Dun Troddan

Dun Troddan is an Iron Age broch standing on a level rock platform north of the Abhainn a’ Ghlinne Bhig in Gleann Beag. It lies about five kilometres southeast of Kirkton, Glenelg in the Highland region of Scotland. The broch is one of the best preserved in the country and is surrounded by moorland and hills. Nearby stands Dun Telve, another broch just 470 metres away to the west. A minor road leads south from Kirkton past both structures. The broch dates from around two thousand years ago and was sketched in about 1720 when it still stood intact. It was once over twelve metres high but was robbed of stone in 1722 during the building of Bernera Barracks. Thomas Pennant visited in 1772 and found it still substantial though missing its upper gallery. Between 1914 and 1920 the Office of Works cleared debris and consolidated the structure, which is now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. Inside the drystone tower the entrance on the southwest side leads to a small side-chamber known as a guard cell. The central court is an almost perfect circle with a diameter of 8.56 metres. An internal doorway gives access to a stairway with nine steps rising to a first floor landing 5.7 metres long. The landing sits 2.4 metres above the central court and shows the first step of the next flight. The walls are 4.5 metres thick at the base and the roof is long gone.