouse is built inside it. This too is abandoned in time and other, more flimsy, houses are built across the site, partly dug into the ruins. The stone causeway leading to the site may also date to this time, suggesting that the water level in the Loch of Clickimin has risen. Immediately in front of 1/8

3 the ring-fort entrance, at the end of the causeway, is a stone with two footprints carved into it, possibly associated with some form of inauguration ceremony the site is investigated by members of the Shetland Literary Society. Not only do they excavate the upper levels of the broch and partially clear out structures within the ring-fort, they also carry out some restoration work the water level in the Loch of Clickimin is lowered, resulting in the island site becoming a promontory once again the monument s owner, Eliza Nicholson, entrusts the property into State care, one of the first to be afforded such protection since the passing of the first Ancient Monuments Act in archaeological excavations, directed by John Hamilton (also the excavator of Jarlshof) for the Ministry of Works, are carried out at the site in an attempt to establish a better understanding of the complex remains. Archaeological Overview Much, but not all, of the site has been excavated, to a greater or lesser extent, in the 19 th and 20 th centuries. Records for some of this work are partial or non-existent. 19 th -century excavations We know very little about the diggings carried out by the Shetland Literary Society in , other than that they excavated the upper levels of the broch interior and partially cleared out structures within the ring-fort, all it would seem without detailed archaeological recording. (These same gentlemen of Lerwick also carried out some restoration work, again without any recording done.) 20 th -century excavations Apparently there was further exploration of the site in but no record exists as to what was done or found. Undoubtedly the most important archaeological excavations were carried out between 1953 and 1957 by John Hamilton, for the Ministry of Works, for these established the currently-held chronological development of the site. Until the recent, and still on-going, excavations at Old Scatness, near Sumburgh, the structural sequences established by Hamilton at both Clickimin and Jarlshof have provided the baseline for other Shetland Late Bronze-Age/Iron-Age settlements. Hamilton s sequence of development is as follows: (a) late Bronze Age a small stone-built house, with two side-chambers, and an attached outbuilding, is built within a walled enclosure; (b) early Iron Age a ring-work, consisting of a stout masonry-faced subcircular walled enclosure and measuring c. 40 m across, is built around the Bronze-Age house. Lean-to wooden buildings are erected against its inner face. A shallow ditch is dug across the narrow isthmus to its south. The fort is lived in for a considerable time, and is frequently repaired and modified. (c) middle Iron Age a blockhouse (see Architectural/Artistic Overview below) is erected a short distance inside the ring-fort s entrance. Shortly 2/8

4 after, a major sub-circular masonry structure is built within the remainder of the ring-fort. This is abandoned incomplete and its base used as the foundation for a broch (see Architectural/Artistic Overview). (d) later Iron Age the broch is abandoned and a wheelhouse is built within the ruined walls. As time goes by, even this is abandoned and the entire site is covered with a succession of smaller, more flimsy, houses, partly dug into the ruins. Unfortunately, there are no scientific dates for Clickimin. As a result, Hamilton s structural sequence has subsequently been questioned by archaeologists, particularly the relationship between the blockhouse and broch. So too has Hamilton s use of parallels in Irish heroic literature to provide a social context for the blockhouse. It is now believed that the sequence of development may have been simpler than Hamilton proposed, and his suggestion that the blockhouse pre-dated the broch is now in question. Artefacts Several artefacts have come from the site and are now in the National Museums of Scotland. Eg. A Bronze-Age fine, highly polished stone knives/querns/unusual pottery from Orkney. Undoubtedly the most unusual artefact is a curious stone slab that sits across the stone causeway on the south side of the site. It is presumed to be of later Iron Age or Pictish date. Elsewhere in Celtic Europe such stones are traditionally associated with kingship, such as that at Dunadd, in Argyll, ancient capital of the Scots, but there is no such tradition associated with the Clickimin stone. (Note: the stone may not necessarily be in situ.) Conclusions Hamilton deliberately left parts of the site unexcavated, and these may have the potential to shed further light on its development, and perhaps more importantly provide material for scientific dating. However, there is no doubt that these pockets are extremely precious and should only be made accessible to extremely well designed research programmes. The perimeter of the site, by contrast, seems to have been little explored and must have huge potential for the recovery of waterlogged deposits with their rich organic remains. This area may also hold the key to the development of the loch from being an arm of the sea to an inland water. Architectural/Artistic Overview: During the years the site was inhabited, numerous structures were built. These varied from the relatively small (ie, the houses and lean-tos) to more substantial structures (ie, the blockhouse and broch). Of the former, little can usefully be said as they survive now largely as low footings. However, the blockhouse and broch survive to a considerable degree, to the extent that we can usefully discuss their architectural merits. 3/8

