Following on from our previous Site in Focus, which also focused on Cullingsburgh, this article gives preliminary details of the geophysical survey we did on the site under the leadership of the author.

 

On Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September 2026, a geophysical survey was carried out at the Cullingsburgh Broch Scheduled monument on Bressay by a small group of volunteers from Archaeology Shetland. This was a combined project with the Bressay History Group and was carried out in accordance with the methodology presented in the approved MMDC HES application and the SIC Burials department. Gradiometer and Earth Resistance data was acquired over five 20x20m whole-grids and two part-grids (Figure 1). The survey was designed to be sensitive to the site which includes a burial ground. Due to the large amount of rain forecast, the timing of the survey was brought forward by a day to take advantage of a drier weather window and avoid problems with the data acquisition.

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Additional challenges to the acquisition of the survey included rapid changes in elevation caused by the extant broch, obstacles caused by the walls of the burial ground and chapel as well as historical tombs and head stones (Figure 2). One part of the planned survey was not acquired (shown in white on Figure 1) on this occasion due to the overgrowth of nettles and a large stone dump covering almost the entirety of the part grid.

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Interim results of the Gradiometer and Earth Resistance survey data are very promising (Figure 3). The Earth Resistance results show high earth resistance (white) over the stoney areas of the broch and low earth resistance (darker greys) over areas of thicker soil. Red indicates the areas not surveyed. The gradiometer data shows a moderate magnetic response over the broch in line with expected results. A full report and detailed interpretation of the results will follow.

 

Additional survey on the northern, eastern and southern perimeter of the burial ground is recommended.

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Special thanks to the landowners, Historic Environment Scotland and Shetland Islands Council for permissions to survey this fascinating site, to the Archaeology Dept at the University of Aberdeen and the Bressay History Group for the loan of the geophysical equipment and to the enthusiastic group of volunteer surveyors who made this happen.