Dun Grugaig (or Caisteal Chonil) is a D-shaped

dun Dun most commonly refers to: *Dun gene, which produces a brownish-gray color (dun) in horses and other Equidae * Dun (fortification), an ancient or medieval fort Dun or DUN may also refer to: Places Scotland * Dun, Angus, a civil parish in ...

, or "semi-

broch In archaeology, a broch is an British Iron Age, Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found in Scotland. Brochs belong to the classification "complex Atlantic roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s. Brochs are round ...

", located about 7 kilometres southeast of the village of

Glenelg, Highland Glenelg (, also ''Gleann Eilg'') is a scattered community area and civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish in the Lochalsh area of Highland council area, Highland in western Scotland. The main village is called Kirkton of Glenelg and commonly ...

, in Scotland ().

Location

Dun Grugaig stands on the north bank of the Abhainn a’Ghlaine Bhig, in the upper reaches of Gleann Beag. It is in the same valley as the two Glenelg brochs of

Dun Telve Dun Telve () is an British Iron Age, iron-age broch located about southeast of Kirkton, the main village of the community of Glenelg, Highland, Glenelg, Inverness-shire in the Highland Region of Scotland. It is one of the best preserved brochs ...

and

Dun Troddan Dun Troddan () is an iron-age broch located about southeast of the village of Kirkton,Glenelg, Highland, in Scotland. It is one of the best-preserved brochs in Scotland. Location Dun Troddan () stands on a level rock platform north of the Abha ...

. Unlike those two brochs which are in the valley close to flat ground, Dun Grugaig is situated on rugged rising ground. It should not be confused with the broch known as Caisteal Grugaig a few miles to the north.

Description

Dun Grugaig is a D-shaped fortification (

) of a type commonly regarded as a prototype

or "semi-broch". It was built with the straight side of the fort facing the edge of the precipice on the east. It measures about 17 by 12 metres. It has the hollow-wall construction which is characteristic of later brochs. The partly lintelled southeast doorway appears to be the main entrance into the building; there is a second entrance at the west end of the wall. The interior is full of rubble. Three doorways can be seen in the inner wallface. Traces of an upper intramural gallery can be seen on the high wallhead on the south side.

History

Dun Grugaig has not been excavated. The earliest record of the broch seems to be by Alexander Gordon in 1720 who refers to a 'Castle Chonil' in the east part of the glen and as being distinct from the other two brochs. The first modern survey was conducted by Henry Dryden in 1871.

References

External links

{{Coord, 57.183555, -5.556823, display=title Archaeological sites in Highland (council area) Brochs Scheduled monuments in Highland