SPITTAL HISTORY
|
|
SPITTAL HISTORY |
THE IRON AGE
The oldest remaining sign of habitation in the Spittal area are the brochs, or Pict's Houses as they are known locally, dating from the Iron Age some 2,000 years ago. These would have been used for protection from unfriendly neighbours, or more likely, invaders from outside the area.
|
|
Each broch would have several dwellings clustered round it with all the families making use of the broch. |
|
Originally these drystone towers would have stood around 20 metres high, but now only low mounds of earth and stones remain. |
|
Four mounds can still be seen around Spittal, all within walking distance of one another. There is no record of any having been excavated Though some have obviously been dug into.
From around the same time, close to the broch remains at Spittal Mains is another mound which is all that is left of a short-horned chambered cairn, and near the Mybster broch is a stone burial cist. Several more of these were supposedly found near the Toftingal broch but no evidence can be found now.
