Bow Castle Broch

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Bow Castle
The remains of Bow Castle Broch - geograph.org.uk - 225213.jpg
Scottish Borders UK location map.svg
Archaeological site icon (red).svg
Shown within Scottish Borders
Location Stow of Wedale
Coordinates 55°39′57″N2°51′28″W / 55.665942°N 2.857845°W / 55.665942; -2.857845
Type Broch
History
Periods Iron Age
Designated28 February 1924
Reference no. SM1162

Bow Castle is the remains of an iron-age broch near the Gala Water, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the parish of Stow. It is a scheduled monument. [1]

Contents

Description

Bow Castle (grid reference NT46134171 ) stands on level ground on the edge of a steep slope southwest of the valley of the Gala Water. [2] The broch has a wall 4.1 metres thick, enclosing an area 9.7 metres in diameter. [2]

The broch is one of only three remaining in the Borders; the other two are Torwoodlee Broch, and Edin's Hall Broch.

Excavations

It was excavated in 1890 when pottery, including some 2nd-century Roman amphora fragments, were found. [2] In 1922 a 2nd-century Roman enamelled bronze brooch in the form of a cockerel was found among the ruins of the wall. [2]

Information concerning the dating and use of the broch is limited due to the lack of modern excavations. [2] However, Torwoodlee Broch, two miles to the north, was built and destroyed during the Roman occupations of southern Scotland and it is likely that Bow Castle shared a similar history. [2]

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References

  1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Bow Castle, broch 1000m E of Bow (SM1162)" . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Historic Environment Scotland. "Bow Castle (54520)". Canmore . Retrieved 15 February 2014.

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Bow Castle Broch at Wikimedia Commons

55°39′57″N2°51′28″W / 55.665942°N 2.857845°W / 55.665942; -2.857845