Brochs

carloway-broch2

Carloway Broch, Lewis

A Broch is an Iron Age structure designed to impress and defend.  They were probably the homes of tribal leaders and important members of the community.

Brochs are built with two concentric walls of stone, with a stairway or gallery within the walls giving access to the upper floors. The Broch illustrated on the left is at Carloway, Lewis, and is one of the best preserved in the Hebrides.  It dates back over 2000 years and is approximately 9 m high and 15 m in diameter.  A Broch is a very resilient structure and was often used for defenceMull Brochs                                                   

Cutaway drawing of a broch

Cutaway drawing of a broch

Inner gallery of Carloway Broch

Carloway -- inner gallery

At the time of writing, there are only two Brochs known on Mull, one situated between Tobermory and Salen and the other between Ulva Ferry and Torloisk:

An Sean Chaistel, Ardnacross

Dun nan Gall, Kilbrennan, Loch Tuath

Click on the highlighted links for more detailed information.  Please check back for further information as the Society has an ongoing updating programme.

Discover