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Dun Troddan and Dun Telve (Pictish Brochs), Glenelg, Scottish Highlands

Brochs are among Scotland’s most impressive prehistoric buildings. These stone roundhouses date from around 2300 to 1900 years ago and are found mainly in north and west Scotland.

The double-skinned drystone walls support each other and make possible a high building of relatively lightweight structure. Dun Telve is the second tallest surviving broch, standing just over 10 metres high. It survived almost complete until the 18th century, when it was partly demolished for buildings nearby.

Brochs were probably built to reflect the prestige and status of their inhabitants.

What is puzzling is the relationship between this broch and the one just up the glen at Dun Troddan [located a couple hundred yards away]. Did one broch replace the other or were they both lived in at the same time?

There are 200 sites in Scotland classed as probable brochs and a further 300 as possible brochs.

Information sourced from Historic Scotland at the site of Dun Telve. © Historic Scotland

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