5 The blockhouse The term blockhouse was coined by Hamilton himself to describe the structure he found at Clickimin, sited immediately inside the entrance into the ring-fort. Measuring c.13m long and 3m thick, it is a slightly arced rectangular, freestanding, multi-storeyed drystone structure with a central entrance passage and intra-mural cells. Both its external and internal wall faces are battered (sloped). The entrance passage is rebated for a wooden door secured by a drawbar, and the inside face has a scarcement that presumably supported a wooden structure built against it. Clickimin s blockhouse is well-nigh unique, for only three similar structures are known to exist, all in Shetland - Loch of Huxter (Whalsay); and two very close to each other at the southern tip of the Shetland Islands, Ness of Burgi and Scatness and another, yet to be proven, at Burgi Geos (Yell). Their function remains unclear. Hamilton saw the structure as a stand-alone fortified gatehouse of an invading chieftain s force creating a beachhead in southern Shetland. More recent notions have attempted to downplay the defensive aspect, suggesting that, although it clearly had a defensive function, the blockhouse may have had more to do with projecting an image of social exclusivity and power. One authority (Hingley) has even proposed a use in ritualised warfare. The dating of blockhouses is also open to debate. Hamilton saw them as an early form of fortification, ancestral to brochs. However, the balance of evidence, including from recent excavation at Scatness blockhouse (Carter et al), favours the idea that blockhouses and brochs were broadly contemporary. Whatever the case, there is no doubt that Clickimin s blockhouse is a quite exceptional survival from Scotland s Iron Age. The broch This circular structure is large, c.20m in diameter externally and 10m internally, and built of roughly coursed drystone masonry. Its external wall face is battered and the structure still stands over 5m high. Its original height is open to question, but given its overly thick base (up to 6.5m) a tower in excess of 10m high would seem reasonable. Access is through a low, narrow passage, with evidence for a timber door-frame, similar to the one in the blockhouse. The broch wall has the typical oval cells at ground level, and galleries and stairway above. Brochs are a form of roundhouse found almost exclusively in northern and western Scotland. They belong to what is known by archaeologists as the Atlantic Roundhouse tradition, with origins (in northern Scotland so far only) in massive simple roundhouses (c BC in date) and more widespread, complex roundhouses (c BC). The taller brochs seem to appear c. 200 BC, reaching a peak in the first centuries BC and AD. Many seem to continue in use well into the first millennium AD, usually after structural modifications. 4/8

6 Next to Mousa Broch, Clickimin Broch is the finest surviving of the 70 or so examples known in Shetland, and among the best in Scotland. Social Overview: Clickimin Broch is a valued heritage attraction in Shetland. The site is close to Lerwick in fact, the recent spread of the island s capital means that the property is effectively now part of Lerwick. The site seems not as yet to play any social role in the life of the community other than its heritage role, possibly related to the dearth of parking provision at the site. However, the proximity to urban settlement means that the site does suffer from relatively minor, but on-going, vandalism. Spiritual Overview: There is growing evidence that the house in prehistoric society, including the broch form, played an important part in the spiritual life of the community, and that the design closely reflected the inhabitants view of the world (cosmology). Most archaeologists agree that religious belief was not divorced from the domestic sphere, although we still have much more to learn. Whilst it has been argued that Shetland s blockhouses were built chiefly for defensive purposes, this notion has recently been contested. Hingley, for example, writes that blockhouses appear to project an outward image of defensibility without being strictly defensible, and suggests rather that they may have been built as platforms for ritualised warfare or display, rather than real conflict. The footprint stone may well have played a central part in the inauguration ceremony of a new leader, symbolising the spiritual relationship between the new king and the land and its subjects. There is no evidence that Clickimin Broch currently fulfils any spiritual role. Aesthetic Overview The open setting of the monument has been severely compromised over the past half century as the town of Lerwick has expanded southward and all but enclosed the Loch of Clickimin. However, the views of the broch from the south (the direction visitors approach it) are mostly unencumbered by suburban clutter, and provide visitors with a glimpse of something approaching the original setting of the site. The site itself is neat and tidy (perhaps too neat and tidy for some). The property is generally not overly busy at any one time, and it is a joy to be able to stroll about the site and inspect the assortment of ruined structures at leisure, with the gentle inland water of the Loch of Clickimin providing a peaceful backdrop. 5/8

