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Kirk Tofts is a broch situated near Keiss in Caithness, north-east Scotland. This Iron Age stone tower stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposited during the Middle Devonian period. The solid geology of this northern landscape provided the raw material for the broch's distinctive drystone walls, which would have been constructed sometime between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
Brochs represent one of Scotland's most characteristic prehistoric monuments, concentrated in the far north and west. These circular towers, typically between 12 and 15 metres in diameter, functioned as fortified residences or defensive strongholds for local élites. Kirk Tofts exemplifies this architectural tradition, its robust stone construction reflecting the engineering knowledge of Iron Age communities in Caithness.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under scheduled monument reference SM560, recognising its importance to Scotland's archaeological heritage. The broch survives as a tangible record of Iron Age settlement and society in the far north, standing as testament to the skilled craftspeople who built these enduring structures from the local stone.
Kirk Tofts,broch,Keiss is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM560. View the official record →
Kirk Tofts is a broch situated near Keiss in Caithness, north-east Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM560.
Kirk Tofts,broch,Keiss dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch,keiss. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Kirk Tofts,broch,Keiss 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 SM560.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Keiss Broch (0.6 km), Whitegate Broch (0.6 km), Keiss Castle,350m SSE of Square of Keiss (0.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Kirk Tofts,broch,Keiss'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.
Kirk Tofts,broch,Keiss stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.