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Tulach Bad a Choilich is a broch situated 670 metres north-west of Cnoc Fionn in Caithness, Scotland. This Iron Age stone tower represents one of Scotland's most distinctive prehistoric fortified structures, built during the later centuries before the Roman period. The broch stands on bedrock of the Moine Supergroup, a metamorphic psammite formation dating to the Neoproterozoic era, which would have provided the local stone source for its construction. The landscape of northern Caithness, with its exposed moorland and coastal proximity, was home to several such structures, reflecting the regional importance of defended settlement in this period.
The broch's position within the wider archaeological context of Caithness places it amongst a cluster of Iron Age defensive monuments in an area that saw sustained occupation and territorial investment. Such structures typically featured hollow-wall construction with internal stairs and galleries, creating imposing defensive and residential spaces. The moor and heathland setting remains characteristic of the environment in which these towers were built and occupied.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a Scheduled Monument under reference SM3477, ensuring its preservation for future study and public understanding of Iron Age settlement patterns in the far north of Scotland.
Tulach Bad a Choilich,broch 670m NW of Cnoc Fionn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3477. View the official record →
Tulach Bad a Choilich is a broch situated 670 metres north-west of Cnoc Fionn in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3477.
Tulach Bad a Choilich,broch 670m NW of Cnoc Fionn dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 670m nw of cnoc fionn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Tulach Bad a Choilich,broch 670m NW of Cnoc Fionn 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 SM3477.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tulloch Turnal, broch 500m WNW of Turnal Rock, Langwell (1.6 km), Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch. (1.6 km), Langwell Plantation,souterrain 130m W of Kennels (1.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Tulach Bad a Choilich,broch 670m NW of Cnoc Fionn'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.
Tulach Bad a Choilich,broch 670m NW of Cnoc Fionn stands on Moine Supergroup, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite.