Broch of Borwick facts for kids
Broch of Borwick
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 Location in Orkney Islands
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| Location | Mainland, Orkney |
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| Coordinates | 59°01′52″N 3°21′12″W / 59.031023°N 3.353398°W |
| Type | Broch |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
The Broch of Borwick is an ancient stone tower found on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. It was built a very long time ago during the British Iron Age, which was about 2,000 years ago. Today, this special place is a scheduled monument, meaning it's protected by law because it's an important part of history.
Where is the Broch of Borwick?
The Broch of Borwick is located on the island of Mainland, Orkney. You can find it about 8 kilometres (5 miles) southwest of a village called Dounby. This ancient tower stands on top of a tall cliff, about 20 metres (65 feet) above the sea. A small stream flows right next to the site on its eastern side. Imagine living in a tower with amazing sea views!
What Does the Broch Look Like?
This ancient tower, or broch, is quite large. Its outside measures about 17 metres (56 feet) across. The inside space is about 8 metres (26 feet) wide. The walls of the broch are very thick, between 3.5 and 5 metres (11 to 16 feet) wide! Today, the walls still stand up to 2.6 metres (8.5 feet) high.
The eastern part of the broch and its entrance are still in good condition. However, the western side has been worn away by the sea and weather over many years. The entrance passage is 5.6 metres (18 feet) long and still has its original stone roof. Inside the passage, there are special stone slabs that acted like door-checks, helping to secure the entrance. There was even a small room, called a guard cell, just off the right side of the entrance passage.
Long ago, there was also an outer wall that separated the broch from the land around it. There were other smaller buildings outside the main tower, too.
What Was Found During Excavations?
Archaeologists dug up the Broch of Borwick in 1881. A person named W. G. T. Watt led the work. They cleared out a lot of dirt and rubble from inside the broch.
Underneath all the debris, they found layers of ash, animal bones, and seashells mixed with clay. Below that, there was a layer of small flat stones, which was the actual floor of the broch.
The items they found tell us a lot about the people who lived there:
- Combs: Used for hair or weaving.
- Whale Bone Cup: A small cup made from a whale bone.
- Spindle Whorl: A tool used for spinning thread.
- Stone Gaming Piece: Maybe for an ancient board game!
- Whetstone: Used for sharpening tools.
- Hammerstones: Stones used for hammering.
- Stone Knives and Choppers: Tools for cutting and preparing food.
- Iron Rod: A piece of metal, showing they used iron.
- Querns: Large stones used for grinding grain into flour.
These finds help us understand what daily life was like for the people who lived in the Broch of Borwick thousands of years ago.
