Scotland · Ruin
Brochel Castle
Caisteal Bhròchaill
Brochel Castle is a small ruined castle perched on a 15-metre-high rocky pinnacle on the north-eastern shore of Raasay, Highland, Scotland. It dates from the late medieval period and was extant by 1549; today only portions of the tower and curtain wall survive.
Its prime
1500
Today
Ruin
As it stood in 1500
What Brochel Castle looked like in its prime.
Perched on a narrow 15-metre rocky pinnacle above the shoreline, the castle reads as a compact rectangular stone keep flanked by a short curtain wall hugging the rock. Walls are of rough, locally quarried grey-brown masonry with narrow vertical slit windows; the keep rises directly from the rock with little lower-lying bailey visible. At its prime the keep and curtain wall closed the summit, forming a continuous stone silhouette against the sea with a solid roofline and intact exterior walls.
Its story
The story of Brochel Castle.
Brochel Castle sits on a 15-metre rocky pinnacle on the north-eastern shore of Raasay, in the Highland council area. Dating from the late medieval period and extant by 1549, it was likely built by Raasay's first MacLeod chief, Calum Garbh, later known as Calum MacGilleChaluim, who inherited the islands of Raasay and Rona from his father, Calum MacLeod, 9th Chief of Lewis.
Only portions of the tower and curtain wall survive today. In 1911 the ruins were acquired by the ironmasters Baird & Co, who sold them on to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland in 1922.
Step inside
6 places to explore in 1500.
The record describes 6 distinct spots at Brochel Castle, including 1 interior: interior of the keep looking seaward. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.
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Recreate Brochel Castle with AI to explore it.
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Clans who held Brochel Castle.
The families that held Brochel Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.
Likely built by Calum Garbh, first MacLeod chief of Raasay, who inherited Raasay and Rona from the 9th Chief of Lewis.
