Edin's Hall Broch

Edin’s Hall Broch stands on the northeast slope of Cockburn Law in the Scottish Borders, 6.4 kilometres north of Duns. It is a massive circular stone tower built into the remains of an earlier Iron Age hillfort. The broch measures about 28 metres across and rises to between one and 1.8 metres in height. A double rampart and ditch once enclosed the hillfort, which covers an oval area roughly 135 metres by 75 metres. The entrance to the fort lay on the west side, while the broch itself occupies the northwest corner. The site is unusual because most brochs are found in northern Scotland, making Edin’s Hall one of the few southern examples. Archaeologists believe it was built during the 2nd century AD, a time of conflict between Roman forces and local tribes. The broch’s size suggests it may not have been as tall as northern brochs, but its thick walls and guard chambers show it was a place of defence and storage. Excavations have uncovered everyday items like a stone spindle whorl, an amber bead and fragments of glass bracelets. Inside the broch, three intramural cells open from the main wall, each shaped like a dumb-bell. One cell on the south side still shows the remains of a stone stairway that once led to the top. The broch sits within a smaller rectangular enclosure, and the outlines of smaller roundhouses can be seen across the hillfort’s interior. The site overlooks the valley of the Whiteadder Water, offering wide views of the surrounding countryside.