Burroughston Broch, Iron Age fortification on Shapinsay, United Kingdom.
Burroughston Broch is a circular stone structure from the Iron Age located on Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands. The walls reach approximately four meters in thickness, with an external diameter of around eighteen meters and internal space of about ten meters.
The structure was built during the Iron Age as part of a group of fortified settlements that arose on the Orkney Islands at that time. Early 19th-century excavations uncovered bone remains and stone vessels that revealed how people lived within its walls.
This broch served as a gathering place and storage center for the local community during the Iron Age. The layout suggests it held both practical and social importance for the people of Shapinsay.
Access is via ferry from Kirkwall to Shapinsay, taking approximately twenty-five minutes, followed by a short drive to the northeastern section of the island. The site is relatively exposed and becomes easiest to visit during drier months when ground conditions are more favorable.
The interior contains a deep well built from dry stone masonry in its upper section and carved directly into bedrock below. This engineering solution demonstrates how inhabitants carefully managed their water supply.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
