Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/60

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

The Picts and their Brochs

they could be removed. The original builders must have been possessed both of physical power and mechanical contrivances.

“The Broch of Ness is a very much smaller building at the head of a bay, facing the opening in the Firth. A part of the wall is still standing. I do not think it has ever been excavated.

“The broch at the end of Stourbro’ Hill has been a large building, but some of the stones lying about appear as if hewn, leading to the supposition that a house had been built in later times out of the ruins; but there is, however, no tradition of any such building.

“The ruins in the Holm of Burgawater east of Stourbro’ were torn up by Mr. Sands some years ago, with what result I do not know. It seemed a small but very ancient building, and the most conspicuous object in it was a large flat stone, supported by four posts, the whole forming a table or platform structure. On the table

53