Torwoodlee Broch facts for kids
Torwoodlee broch, entrance
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 Location in Scottish Borders
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| Location | Galashiels |
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| Coordinates | 55°38′13″N 2°51′02″W / 55.63688°N 2.850537°W |
| Type | Broch |
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| Periods | Iron Age |
Torwoodlee Broch is an ancient stone tower, called a broch, found near Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. It was built during the Iron Age, a time when people started using iron tools. Today, only the remains of this old building can be seen.
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What is Torwoodlee Broch?
Torwoodlee Broch is a type of ancient building. It is a large, round stone tower. These towers were built by people living in Scotland long ago. They were likely used as homes and for protection.
Where is Torwoodlee Broch Located?
The broch sits on a hillside. It is on the edge of a ridge. Before the broch was built, there was an even older fort here. This older fort was shaped like an oval. It measured about 137 meters by 136 meters. The broch itself is on the southwest side of this older fort. It even sits partly on top of the fort's old walls. Torwoodlee Broch is also about two miles south of another similar site, Bow Castle Broch.
How Big is the Broch?
The Torwoodlee Broch is quite large. Its outer wall is 23.2 meters across. The wall itself is very thick, about 5.2 meters. Inside the broch, there was a central open space. This inner area was about 12 meters wide.
Discovering the Past: Excavations
People have dug at Torwoodlee Broch to learn about its history. This digging is called an excavation.
Early Discoveries
The first time the broch was explored was in 1891. A man named James Curle cleared out the site. He found many interesting things inside. These included pieces of Roman pottery and glass. He also found a Roman coin from the 1st century AD. This shows that Romans were in the area.
Later Digs and Roman Connections
More digging happened in 1950. This time, Stuart Piggott led the excavation. They found even more Roman pottery and glass. These items were found under the broch's wall. This suggests the broch was built after the Romans left Scotland. This happened around 100 AD.
The broch might have been torn down shortly after it was built. This could have happened around 140 AD. Perhaps Roman soldiers did this when they came back to the area. The Roman items found at the broch might have been taken from a nearby Roman fort. This fort was called Newstead, or Trimontium.
