Scheduled MonumentsScotlandDun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye
Iron Age · Broch, buildings and rig & furrow, skye

Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye

Scotland
HES SM913
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Broch, buildings and rig & furrow, skye
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Dun Gearymore is a broch situated in Inverness-shire on the Isle of Skye, built upon bedrock of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—ancient mafic lavas and tuffs that form the underlying geology of this part of the island. Brochs are distinctive Iron Age fortified structures unique to Scotland, typically comprising a hollow-walled circular tower with internal galleries and stairs. This example survives as a substantial monument alongside associated buildings, reflecting the settlement pattern and defensive architecture of the period.

The site occupies terrain shaped by Skye's volcanic geology, the dark stone of the surrounding landscape matching the material available for construction. The presence of rig and furrow cultivation patterns across the monument's vicinity indicates that medieval or later agricultural use followed the Iron Age occupation, a common pattern on Scottish islands where earlier settlements became integrated into evolving land management systems.

Dun Gearymore is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland reference SM913, recognising its significance as an archaeological site. The broch and its associated structures provide evidence of Iron Age settlement, defensive practices and social organisation in the Hebrides, whilst the agricultural remains demonstrate continuity of landscape use across different historical periods.

Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM913. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye?

Dun Gearymore is a broch situated in Inverness-shire on the Isle of Skye, built upon bedrock of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—ancient mafic lavas and tuffs that form the underlying geology of this part of the island. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM913.

What period does Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye date from?

Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch, buildings and rig & furrow, skye. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye?

Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye 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 SM913.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Unish House,house,outbuildings and steading (1.1 km), Dun Borrafiach, broch, Waternish (1.1 km), Trumpan Church, burial ground and 'Priest's Stone', Hallin (3.8 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye

Dun Gearymore, broch, buildings and rig & furrow, Skye stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.