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A Broch is an Iron Age structure designed to impress and defend, and 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 to the upper floors.  The Broch at Carloway is one of the best preserved in the Hebrides and dates back over 2000 years.  It is approx. 9 m high and 15 m in diameter.  A Broch is a very resilient structure and was often used for defence.

Mull Brochs

At the time of writing, there are only two Brochs known on Mull, one situated between Tobrmory and Salen and the other between Ulva Ferry and Torloisk.  The first broch is called An Sean Chaisteal' Broch - NM 55104988   This broch is situated 640m NNE of Ardnacross farmhouse, overlooking the Sound of Mull.  It stands on the brink of a rocky cliff7m high, bordering the shoreline, which lies about lOOm to the E. From all other directions the approach is over almost level ground. The broch wall has been so severely reduced that the tumbled debris now appears as a circular mound of stones about 2m high, with the centre slightly hollowed. However, a sufficient number of facing-stones are exposed in the surface of the mound to establish that the broch is circular on plan with a wall at least 4m thick enclosing a central court about 10. 7m in diameter.
The entrance, on the NW, is choked with debris including what appear to be fallen lintel-stones; it is checked for a door. Traces of intramural structures can be seen on the NNE and S but in the absence of excavation it is not possible to determine their precise size or function. To the N of the broch is a thin scatter of stony debris, which extends for some l7m to the SW along a natural scarp from the crest of the cliff on the E, appears to represent the remains of a defensive outwork, probably a wall, designed to provide extra protection for the broch entrance.