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The broch at the north end of the Loch of Ayre on St Mary's in Orkney is an Iron Age circular stone tower, characteristic of the distinctive architectural tradition of northern Scotland dating to the last few centuries before the common era. Brochs of this period were substantial defensive or prestige structures, typically featuring thick dry-stone walls with internal galleries and a single entrance, though the surviving remains at this location reflect the fragmentary state of many such monuments. The Orkney islands contain a notable concentration of broch sites, reflecting the strategic and cultural importance of the archipelago during the Iron Age. This example contributes to the archaeological record of Iron Age settlement patterns and construction practices in Scotland's northern regions.
Loch of Ayre, broch at N end of,St Mary's is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1462. View the official record →
The broch at the north end of the Loch of Ayre on St Mary's in Orkney is an Iron Age circular stone tower, characteristic of the distinctive architectural tradition of northern Scotland dating to the last few centuries before the common era. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1462.
Loch of Ayre, broch at N end of,St Mary's dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch at n end of,st mary's. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Loch of Ayre, broch at N end of,St Mary's 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 SM1462.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Lamb Holm,settlement 450m WSW of Italian Chapel (1.6 km), Holm Battery, coast artillery battery 195m SW of East Breckan (2.3 km), East Broch of Burray (3.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Loch of Ayre, broch at N end of,St Mary's'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.
Loch of Ayre, broch at N end of,St Mary's stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.