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Jarlshof is a multi-period settlement in Shetland, Scotland, which comprises an Iron Age broch at its core alongside extensive remains of later occupation spanning the Bronze Age through to the early modern period. The broch itself, a distinctive circular stone tower characteristic of Iron Age Scotland, forms the nucleus of the archaeological sequence at this site. Surrounding the broch are the remains of settlement structures of various periods, including secondary Iron Age roundhouses, Norse-period buildings, and later medieval and post-medieval structures, making Jarlshof an exceptionally important site for understanding Shetland's cultural continuity and change across two millennia. The site's stratified archaeological deposits have provided crucial evidence for the transition between Iron Age and Norse settlement patterns in northern Scotland.
Jarlshof, broch & settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90174. View the official record →
Jarlshof is a multi-period settlement in Shetland, Scotland, which comprises an Iron Age broch at its core alongside extensive remains of later occupation spanning the Bronze Age through to the early modern period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90174.
Jarlshof, broch & settlement dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch & settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Jarlshof, broch & settlement 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 SM90174.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Aerial View, battle headquarters 200m NE of (1 km), Old Scatness, broch and settlement SE of the Cletts (1.3 km), Ness of Burgi, promontory fort (1.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Jarlshof, broch & settlement'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.
Jarlshof, broch & settlement stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.