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Achies Broch is an Iron Age broch situated on the gently rolling moorland of Caithness, in the far north of Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a formation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone dating to the Middle Devonian period, which provides the underlying geology of this region. Like other brochs of its type, this Iron Age tower would originally have risen several metres high, its distinctive double-walled construction providing both defensive strength and impressive visual presence across the landscape.
The broch at Achies represents a form of settlement unique to Iron Age Scotland, concentrated particularly in the north and west. These circular stone towers typically date between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD, serving as fortified domestic structures for elite households. The broch's double walls contained internal stairs and galleries, whilst the central courtyard provided sheltered space within.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM509, reflecting its importance to our understanding of Iron Age settlement patterns and building techniques in Caithness.
Achies,broch 180m E of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM509. View the official record →
Achies Broch is an Iron Age broch situated on the gently rolling moorland of Caithness, in the far north of Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM509.
Achies,broch 180m E of dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Achies,broch 180m E of is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM509.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cnoc Donn, broch 600m ESE of Dale Farm, Halkirk (1.8 km), Dale Farm,broch 800m SE of (2.1 km), St Peter's Chapel,Halkirk (2.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Achies,broch 180m E of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Achies,broch 180m E of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.