7 What are the major gaps in understanding of the property? What precisely did the Shetland Literary Society and other gentlemen of Lerwick do at the site in the way of archaeological exploration and monument conservation? There may be documentation surviving (in the Shetland Archives perhaps) that could shed fascinating light on the antiquarian history of the site, which seems to have done much to contribute towards its present appearance. What remains to be discovered at the site and its immediate surroundings? Hamilton s 1950s excavations have produced almost as many questions as answers, particularly in regard to the sequence of construction. Further excavation could clarify some of the areas of uncertainty, particularly if deposits capable of being scientifically dated are recovered. When did the Loch of Clickimin cease to be a sea loch, and what happened to the water levels thereafter? A detailed examination of the hydrography of the loch is required, to aid our understanding of the site s development. ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Key Points The property demonstrates an extended time depth with origins in the Bronze Age and occupation continuing through the Iron Age and into the Pictish era. For such a constrained site, its sequence of development is extraordinarily complex, with a range of surviving prehistoric settlement and building forms. The blockhouse is the best-preserved example of an extremely rare type of Iron-Age structure that to date has only been found in Shetland. The monument type is imperfectly understood but appears to relate to other hollowwalled structures found in north and west Scotland. The broch is one of the best surviving examples of a very unusual and sophisticated Iron-Age building type that is unique to Scotland. Together with Mousa Broch, it ranks amongst the best-preserved remains of prehistoric architecture in Europe. Despite having been extensively excavated in the 1950s, the entire site, including its hinterland and the adjacent loch, has much archaeological potential still remaining that could resolve many of the questions arising, not least the chronological relationship between the blockhouse and broch. The inauguration footprint, if that is what it be, is a rare and fascinating survival of the ceremonial rites associated with the bestowal of kingship in prehistoric/proto-historic times. The monument was among the first to be afforded protection under the first Ancient Monuments Act of Associated Properties (other similar multi-phased sites in Shetland) East Shore Broch (Mainland); Jarlshof; Old Scatness (Mainland) (other known or possible (?) blockhouses) Burgi Geos (Yell)?; Loch of Huxter (Whalsay); Ness of Burgi; Scatness, Sumburgh 6/8

8 (some other well-preserved Shetland brochs) Broch of Burland (Mainland); Broch of Culswick (Mainland); Burra Ness (Yell); Clumlie (Mainland); Jarlshof; Levenwick (Mainland); Mousa; Old Scatness (other brochs in Historic Scotland s care) Carn Liath (Caithness); Dun Beag (Skye); Dun Carloway (Lewis); Dun Dornaigil (Sutherland); Dun Telve & Dun Troddan (Glenelg); Edin s Hall (Berwicks); Gurness (Orkney); Jarlshof; Midhowe (Orkney) (other places in Scotland/Ireland with inauguration footprint stones) Burwick, S. Ronaldsay (Orkney); Clonmacnoise (Co Offaly); Coolineagh (Co Cork); Dunadd; Southend (Argyll); Templemore (Co Londonderry) Keywords: Bronze Age; Iron Age; Pictish era; farmhouse; ring fort ; blockhouse; broch; wheelhouse ; footprint slab; John Hamilton Selected Bibliography: Armit, I., Towers in the North: the Brochs of Scotland (London, 2003) Carter, S P, McCullagh, R P J & MacSween, A., The Iron Age in Scotland> excavation at five sites threatened by coastal erosion, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. 125 (Edinburgh, 1995) Crawford, I., The wheelhouse, in Ballin Smith, B & Banks, I (eds)., In the Shadow of the Brochs: the Iron Age in Scotland (Tempus, Stroud, 2002) Fojut, N., How did we end up here? Shetland Iron Age Studies to 1995, in Nicholson, R A & Dockrill, S J (eds)., Old Scatness Broch, Shetland: Retrospect and Prospect. Bradford Archaeological Sciences Research Report 5 (Bradford, 1998) Fojut, N., A Guide to Prehistoric and Viking Shetland (Lerwick, 1986) Fojut, N & Pringle, D., The Ancient Monuments of Shetland (Historic Scotland, Edinburgh, 2004) Gifford, J., The Buildings of Scotland: Highlands and Islands (Penguin, London, 1992) Hamilton, J R C., Excavations at Clickimin, Shetland (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1968) Hingley, R., Society in Scotland from 700 BC to AD 200, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. 122 (Edinburgh, 1992) 7/8

9 Mackie, E W., The Roundhouses, Brochs and Wheelhouses of Atlantic Scotland c. 700 BC AD 500: Architecture and Material Culture. Part 1 The Orkney and Shetland Isles British Archaeological Reports, British Series, 342 (Oxford, 2002) RCAHMS., Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Orkney and Shetland. 3 vols (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1946) 8/8