Tirefour Castle
Tirefour Castle, also known as Tirefour Broch (and sometimes Tirfuir or Tirrefour), is an Iron Age broch on the island of Lismore, Scotland, about 4 kilometres north of Achnacroish. It sits on a rocky height on the island’s east coast (grid reference NM86754290). In clear weather you can see Ben Nevis to the north, Ben Cruachan to the east and the Paps of Jura to the south. The site is accessible from the northeast or southwest.
The broch was probably built in the late Iron Age and was inhabited into the Roman era, as shown by an enamel brooch found in the foundation layer. It remained in use during the Middle Ages, with finds including an 8th‑century decorative pin and Norse pins and rivets from the 11th or 12th centuries. Nearby are remains of a rectangular Norse-style building.
Tirefour Castle has an almost circular floor plan. The lower wall is dry-stone, about 4.5 metres thick, with an internal diameter of about 12.2 metres. The wall height averages around 3 metres, reaching up to 4.9 metres in the southeast corner. The entrance is on the southwest side and is about 1.4 metres wide. Inside there is a scarcement ledge 2.5 metres above ground level, about 60 centimetres wide and intact for most of the inner circumference. On the northwest and eastern sides, at a height of 2.5 metres, there are intramural galleries 61 centimetres wide and 107 centimetres high; the west gallery runs about 7 metres. The ceiling of the galleries is formed by large flat stones. The interior is partly filled with earth to at least 1 metre high.
In 2010, a 1‑metre‑wide opening was found beneath the earth on the north side, likely providing access to an intramural room or staircase. Surrounding the broch are traces of two outer walls protecting the northeast and southwest sides, and a southern wall opening aligned with the main entrance.
Public access to Tirefour Castle is allowed.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:55 (CET).