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The Skeo is a broch located on the island of Hoy in Orkney, Scotland. This Iron Age stone tower stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period, consisting of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. The broch form is characteristic of northern Scotland, particularly the Northern Isles, where these substantial defensive or prestigious structures were built between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. The Skeo's position on Hoy's distinctive landscape would have provided commanding views across the island and surrounding waters.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10982, recognising its importance as a surviving example of Iron Age architecture. Brochs were circular stone towers with thick outer walls and internal galleries, typically standing several metres in height. They represent a distinctive phase of settlement and social organisation in the far north of Britain, and their precise function—whether primarily defensive, residential, or ceremonial—continues to interest archaeologists.
The survival of broch remains on Orkney, including the Skeo, provides valuable evidence of Iron Age communities in the northern isles and their adaptation to the archipelago's harsh environment. The underlying geology of resistant Old Red Sandstone would have supplied the stone used in its construction, making these monuments very much products of their immediate locality.
The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10982. View the official record →
The Skeo is a broch located on the island of Hoy in Orkney, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10982.
The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch, brims, hoy. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy 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 SM10982.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Chapel of Brims, Hoy (0.3 km), Stromabank Hotel, anti-aircraft battery, radar site and camp 150m NW of (3.4 km), Quoy, anti-aircraft battery (WW2) and radar 220m WSW of (4.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy'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.
The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.