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Tulloch of Shalmstry is a broch situated 275 metres south-east of Shalmstry in Caithness, North Scotland. Built during the Iron Age, this circular stone tower represents one of Scotland's most distinctive prehistoric structures. The broch stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a Devonian conglomerate and sandstone formation that provided local building materials. The surrounding landscape of Caithness, with its exposed bedrock and sparse soil, presents the challenging terrain typical of far northern Scotland.
Brochs are characterised by their distinctive hollow-walled construction, which allowed builders to create impressive height whilst using dry-stone techniques. These structures likely served defensive, storage or communal purposes within Iron Age settlements. The Caithness landscape contains numerous brochs, reflecting the region's importance during this period. Tulloch of Shalmstry contributes to understanding of Iron Age settlement patterns and defensive architecture in the north of Britain.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM594, ensuring its preservation as a significant archaeological resource. The broch's survival on Caithness moorland, despite two millennia of exposure to northern weather, demonstrates the robustness of Iron Age building techniques. Its presence in this remote corner of Scotland provides valuable evidence of prehistoric occupation and social organisation in the far north.
Tulloch of Shalmstry,broch 275m SE of Shalmstry is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM594. View the official record →
Tulloch of Shalmstry is a broch situated 275 metres south-east of Shalmstry in Caithness, North Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM594.
Tulloch of Shalmstry,broch 275m SE of Shalmstry dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a broch 275m se of shalmstry. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Tulloch of Shalmstry,broch 275m SE of Shalmstry 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 SM594.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Braal Castle (4.4 km), Upper Sour,broch 315m W of (4.5 km), Tulloch of Milton,chambered cairn 640m W of Halkirk (5.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Tulloch of Shalmstry,broch 275m SE of Shalmstry'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.
Tulloch of Shalmstry,broch 275m SE of Shalmstry stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.