Scheduled MonumentsScotlandToftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster
Iron Age · Broch 365m sse of,loch of camster

Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster

Scotland
HES SM591
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Broch 365m sse of,loch of camster
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Toftgun Broch is an Iron Age broch situated in Caithness, north-east Scotland, 365 metres south-south-east of the Loch of Camster. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone formed during the Middle Devonian period, which provides a firm foundation typical of this region's geology. The broch belongs to a distinctive class of Scottish Iron Age roundhouses, characterised by their hollow-walled construction and narrow stone passages.

Brochs were built over several centuries from around the 5th century BC and represent a sophisticated form of defensive settlement unique to northern Britain. Toftgun's position near the Loch of Camster would have provided access to freshwater and opportunities for fishing, making it a strategically advantageous location for settlement during the Iron Age. The broch's architecture reflects the skilled dry-stone masonry techniques developed in prehistoric Scotland.

The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM591, recognising its archaeological and historical significance as a surviving example of Iron Age settlement patterns in Caithness. Such monuments contribute to understanding settlement distribution, social organisation and building practices in the far north during the late prehistoric period.

Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM591. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster?

Toftgun Broch is an Iron Age broch situated in Caithness, north-east Scotland, 365 metres south-south-east of the Loch of Camster. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM591.

What period does Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster date from?

Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 365m sse of,loch of camster. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster?

Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster 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 SM591.

What other scheduled monuments are near Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Green Hill,broch,Roster (2.9 km), Bruan, broch 85m SW of Tulloch Lea (4.2 km), Hill o'Many Stanes,stone rows (4.3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster

Toftgun,broch 365m SSE of,Loch of Camster stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.