This article lists the oldest extant freestanding buildings in Scotland. In order to qualify for the list a structure must: be a recognisable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy); incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least in height and/or be a listed building.

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating and should be considered approximate.

The main chronological list includes buildings that date from no later than 1199 AD. Although the oldest building on the list is the Neolithic farmhouse at Knap of Howar, the earliest period is dominated by chambered cairns, numerous examples of which can be found from the 4th millennium BC through to the early Bronze Age.

Estimates of the number of broch sites throughout the country, which date from the Iron Age, range from just over 100 to over 500.Armit (2003) p. 16 However, only a small percentage are sufficiently well preserved for them to be included here and some of those that could be remain undated.

As there are relatively few structures from the latter half of the first millennium AD and a significant number from the 12th century, the latter group is placed in a sub-list. There are larger numbers of extant qualifying structures from 1200 onwards and separate lists for 13th-century castles and religious buildings are provided. As the oldest buildings in many of the council areas in the more urbanised Central Belt date from after the 14th century, a separate list showing oldest buildings by council area is provided.

There is also a supplementary list of qualifying structures for which no confirmed date of construction is available and a short listing of substantial prehistoric structures that are not buildings as defined above.

Main list

Neolithic and Bronze Age Building Image Location Council area First built Use Notes Knap of Howar Papa Westray Orkney 3800 BC House Oldest preserved stone house in north west Europe."Knap of Howar" Historic Scotland. Retrieved 23 Sept 2011."The Knap o' Howar, Papay". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 13 July 2012.Wickham-Jones (2007) p. 40. Midhowe Chambered Cairn Rousay Orkney 3500 BC Tomb A well-preserved example of the Orkney-Cromarty type on the island of Rousay."The Midhowe Stalled Cairn, Rousay". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 13 July 2012.Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness Orkney3450 BCTombExcavated in 1884, when grave goods were found, giving their name to Unstan ware."Unstan Chambered Cairn". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2012.Wickham-Jones (2007) p. 48Knowe of Yarso chambered cairn Rousay Orkney3350 BCTombOne of several Rousay tombs. It contained numerous deer skeletons when excavated in the 1930s.Fraser, David (1980) Investigations in Neolithic Orkney. Glasgow Archaeological Journal. 7 p. 13. ISSN 1471-5767Wickham-Jones (2007) pp. 56-57Quanterness chambered cairn St Ola Orkney3250 BCTombThe remains of 157 individuals were found inside when excavated in the 1970s.Wickham-Jones (2007) p. 50 Skara Brae SandwickOrkney 3180 BC Settlement Northern Europe's best preserved Neolithic village.Clarke, David (2000) Skara Brae; World Heritage Site. Historic Scotland. Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF) National Framework. Neolithic: Places to Live and Ways of Living. Accessed May 2022. Tomb of the EaglesSouth RonaldsayOrkney 3150 BCTombIn use for 800 years or more. Numerous bird bones were found here, predominantly white-tailed sea eagle."Tomb of the Eagles" tomboftheeagles.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2008.Hedges, J. 1990. Tomb of the Eagles: Death and Life in a Stone Age Tribe. New Amsterdam Books. p. 73Grey Cairns of Camster Upper Camster Highland 3000 BC or olderTombA group of three cairns."Grey Cairns of Camster". Megalithic Portal. Retrieved 21 July 2012."Grey Cairns of Camster". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2012. Blackhammer Chambered Cairn Rousay Orkney 3000 BC Tomb An Orkney–Cromarty chambered cairn, characterized by stalled burial compartments. Taversoe Tuick chambered cairnRousayOrkney 3000 BCTombUnusually, there is an upper and lower chamber."The Taversoe Tuick, Rousay" Orkneyjar. Retrieved 17 July 2012. Holm of Papa chambered cairnHolm of PapaOrkney 3000 BCTombThe central chamber is over 20 metres long."Info Board, Holm of Papa Westray Cairn" Wikimedia Commons/Historic Scotland. Retrieved 17 July 2012.Wickham-Jones (2007) pp. 62-63 Barpa Langass North Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar 3000 BCTombThe best preserved chambered cairn in the Hebrides.Armit (1996) p. 71Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn Finstown Orkney3000 BCTombExcavated in 1901, when it was found to contain the bones of men, dogs and oxen."The Cuween Hill Cairn, Firth". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 21 July 2012."Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2012.Cairnpapple HengeBathgateWest Lothian3000 BCTombA Class II henge constructed around 3000 BC. It is designated a scheduled ancient monument with a small visitor centre.Quoyness cairn Sanday Orkney2900 BCTombAn arc of Bronze Age mounds surrounds this cairn."The Quoyness Cairn, Sanday". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 19 July 2012. MaeshoweStennessOrkney 2800 BCTombThe entrance passage is long and leads to the central chamber measuring about on each side. pp.18-19 p. 29Stanydale TempleMainland Shetland2500–2000 BCPossibly a residence The only surviving megalithic structure from prehistoric Shetland.Crantit cairn Kirkwall Orkney2130 BCTombDiscovered in 1998 near Kirkwall. Canmore. Retrieved 20 July 2012. Rubha an Dùnain passage grave Skye Highland 2000 BC or older TombOn a now uninhabited peninsula to the south of the Cuillin hills.Armit (1996) p. 73"The Cairns of Clava, Scottish Highlands". The Heritage Trail. Retrieved 19 July 2012. Wideford Hill chambered cairn Kirkwall Orkney 2000 BC Tomb Similar to Maeshowe in design. The tomb was excavated in the 1840s by Flinders Petrie.Corrimony chambered cairn Drumnadrochit Highland 2000 BC or olderTombA Clava-type passage grave surrounded by a circle of 11 standing stones."Corrimony Chambered Cairn & RSPB Nature Reserve". Glen Affric.org. Retrieved 21 July 2012."Corrimony Chambered Cairn". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 21 July 2012.Balnuaran of Clava Nairn Highland 2000 BCTombThe largest of three is the north-east cairn, which was partially reconstructed in the 19th century. The central cairn may have been used as a funeral pyre."A Visitors’ Guide to Balnuaran of Clava: A prehistoric cemetery". (2012) Historic Scotland.Bradley, Richard (1996) Excavation at Balnuaran of Clava, 1994 and 1995. Highland Council.Vinquoy chambered cairn Eday Orkney2000 BCTombAt an elevated location on the north end of the island.Uney, Graham (2010) Walking on the Orkney and Shetland Isles: 80 Walks in the Northern Isles. Cicerone Press. p. 71Glebe cairn Kilmartin Glen Argyll and Bute1700 BCTombAn early Bronze Age structure with two stone cists."Glebe cairn". Saints and Stones. Retrieved 4 August 2012.

Iron Age