A HISTORY OF DUART CASTLE
DUART CASTLE - MULL
An extremely impressive and daunting fortress,
Duart Castle consist of large 13th - century walls, enclosing a courtyard
on a rocky knoll. In 1390 Lachlan Lubanach, 5th chief, built the keep on the
outside of the curtain wall, enclosing the existing wall.
There are later ranges of buildings within the walls. The McLeans of Duart claim
descend from Gillean of the Battle Axe.
Lachlan Lubanach married Lady Elizabeth, daughter of the Lord
of the Isles, granddaughter of Robert II King of Scots, and was
granted the first known charter for Duart dated 1390 as her dowry. While
fighting with the MacDonald's, the 6th chief Red Hector was killed at
the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, slaying and being slain by Sir Alexander
Irvine of Drum. Lachlan Cattanach, 11th Chief, became so unhappy with
his Campbell wife that he had the poor woman chained to a rock in the
Firth of Lorn to be drowned at high tide. However, she was rescued and
taken to her father, the Campbell Earl of Argyll. As a result , MacLean
was murdered in his bed at Edinburgh by Sir John Campbell of Cawdor.
In 1674 the castle was acquired by the Campbell Earl of Argyll. The
MacLeans remained staunch Jacobites throughout Risings. Although
garrisoned, the castle was not used as a residence, and was abandoned
after the Rising of 1745 to become derelict and roofless. It was
acquired in 1911 by Fitzroy MacLean, who restored the castle. It houses
a display of clan memorabilia.
Back to MacLean - Campbell Connection
