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Green Hill Broch is a prehistoric circular stone tower situated 40 metres west of Grant Hall in Caithness, northern Scotland. Brochs are Iron Age defensive structures characteristic of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, typically dating to between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. Built upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone conglomerate, sandstone and siltstone formed during the Devonian period, the monument exploits the natural stone resources abundant in this region.
The broch's construction would have required substantial quantities of locally quarried stone, with the underlying geology providing ready material. The site's position in Caithness places it within the densest concentration of brochs known anywhere in Britain, reflecting this area's particular importance during the Iron Age. The monument's proximity to Grant Hall situates it within the wider archaeological landscape of Caithness, where numerous other prehistoric and later settlements have been recorded.
Green Hill Broch is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland reference SM551, recognising its archaeological significance and national importance. The survival of such structures provides invaluable evidence of Iron Age settlement patterns, defensive architecture and social organisation in northern Scotland during a crucial period of prehistoric development.
Green Hill Broch, 40m W of Grant Hall is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM551. View the official record →
Green Hill Broch is a prehistoric circular stone tower situated 40 metres west of Grant Hall in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM551.
Green Hill Broch, 40m W of Grant Hall 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 SM551.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Nether Banks, broch 220m NNE of (1.5 km), Scouthal Burn,chapel & The Clow (2.6 km), Gallow Hillock, cairn on Backlass Hill (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Green Hill Broch, 40m W of Grant Hall'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.
Green Hill Broch, 40m W of Grant Hall stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.