Monument record 399 - DUN BORVE, LEWIS

NB45NW 4 4185 5803.

(NB 4185 5803) Dun Bhuirg (NR)
OS 6'map, Ross-shire, 1st ed., (1852)

Dun Borve (NR) (In Ruins)
OS 6'map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1898)

In 1781 Dun Bhuirgh was a heap of ruins. The dun was circular in plan, or drystone masonry, internal diameter 30ft and with walls 11ft thick. 'There appear to have been seven bee-hive cells in the thickness of the walls' and also a large cell which was entered from the central area.
F W L Thomas 1890.

Dun Borve - broch: so much destroyed that the outline is only partly discernible. Nowhere is it more than 4ft high, and the chambers and openings in the walls are indistinct.
The plan, though generally circular, is slightly flattened at the SW, the internal diameter averages 31ft 6 ins, and the walls vary from 9ft to 10ft 6 ins in thickness. Evidence of at least six cells is visible, together with one or more galleries.
A short section of scarcement, about 20 ins above the present ground level, can be seen.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 28 June 1921.

Small sherds of kitchen-midden pottery found among shells and refuse in the wall-passage immediately above the scarcement level in Borve broch were presented to the NMAS by R B K Stevenson (HR 640-646).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1951.

Dun Borve, a broch, is as described and planned by the RCAHMS.
Revised at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (N K B) 18 June 1969.

At some point, probably during WWII according to local tradition, a length of wall on the western side of the structure has been built up to form a shore mark for seagoing vessels. This is in a dangerous condition. MML 24.5.99

Noted during Coastal Erosion Assessment 1996.

To ... the owners of the Monument known as 'Dun Borve' (broch) situated on Blar an Duin, 950 yards north-north-west of the point where the public road from Port of Ness to Bail'Ard and Borve crosses the Grundale Burn 1800 yards north-north-east of Bail'Ard Smithy, Lewis and 370 yards east-south-east from the seashore at its nearest point,
being the subjects indicated in red colour on the annexed plan and being part of the property known as South Galson Farm ...
The Commissioners ... give you notice that it is their intention to include the Monument above specified in a list of monumnets to be published by them ...
Schedule, 16.2.34

Thomas, F. W. L., 1890, Archaeol Scot, 373-4 (Bibliographic reference). SWE7756.

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 5-6, No. 11 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.

PSAS, 1948-9a, Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 245 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5065.

Burgess, Christopher & Church, Michael, 1997, Coastal Erosion Assessment, Lewis. A Report for Historic Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41000.