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Torr Phadruig is a hut circle situated 730 metres northeast of Beinn Freiceadain near Brawlbin in Caithness, Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate and sandstone formation of Middle Devonian age that characterises much of the local geology. This substantial stone base provided both building material and stable ground for Iron Age and early medieval settlement in the region.
The hut circle represents a domestic dwelling of prehistoric or early historic date, typical of the dispersed settlement pattern found across northern Scotland. Such structures comprise a circular or sub-circular depression, often marked by a stone wall foundation, which once supported a timber-framed superstructure with a thatched roof. The surrounding landscape, shaped by Caithness moorland and exposed rock formations, would have supported pastoralism and subsistence farming.
Torr Phadruig is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM592, recognising its archaeological significance and its contribution to our understanding of early settlement in the far north of mainland Scotland.
Torr Phadruig,hut circle 730m NE of Beinn Freiceadain,Brawlbin is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM592. View the official record →
Torr Phadruig is a hut circle situated 730 metres northeast of Beinn Freiceadain near Brawlbin in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM592.
Torr Phadruig,hut circle 730m NE of Beinn Freiceadain,Brawlbin 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 SM592.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Brawlbin,hut circle 550m NE of Beinn Freiceadain (0.2 km), Torr Beag, chambered cairn 500m NE of Beinn Freiceadain, Brawlbin (0.4 km), Torr Mor,cairn 500m NNE of Beinn Freiceadain,Brawlbin (0.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Torr Phadruig,hut circle 730m NE of Beinn Freiceadain,Brawlbin'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.
Torr Phadruig,hut circle 730m NE of Beinn Freiceadain,Brawlbin stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.