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Ballone Broch is an Iron Age broch situated 360 metres north-east of Spittal in Caithness, northern Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a foundation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This geological base, typical of Caithness, has weathered over millennia to shape the moorland landscape in which the broch remains.
Brochs are distinctive Scottish Iron Age structures, circular stone towers built between roughly 100 BC and AD 100. Ballone Broch represents this remarkable building tradition, which flourished in the north and west of Scotland during a period of increasing social complexity and defensive concern. The broch's form—a hollow-walled circular tower—allowed for efficient use of stone and provided commanding views across the surrounding terrain.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM521, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. Like other Caithness brochs, Ballone would have served its community as a defensive structure, storage facility and symbol of status during the Iron Age. The site contributes to our understanding of settlement patterns and social organisation in Iron Age northern Britain.
Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM521. View the official record →
Ballone Broch is an Iron Age broch situated 360 metres north-east of Spittal in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM521.
Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 360m ne of,spittal. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal 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 SM521.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knockglass,broch E of (1.5 km), Dale Farm,broch 800m SE of (2 km), Cnoc Donn, broch 600m ESE of Dale Farm, Halkirk (2.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal'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.
Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.