Breachacha Castle

Breachacha Castle is a ruined tower house of the 15th century erected for the Maclean family. The castle was extenbded a few times and the irregular courtyard has the appearance of an early courtyard castle common in the region, but is dated to after the tower. The castle overlooks a sandy bay, and is itself overlooked by a later mansion house bearing the same name.

The island of Coll lies to the north-west of the Maclean stronghold of Mull, where their principal castle of Duart can be found. John Garbh Maclean, the first of Coll, was the third son of Lachlan Bronneach of Duart, and was granted Coll and other lands by Alexander Lord of the Isles in 1431, a grant which was confirmed by King James II. The castle is not mentioned until the last quarter of the 16th century, by which time the tower existed along with “three walls about the rest of the castell and thairof biggit with lyme and stane, with sundrie gude devices for defending of the tower“.

The castle consists of the rectangular great tower, which is almost certainly an early 15th century structure, together with an L-shaped courtyard area to the south and east, defended by a stone wall, and a mis-shapen oval tower at the south-eastern corner which overlooks the entrance to the courtyard in the east wall. The southern half of the courtyard is occupied by a hall building. To the north is a less well-preserved courtyard area which contained the kitchen – and was later developed into a battery platform facing north across the island. The entrance to the tower is on the east at ground floor level, a mural stair in the south wall leading to the hall. In the south-eastern corner of the tower, a winding stair leads up to the upper floors. As far as can be told, all floors were supported on joists, not stone vaults, but the interior has been much remodelled before abandonment in the 19th century.

In the 1560s a feud broke out between Hector Maclean, IV of Coll and his chief of Duart, driven by Coll refusing to follow his chief in all things since he held his land from the Crown. This nearly led to the ruin of the Coll family – whilst the sixth lord was a child, they defeated the Duart Macleans in battle, but a return visit from the chief led to their own defeat, and the chief taking possession of Coll. When an adult, Lachlan (VI) of Coll was able to gain possession through the Privy Council. Under Hector (XI) of Coll, the old castle was abandoned by the chief, who had a new mansion erected, the “New Castle” of Breachacha, and avoided involvement in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The old castle remained occupied, but fell into disrepair and was abandoned altogether in the mid 19th century. The old castle was purchased separately and restored in the 1960s, by which time the new castle had itself fallen into disrepair, and has recently undergone a substantial refurbishment following being placed on the market several years ago.

Breachacha Castle official website

HES Canmore database entry (Old Castle)