Monument record MHG9856 - Broch, Kilphedir

Kilphedir, NC91NE0027

Brochs are round, tower-like houses, their monumental size intended to display wealth and status of agricultural communities who lived in them. They were occupied in the later Iron Age and occur frequently in the north and west of Scotland. (41)

This is one of the most impressive brochs in the Highlands. Its position high above the strath ensures extensive views up and down the valley. It is constructed from large, rounded boulders of pink granite, which, while they are very difficult to build with and have probably contributed to its present ruinous state, give this broch a very distinct appearance. (60)

In spite of the huge scale of the central tower, the impact of the broch is further heightened by the enormous banks and ditches which surround it. The entrance is protected by an extra length of rampart. (37)

(10m/13.8m/2.1m)

Armit, I., 1997. Celtic Scotland. Edinburgh: Batsford.

Close-Brooks, J., 1995. Exploring Scotland’s Heritage. The Highlands. Edinburgh: HMSO, 149-50, No. 93.

Gourlay, R., 1996. Sutherland. An Archaeological Guide. Edinburgh: Birlinn, 71-2.

RCAHMS. 1911. Sutherland. Edinburgh: HMSO, 104-5, No. 307.

Information from SCRAN Project, March 2000

(NC 9943 1891) Broch (NR) OS 6"map, (1964)

Situated on summit of a hillock is a broch measuring 33' NE-SW by 32' transversely, within a wall 7' average height and 12'6" thick, widening to 15'6" at the entrance which is 3' wide at the exterior, and 4'10" at interior It is checked for a door, but no entrance to a guard chamber is visible. Opposite entrance there is a passage giving access to stairway and a ground floor mural chamber.
The commanding position of the broch is strengthened by outworks, probably the most impressive in Sutherland. The base of the hillock is encircled by a ditch 9' deep below an outer rampart 14' broad. A short outer ditch runs parallel with inner one for about 20' at N end. A small oval enclosure is contained in outer rampart to W side of broch. The course of ditch is broken on N side by the approach which passes between its open ends.
A quartzite pebble from the broch is in Dunrobin Museum Acc No: 1869.5 (Information from TS of Catalogue of Dunrobin Museum, by A S Henshall). J M Joass 1865; J Nicol 1910; RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909; R W Feachem 1963; A Young 1964; E W MacKie 1975.

This broch has remained unaltered since the visit by the RCAHMS. Re-surveyed at 1:10560
Visited by OS (W D J) 20 May 1960 and (N K B) 6 October 1976.

Lynn Fraser submitted a photograph of this broch via the Highland HER Facebook page. <1>