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Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, is a broch situated in Caithness, Scotland, in the vicinity of Berriedale Water. This Iron Age stone tower represents one of Scotland's most distinctive prehistoric fortified structures, dating to the period between roughly 100 BC and AD 100. Brochs are circular drystone towers unique to Iron Age Scotland, characterised by hollow-walled construction and typically standing between 12 and 15 metres tall, though much of this monument's original height is now lost.
The site is built upon quartzite bedrock of the Moine Supergroup, ancient metamorphic stone formed during the Neoproterozoic era. This durable local geology provided the stone for the broch's construction and would have made the tower a formidable landmark visible across the surrounding landscape. The Berriedale Water valley location offered strategic advantage and proximity to fresh water, typical considerations for broch placement in northern Scotland.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM526, recognising its significance as a rare surviving example of Iron Age monumental architecture. Such towers likely served as defended homesteads or places of refuge, combining practical shelter with a powerful statement of status and authority within Iron Age Caithness communities.
Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, broch, Berriedale Water is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM526. View the official record →
Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, is a broch situated in Caithness, Scotland, in the vicinity of Berriedale Water. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM526.
Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, broch, Berriedale Water dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a or borgue roy, broch, berriedale water. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, broch, Berriedale Water 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 SM526.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Langwell Castle or Achastle,230m E of Langwell House (5.8 km), Langwell House,cairn 400m SW of,Berriedale (6.1 km), Berriedale Castle (6.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, broch, Berriedale Water'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.
Burg Ruaidh, or Borgue Roy, broch, Berriedale Water stands on Moine Supergroup, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is quartzite.