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Borgue Langwell is a broch with outworks and later settlement situated near Berriedale in Caithness, northern Scotland. The monument dates to the Iron Age, when such circular stone towers were constructed across northern Britain. The broch stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a formation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This stable geological foundation provided suitable ground for the substantial stone structure that would have dominated the local landscape.
The broch itself represents the main phase of occupation, characteristic of the first few centuries AD. The addition of outworks—defensive or boundary structures surrounding the main tower—indicates continuing investment in the settlement's fortification or organisation. These outer features would have controlled access to the broch and extended its functional territory across the hillside.
Occupation at Borgue Langwell extended well beyond the Iron Age broch period, with evidence of later settlement activity on the site. This demonstrates how prominent Iron Age monuments often remained focal points for human settlement through subsequent centuries. The site is now protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM524, recognising its importance as a multi-phase monument spanning Iron Age through to later periods.
Borgue Langwell, broch, outworks and later settlement, Berriedale is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM524. View the official record →
Borgue Langwell is a broch with outworks and later settlement situated near Berriedale in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM524.
Borgue Langwell, broch, outworks and later settlement, Berriedale dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch, outworks and later settlement, berriedale. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Borgue Langwell, broch, outworks and later settlement, Berriedale 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 SM524.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Borgue Langwell, homestead 150m NW of broch, Berriedale (0.1 km), Langwell Plantation,souterrain 130m W of Kennels (0.6 km), Langwell Tulloch, broch 400m SE of Turnal Rock (0.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Borgue Langwell, broch, outworks and later settlement, Berriedale'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.
Borgue Langwell, broch, outworks and later settlement, Berriedale stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.