About
Carlungie Earth House lies in the middle of fields a mile east of Newbigging, off the B962 in Angus, and at about 40 metres long with side passages it is one of the largest and most complex souterrains in Scotland. It was found by accident during ploughing in 1949 and excavated over the next two years, when a settlement of about eight stone-built dwellings was uncovered above ground. Finds included Roman amphora pottery, native pottery, metal objects, stone lamps, a fire-making stone and a mould for metalworking. It dates from about AD 50. Like other Angus earth houses it lies on rich farmland, and it may have stored farm surplus, valuables or grain for the occupying Romans before being filled in during the late 100s. Today its long stone-walled passages are open to the sky, curving through a grassy enclosure with information boards. Reviewers say it is not signposted until you arrive; cross the stile and follow the mown path. Ardestie Earth House is two miles away.
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- Carlungie Earth HouseOpen all year; an unstaffed open site, no hours published
Opening times may change at short notice.
Historic Scotland: 'Carlungie Earth House is free to visit and open year-round.' No hours, closures or notices on 20 October 2026.
The stone-walled passages are open to the sky inside a grassy enclosure, reached over a stile and along a mown path through a crop field; information boards on site. No toilets or other facilities. Ardestie Earth House is 2 miles away.
Photo: The stone-walled passages of Carlungie Earth House curving through a grassy enclosure, with Angus farmland and trees beyond under a blue sky. PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carlungie_souterrain_02.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.
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