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Golsary Broch is an Iron Age broch situated on the western bank of the Burn of Golsary within Rumster Forest, Caithness. Brochs are distinctive hollow-walled circular stone towers characteristic of Iron Age Scotland, concentrated in the north and west. This example stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a mixed conglomerate and sandstone formation laid down in the Middle Devonian period, which would have provided the stone for its construction and offered a stable foundation on the relatively level forest ground near the burn.
The monument's proximity to the Burn of Golsary reflects the strategic placement typical of broch settlements, ensuring access to fresh water. The surrounding landscape of Rumster Forest in Caithness places it within the heartland of broch distribution in the far north of mainland Scotland, an area of significant Iron Age settlement and cultural development. The presence of running water and timber resources from the forest would have been essential assets for an Iron Age community.
Golsary Broch is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM550, recognising its archaeological and historical importance as a survivingstructure from Scotland's Iron Age. The broch represents a distinctive form of domestic and defensive architecture unique to Atlantic Scotland, and its survival on the banks of Golsary Burn contributes to understanding Iron Age settlement patterns in the far north.
Golsary, broch on W bank of Burn of Golsary, Rumster Forest is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM550. View the official record →
Golsary Broch is an Iron Age broch situated on the western bank of the Burn of Golsary within Rumster Forest, Caithness. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM550.
Golsary, broch on W bank of Burn of Golsary, Rumster Forest dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch on w bank of burn of golsary, rumster forest. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Golsary, broch on W bank of Burn of Golsary, Rumster Forest 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 SM550.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Latheronwheel House,promontory fort 1100m SE of (5.7 km), Latheronwheel House, long cairn 850m SE of (5.7 km), Latheronwheel House,chambered cairn 580m SE of (5.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Golsary, broch on W bank of Burn of Golsary, Rumster Forest'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.
Golsary, broch on W bank of Burn of Golsary, Rumster Forest stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.