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Turnal Rock is a Iron Age hut circle complex located 250 metres north-west of Langwell Tulloch broch in Caithness, Scotland. The site comprises multiple domestic structures dating to the Iron Age, positioned on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone formed during the Middle Devonian period. This underlying geology of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone would have presented both challenges and opportunities for settlement, with natural rock outcrops potentially providing shelter and defensive positions whilst the varied stone types offered useful building materials.
The hut circles cluster within sight of the substantial broch at Langwell Tulloch, suggesting a settlement pattern typical of Iron Age Caithness where defended structures and surrounding domestic quarters formed integrated communities. The proximity to the broch indicates these humble dwellings belonged to the same period of occupation, likely serving the everyday needs of a population centred on the more monumental tower.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the designation SM13631, recognising its importance in understanding Iron Age settlement patterns across northern Scotland. The landscape setting, with its distinctive red sandstone geology, provides archaeological context for interpreting how Iron Age communities utilised and modified their environment in one of Scotland's most northerly regions.
Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch. is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13631. View the official record →
Turnal Rock is a Iron Age hut circle complex located 250 metres north-west of Langwell Tulloch broch in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13631.
Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch. dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a hut circle complex 250m nw of langwell tulloch broch.. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch. 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 SM13631.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Langwell Tulloch, broch 400m SE of Turnal Rock (0.3 km), Cnoc Bad Asgaraidh, chambered cairn 570m E of, Langwell (0.6 km), Langwell Plantation,souterrain 130m W of Kennels (0.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch.'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.
Turnal Rock, hut circle complex 250m NW of Langwell Tulloch broch. stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.