Dun Telve & Dun Troddan Brochs

These two iron age brochs sit in the quiet Gleann Beag, around 3km south east of Glenelg. Both were built between 400BC and 100AD, and are incredibly well preserved. They would have been the home of the clan chief, and surrounded by huts which housed their community.

Their condition is amazing, considering the harsh weather that batters the west highlands. However, they have had a lot of help from Historic Environment Scotland to prevent any further damage and to make them safe to visit.

The brochs are unusually and conveniently 500m apart. We will start with Dun Troddan.

Dun Troddan is the shorter of the two brochs, standing at 7.5m tall. The entrance is at the south west of the structure and there's a small guard cell on the left as you enter.

The broch shows the cross section of the walls perfectly, displaying how the floors were constructed within the walls.

Dun Troddan was last excavated in 1920. During excavations, the interior floor was found to have a number of holes for upright posts and a hearth. This would have been the main living, dining and socialising area for the chief and his family. There was found to be a quern-stone within the hearth which would have been used for grinding corn.

The encircling wall of the ground floor is poorly finished in comparison to the upper levels, suggesting it could have held livestock and the residents lived on the upper floors. Similar to the later bastle houses, it could have been for defence purposes, as well as the benefit of the heat rising to the upper floors.

The steps within the walls of Dun Troddan have been reconstructed as they would have once existed, providing access to the upper floors.

From the east wall of the broch, there are great views down the glento the west. It also shows the elevated position of this broch. It is built on the hillside, making it better to observer both wanted and unwanted guests.

The fact that the two brochs are unusually close together is curious. A broch was generally reserved for the chief of the clan, with their community around them. Do the two brochs mean two communities? Maybe two chiefs were related? Or was it one chief who fancied two residences? It could also have been strategic, with Dun Troddan offering views of intruders, while Dun Telve is closer to the water.

Time to head down the road to visit Dun Telve.

The Dun Telve broch can be found by heading 500m west down the road and is the tallest of the two brochs at 10m, with a 20m in diameter.

Brochs tend to be built close to a water source, and in this it is on the northern bank of the Abhainn a' Ghlinne Bhig.

The entrance can be found on the west side of the broch, with a guard cell to the right in the entrance passage. The broch was last cleared and made safe in 1914, but was originally surveyed in detail around 1872.

Dun Telve also offers a fantastic view of the cross section of the broch. The two drystone walls are tied together by large horizontal slabs, a stone staircase providing access to the upper floors. The external walls are a massive 4.3m at the base and 1.2m thick at the top. The top floor would have been around 9m above ground level.

The roof of both brochs would probably have been topped with a conical thatched roof.

It is thought that the brochs were robbed of stone in 1722, for use in the building of Bernera Barracks in Glenelg.

It is a great shame and wouldn't be allowed today. But the recycling of stone from ancient buildings was unfortunately commonplace.

In 1885, both brochs were passed into State care. At that time they needed urgent intervention to prevent further damage and make them safe.

Both Dun Telve and Dun Troddan are designated Scheduled Monuments with Historic Environment Scotland.