Broch of Gurness Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Broch of Gurness
History
Broch of Gurness
Location in Orkney Islands
Location	Mainland, Orkney
Region	Scotland
Coordinates	59°07′19″N 3°04′41″W / 59.122°N 3.078°W / 59.122; -3.078
Type	Iron age settlement
Periods	Iron Age
Site notes
Ownership	Historic Scotland
Public access	Yes

Scheduled monument
Official name	Aiker Ness,Broch of Gurness,broch and settlement
Designated	4 May 1994
Reference no.	SM90157

The Broch of Gurness is an ancient village in Scotland. It is found on the northeast coast of Mainland Orkney. This old village overlooks Eynhallow Sound. It is about 15 miles northwest of Kirkwall. Long ago, many people lived here. It was built during the Iron Age.

What is the Broch of Gurness?
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What is the Broch of Gurness?

People started living here a very long time ago. This was between 500 and 200 BC. At the heart of the village is a tall stone tower. This tower is called a broch. It was probably about 10 meters (33 feet) high. Inside, stone slabs divide the space into different rooms.

The Broch Tower

The tower has two layers of stone walls. Between these walls are hidden passages or galleries. You could reach these by climbing steps. Stone ledges inside suggest there was once an upper floor. This floor was likely made of wood. The roof was probably made of thatch. A walkway around the top was linked by stairs to the ground.

The broch also had two fireplaces. There was a stone-lined pit underground. Steps led down into this pit. This pit might have been important for religious reasons. It could have been linked to ancient beliefs about the underworld.

The parts of the tower that remain today are about 3.6 meters (12 feet) high. Its stone walls are very thick, up to 4.1 meters (13 feet). The roof was likely cone-shaped.

The main family or leader of the area probably lived in the tower. It also served as a safe place for the village. If there was an attack, people could hide inside.

Life in the Village

The broch was used even as it started to fall apart. The original rooms were changed. The underground pit was filled in. What you see today shows how the broch was used later on.

The entire site is protected by three ditches. These ditches were cut into the rock. Stone walls were built around them. This protected an area about 45 meters (148 feet) wide.

Many small stone houses were built between the inner ditch and the tower. These houses had small yards and sheds. They were built after the tower but were part of the first village plan. A "main street" connected the outer entrance to the broch. This settlement is one of the best-preserved broch villages.

Discoveries and History

Archaeologists found pieces of a Roman pot here. This pot was made before 60 AD. This discovery supports old stories. One story says a "King of Orkney" met with Emperor Claudius in 43 AD.

After 100 AD, people stopped using the broch. The ditches were filled in. However, people likely lived at the site until the 5th century AD. This was during the time of the Picts. By then, the broch was not used as a home. Some of its stones were used to build smaller homes. These new homes were built on top of the older buildings. Until about the 8th century, the site was just a single farm.

In the 9th century, a Norse woman was buried here. Her grave was lined with stones. She was buried with two bronze brooches, a sickle, and a knife. Other finds suggest Norse men were also buried at this site.

Today, the Broch of Gurness is looked after by Historic Environment Scotland.