Structures N, S and P

Parts of other buildings that certainly, or possibly, date to the period when the broch was occupied (Phase 3) have been encountered elsewhere on site.
Plan of The Cairns Excavation

Parts of other buildings that certainly, or possibly, date to the period when the broch was occupied (Phase 3) have been encountered elsewhere on site. Structures N and S sit to the north-east of the broch and are curvilinear buildings of well-built masonry.

•  Structure S certainly hosted iron-working late in its life, as well as later on when infilled and abandoned more ironworking occurred over and immediately outside the building. In future seasons of excavation, we will explore whether this structure had a workshop role during its heyday in the Middle Iron Age.

•  Structure P lies to the south-east of the east-facing broch entrance and is currently represented by a truncated cellular feature constructed partly of coursed masonry and partly of upright slabs. It has been reworked and incorporated in the Phase 6 souterrain and more work will reveal the fuller extent of P in the future. It may well belong to a larger building, a southern counterpart to Structure O, taking up position just outside the broch entrance.