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Ballachly Broch is an Iron Age broch situated 360 metres south of Stemster in Caithness, northern Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period and comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This substantial local geology provided building material for the broch's distinctive drystone walls, which survive in a partially ruined state.
Brochs are characteristically Iron Age defensive structures found exclusively in Scotland, typically comprising a hollow-walled circular tower. The Ballachly example follows the established architectural form of these monuments, with concentric walls creating a defensive stronghold. The site's position in Caithness places it within one of the northern concentrations of broch distribution.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM520, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. The broch at Ballachly provides evidence of Iron Age settlement and social organisation in the far north of mainland Scotland, offering insight into the domestic and defensive architecture of this period.
Ballachly,broch 360m S of,Stemster is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM520. View the official record →
Ballachly Broch is an Iron Age broch situated 360 metres south of Stemster in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM520.
Ballachly,broch 360m S of,Stemster dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 360m s of,stemster. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Ballachly,broch 360m S of,Stemster 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 SM520.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rumster, broch 200m WSW of, Forse (7.2 km), Appnag Tulloch, broch (8.5 km), The Tulloch (Usshilly), broch and field system WNW of Forse House (8.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Ballachly,broch 360m S of,Stemster'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.
Ballachly,broch 360m S of,Stemster stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.