Edin's Hall Broch facts for kids
Edin's Hall Broch, showing intramural chambers
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 Location in Scottish Borders
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| Alternative name | Edinshall Broch |
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| Location | Duns |
| Coordinates | 55°50′08″N 2°21′53″W / 55.835506°N 2.364856°W |
| Type | Broch |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Historic Scotland |
| Public access | Yes |
Edin's Hall Broch is an amazing ancient building in the Scottish Borders near Duns. It's also known as Edinshall Broch or Odin's Hall Broch. This special place is a type of old stone tower called a broch.
Brochs are usually found in northern Scotland. So, finding one like Edin's Hall in the south is quite rare! This huge circular building is about 28 metres wide. It gives us clues about how people lived long ago.
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What's in a Name?
Have you ever wondered how places get their names? In the past, Edin's Hall Broch was called "Wooden's Hall or Castle." This name might have come from Odin, a very important god in old Anglo-Saxon stories.
Later, the name changed to Edin's Hall. Some people think this new name comes from a legend. It might be linked to a famous three-headed giant called The Red Ettin from old tales and songs.
Where is Edin's Hall Broch?
Edin's Hall Broch is located about 4 miles north of the town of Duns. It sits on the side of a hill called Cockburn Law. Below it, there's a steep slope leading down to the Whiteadder Water river.
This broch is special because most brochs are found much further north in Scotland. It's one of the most southerly ones we know about.
The Ancient Hillfort
The broch wasn't built alone. It stands inside a much older Iron Age hillfort. Imagine a large, protected area built on a hill! This hillfort was probably there long before the broch was constructed.
The hillfort had two big walls and ditches around it. It enclosed an oval area, about 135 metres long and 75 metres wide. The main entrance was on the west side. Inside the fort, there was a large round building. This building might have been the most important place before the broch was built.
When Was It Built?
Historians believe the hillfort was built during the pre-Roman Iron Age. This was a time before the Romans came to Scotland. The exact date for the broch is a bit of a mystery.
However, experts think it was built around the 2nd century AD. This was a time when the Romans were in Scotland, then left, and then came back again. Other brochs, like Torwoodlee Broch, were built and even taken down during this period.
Inside the hillfort, you can see the stone outlines of many old houses. Some of these houses were built on top of the hillfort's old walls. This tells us they were built later than the hillfort. They might even be newer than the broch itself!
What Does It Look Like?
Edin's Hall Broch is a very impressive structure. The outside of the broch is about 28 metres across. The inside space is about 17 metres wide. This is quite large for a broch! Most northern brochs were taller and narrower. This suggests Edin's Hall might not have been as tall.
Today, the walls of the broch still stand between 1.0 and 1.8 metres high. The main entrance is on the east side. As you enter, you would have seen two small rooms, called guard chambers, on either side of the doorway.
Inside the broch's thick walls, there are three hidden rooms. These rooms are shaped a bit like a dumbbell. In the south wall, you can still see the remains of a stone staircase. This staircase probably led up to the top of the wall. Imagine climbing those stairs centuries ago!
The broch is also surrounded by a rectangular area. This area measures about 58 by 54 metres.
What Have We Found There?
People started exploring Edin's Hall Broch in the 1800s. These early explorers were called "antiquarians." They "cleared" the site, which means they dug around to find old objects.
The items they found were given to the National Museum of Scotland. Some of the cool things discovered include:
- A stone spindle whorl: This was used for spinning thread.
- A piece of a jet ring: Jet is a type of black fossilized wood.
- An amber bead: Amber is fossilized tree resin.
- Animal bones and an oyster shell: These tell us about the food people ate.
- A fragment of a glass bracelet: A piece of ancient jewelry!
In 1976, two copper blocks, called ingots, were found inside the broch. One of these is now in the National Museum. These copper blocks probably came from local mines. They might have been a very important source of wealth for the people living there.
More recently, in 1996, archaeologists did another survey and small dig. They found more items, including rough pottery and another stone spindle whorl. Each discovery helps us piece together the story of Edin's Hall Broch and the people who lived there.
