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Grey Cairn is a broch situated 475 metres south-east of Lynegar in Caithness, northern Scotland. This Iron Age defensive tower stands upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period, comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. The underlying geology is typical of the Caithness landscape, providing the durable stone from which such structures were constructed.
Brochs represent the distinctive architectural form of Iron Age northern Britain, characterised by their hollow-walled circular towers. These monuments served as high-status residences and fortified structures for elite families between approximately 100 BC and AD 100. Their precise function—whether primarily defensive, residential or ceremonial—remains subject to scholarly debate, though their impressive engineering and prominent siting suggest significant social importance.
Grey Cairn is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM452, reflecting its archaeological and historical importance. The site contributes to our understanding of Iron Age settlement patterns and social organisation in far northern Scotland, where brochs are particularly numerous and represent a notable concentration of these remarkable structures within the broader prehistoric landscape.
Grey Cairn, broch 475m SE of Lynegar is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM452. View the official record →
Grey Cairn is a broch situated 475 metres south-east of Lynegar in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM452.
Grey Cairn, broch 475m SE of Lynegar dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 475m se of lynegar. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Grey Cairn, broch 475m SE of Lynegar 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 SM452.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Oslie, chambered cairn 250m S of Lynegar House (0.4 km), Green Hill Broch, 40m W of Grant Hall (1.6 km), Nether Banks, broch 220m NNE of (2.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Grey Cairn, broch 475m SE of Lynegar'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.
Grey Cairn, broch 475m SE of Lynegar stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.