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Clan Maclean & Duart Castle: A Historic Tale
Duart Castle heralds over the picturesque coastline of Mull, standing strong as a remnant of Scotland’s history. Likely constructed by Clan MacDougall in the 13th century, it was gifted to our clan of the month here at ScotlandShop, Clan MacLean! At their thickest, the walls of Duart are 10ft of solid stone, keeping clan members safe within, and perpetrators from rival clans out.
If the weather-beaten walls could talk, they would tell a thousand tales of the castle’s history and how it served as a sanctuary for the Macleans of yesteryear. During the English Civil War HMS Swan attacked Duart Castle as part of Oliver Cromwell’s fleet of six ships, but adverse weather caused the ship to sink off the coast of Mull. The wreckage was discovered in 1979, close to Duart Castle. Unfortunately, the castle was surrendered to the Campbell clan in 1691, who decimated Duart into nothing but ruins. Sir Fitzroy Donald MacLean regained ownership of the castle for clan MacLean in 1911 and began the long process of restoration. He returned Duart to its former glory, but as we are about to discover, the restoration process is far from complete over 100 years on.
The Restoration Effort
We Scots are a hardy bunch, especially when the weather is involved! However, Duart Castle’s roof collapsed, leaving the stunning interiors at the mercy of the infamous Scottish rain. Unwilling to let the once impenetrable Duart Castle return to ruins, the owners wasted no time in beginning their restoration effort. This is an extremely expensive undertaking therefore the current Clan Chief fundraises regularly to fully restore Duart Castle to its former glory.
Many charitable people and benefactors, including several MacLeans, have aided the effort through generous donations, keen to preserve their heritage in hope of one day being able to visit. Their combined efforts have paid off as TripAdvisor awarded the castle with a certificate of excellence in 2019, proving that preserving the rich history of Scotland’s castles is an investment in the country’s future in tourism, as well as a glimpse into the former glory of Scotland’s past.
Ride for Duart
Funds have been raised for Duart Castle in several ways, but one man’s effort to preserve his ancestry wins the prize for the most stylish approach! A connoisseur of all things MacLean, Ian MacLean of Tidnish, Nova Scotia embarked on the ambitious ‘Ride for Duart’ in 2019. Ian planned to cycle a whopping 400 kilometres to raise funds for Duart and share his Scottish ancestry along the coast of Nova Scotia. In the leadup to his cycle, harsh weather meant Ian had to train indoors, exhibiting a tremendous dedication to the cause. At the time of the fundraiser Ian was 73 years old, and his drive to preserve history could give us young ones some inspiration!
Duart Castle in Popular Culture
As we have discovered, the powerful seat of the MacLean clan has cemented itself as a part of Scottish history and has been captured in many a picture taken by tourists and locals alike. Duart Castle must have enjoyed being in front of the camera, making its debut on the silver screen in 1945 in ‘I Know Where I’m Going!’ starring Roger Livesey and Wendy Hiller.
Many books chronicling the history of Scotland have featured Duart Castle due to clan MacLean’s involvement in battle. If you would like to find out more, you can read about how the clan defended their country here! (Link to wars of independence article?) The castle is a striking feature on the glorious landscape of Mull, and the combination of its good looks and fearsome history ensure that no good tourist guide to Scotland is complete without mention of Duart.
Are any of our readers fans of fantasy? Duart Castle made an unlikely appearance in the 8th series of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics released in 2007. Its sturdy walls made it the ideal location for the series, who dubbed it “Slayer Headquarters.” This immortalises Duart in written form, ensuring that the long history lives on in print and in our memories.
Have you read our article about the famous faces of the MacLean clan? We researched several notable MacLeans, including Scottish writer Alastair MacLean. Many of his works were made into films, including his 1965 novel ‘When Eight Bells Toll.’ The film adaptation of the same name starring Anthony Hopkins was filmed at none other than Duart Castle! Duart Castle featured again in ‘Entrapment’ with the distinguished Sean Connery taking the leading role. Coincidentally, Sean Connery’s family tree plays host to the MacLean name on his mother’s side!
Mind Your Head!
Throughout Scotland, there are whispered rumours of the past converging with the present. Whether or not you believe in the paranormal, no trip to Scotland is complete without a trip to Mary King’s Close or a visit to the Culloden Moor, both rumoured to be haunted by Scotland’s dark past.
Duart Castle plays host to an apparent spectre of its own, a headless horseman by the name of Ewen MacLaine of Lochbuie. An internal feud within the clan led to his untimely beheading at the hand of another MacLean, and his grudge against the clan has followed him into the afterlife. A sighting of the headless horseman supposedly means death is imminent, so pay close attention to other tourists when you visit Duart! Stories aside, the castle is perfectly safe to visit and even has a café, so if all this talk of ghosts has you a little nervous you can relax with a cup of coffee.
Although the descendants of the MacLean Clan have dispersed around the globe, MacLeans as far as Canada hold a piece of their history close to their hearts. Opulent castles of yore have been traded in for more practical dwellings for the everyday MacLean, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep a little tartan around the house to keep your Scottish heritage alive! Why not try adding a little Highland bling to your home. If the story of this grand castle has you thinking of what other strongholds the clan once occupied, you can read all about the famous MacLean Castles here.
This post was written by Katie MacGuigan, currently studying for a degree in English at Stirling University. You can learn more here about Katie and her placement with us.
