© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland
Coldoch is a broch, a distinctive Iron Age circular stone tower that stands in Perthshire, central Scotland. Built on bedrock of the Strathmore Group, predominantly sandstone interspersed with conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone, the monument exemplifies the architectural sophistication of Iron Age communities in northern Britain. Brochs typically date from around the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD, featuring characteristic hollow-walled construction and a single entrance passage.
The tower rises from a landscape formed during the Emsian period, when these sedimentary deposits were laid down. The local geology would have provided readily accessible stone for construction, and the consolidated sandstone bedrock offered stable foundations for the substantial stone structure. The walls of brochs were built with internal and external skins of stone, with a cavity between them, creating remarkably strong yet efficient structures that could reach heights of up to 15 metres.
Coldoch is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument, reference SM1593. Like other surviving brochs, it represents a significant achievement in Iron Age building technique and provides evidence for the social organisation and defensive practices of communities in Pictish-controlled territories. The broch remains a tangible link to Scotland's prehistoric past and the ingenuity of those who constructed these formidable structures.
Coldoch, broch is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1593. View the official record →
Coldoch is a broch, a distinctive Iron Age circular stone tower that stands in Perthshire, central Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1593.
Coldoch, broch 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.
Coldoch, broch 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 SM1593.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craighead Lodge,mound 100m NW of (0.6 km), East Coldoch, enclosure and ring ditch 200m NNW of (0.8 km), Craighead,palisaded enclosure 400m WNW of (1.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Coldoch, broch'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.
Coldoch, broch stands on Strathmore Group, bedrock that formed in the Emsian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.