Burra Ness Broch facts for kids
Burra Ness Broch
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 Location in Shetland
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| Location | Yell, Shetland |
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| Coordinates | 60°38′27″N 0°58′59″W / 60.640926°N 0.982976°W |
| Type | Broch |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | Yes |
| Official name | Burra Ness, broch, Yell |
| Designated | 31 May 1934 |
| Reference no. | SM2063 |
The Burra Ness Broch is a really old stone tower from the Iron Age in Scotland. It's found on the east coast of an island called Yell, Shetland. Brochs are special buildings found mostly in Scotland. They were built by people living there thousands of years ago.
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Where is Burra Ness Broch?
This ancient tower is located on a piece of land called Burra Ness. It's about 2.6 kilometers south of a small village named Gutcher. You can get to the broch by following a path. This path starts south from a place called North Sandwick.
What Does Burra Ness Broch Look Like?
The Burra Ness Broch is a large, circular stone tower. It has an outside measurement (diameter) of about 18 meters. That's like the length of two school buses! The outer wall of the broch is very thick. It measures around 4.5 meters, which is wider than a car.
How Tall Was It?
Today, the wall still stands over 4 meters high on its east side. Imagine a wall taller than a basketball hoop! About 200 years ago, people said the broch was even taller. It was around 6.1 meters high back then. This means it might have looked like a small bell shape.
Inside the Tower
If you look inside, you can see a special stone ledge. This ledge is called a "scarcement." It's about 4 meters above the ground. This ledge was probably used to hold up an upper floor. So, the people living here might have had more than one level in their home!
There are also signs of hidden passages inside the walls. These are called "intramural galleries." You can also see traces of a small room. This room is called a "guard cell" and is on the southeast side. However, the main entrance to the broch is no longer visible.
Buildings Around the Broch
Outside the main tower, there are hints of other buildings. These "outbuildings" were probably used for different purposes. They are found to the north, south, and southeast of the broch. There are also slight signs of earth walls around the area. These "ramparts" might have offered extra protection.
About 100 meters to the south, you can see the remains of a farm. This farm was built much later than the broch.
