A huge triangular lintel still crowns the entrance of Dun Dornaigil. Dun Dornaigil is an Iron Age broch (an Iron Age drystone round tower), a circular drystone tower, standing beside the Strathmore River in Sutherland.
The broch is in Historic Environment Scotland care and has limited parking plus an information board. Its interior is filled with collapsed rubble and cannot be entered, but the outer wall survives strongly around the circuit and rises dramatically above the blocked north-east doorway.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Dun Dornaigil was built in the Iron Age in Strathmore.
The broch stands on the eastern bank of the Strathmore River south of Ben Hope.
Its walls generally survive around the circuit, with the highest masonry above the doorway.
The entrance on the north-east side is now filled with debris.
The interior remains filled with collapsed rubble from the upper levels and is inaccessible.
Historic Environment Scotland cares for the site and provides limited parking and an information board.
Connections
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Strathmore River
River beside the broch.
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Photo: Squiddy at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain Ben Hope
Mountain north of the broch setting.
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Photo: Sandy Gemmill / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 Historic Environment Scotland
Caretaker of the site.
What to look for
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Triangular lintel
Massive stone above the entrance.
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High doorway walling
Wall rises notably above the north-east doorway.
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Filled interior
Collapsed rubble blocks access inside the broch.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 58.3667°N · 4.6386°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
- Historic Environment Scotland care with limited parking and information board; interior inaccessible.
Nearby places
Fortified place · Medieval
Ardvreck Castle
Highland
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Questions people ask
- What is Dun Dornaigil?
- It is an Iron Age broch in Sutherland.
- Can visitors go inside?
- No. The source pack says the interior is filled and inaccessible.
- Who cares for it?
- Historic Environment Scotland cares for the site.
- What is the most visible feature?
- The massive triangular lintel over the entrance is a key feature.
Sources
Explore more: Fortified places · Iron Age · Highland
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