Visiting Duart Castle – Fascinating Stories From Mull’s MacLean Stronghold
I’ve been to hundreds of castles around Scotland, but there’s nothing quite like visiting Duart Castle. It’s everything that a Scottish castle should be – dramatically positioned, packed with fascinating stories and with a strong clan connection. There’s always a rush on the ferry from Oban when travellers race to get the perfect picture of Duart on its crag.
Of the few castles on Mull, Duart is the only one still standing and it’s well paying the fee to get inside. If you want to enjoy a castle hopping adventure around the island, have a read of this article!
If you’re spending time in Oban before or after visiting Mull then this Travel to Oban Itinerary & Planning Guide is going to be a massive help.
For just £10 you get all of my expert knowledge around this underappreciated part of Scotland!
How To Visit Duart Castle
Duart Castle sits perched on a small crag on the east coast of the Isle of Mull, just a short hop south of the main ferry terminal of Craignure. It’s very easy to visit Duart on a daytrip from Oban, but if you have the time then I’d definitely recommend staying on Mull.
The ferry from Oban to Mull takes around 50 minutes and the views are absolutely spectacular. From Craignure terminal, Duart Castle is only ten minutes south, but there is no longer a shuttle bus in operation which makes travelling on foot difficult. It’s far easier to visit Duart by car so if you need to rent one then here’s the best place to find car hire in Scotland. If you’re nervous about driving here, this article might help you!
You can visit Duart castle between April and October, find up to date prices on their website here! There’s also a small tearoom and giftshop just outside the castle with no entry fee. Outside of opening times, you can explore the outside of the castle walls, head down to the bottom of the crag or pay your respects at the Maclean graveyard nearby!
What To Expect In Duart Castle Today
Duart Castle might be around 800 years old, but it was restored and adapted to “modern” living in the early 1900s. That means that inside you’ll see how a clan chief and his family lived around 100 years ago. Inside the courtyard, keep your eyes open for the Rowan Tree planted on Fitzroy MacLeans 100th birthday – a Scottish tradition to ward off fairies!
You’ll see the kitchen, the cells, the deep well cut into bare rock before climbing the stairs into the fancier side of Duart Castle. The great hall is packed with interesting curiosities, weapons and the family silver! The faded flags hanging were the colours for MacLean’s Kilties, a volunteer regiment that fought in WWI!
There are a lot of stairs inside, especially if you want to get up on the roof which is a real highlight. Those who aren’t quite so able might want to just sit in the Great Hall and watch the video instead. Unfortunately, it is a historic building so there’s limited accessibility. Expect to take around an hour or so exploring the castle, more if you want to read every single sign!
One thing to note about visiting Duart Castle is that it’s still lived in by the Chief of Clan MacLean! Their residence is the opposite side of the courtyard from where you go inside the keep, so be respectful. There aren’t many Scottish castles that are still home to the clan their connected with. You may well see him pottering around and that makes it all the more special to me.
A Castle of Clan Maclean
The stories of Duart Castle are intrinsically linked with Clan Maclean. They were one of the most powerful clans in the west of Scotland, taking part in almost every significant historical event! It’s easy to see why Duart was important to the MacLeans, it controlled access to an important route through the Sound of Mull!
Duart Castle has been the Macleans ancestral seat for centuries, so a visit for clan members is more meaningful than for most. On the very top floor of the castle, you’ll find boards telling the history from the clan’s origins to modern day. If you want to learn more before visiting Duart Castle, I’d highly recommend this book about Tales of Clan Maclean!
How the Macleans Came to Duart
The MacLeans might be the heart and soul of Duart Castle now, but they didn’t actually build the original! Like many fortresses around Argyll & the Isles, the earliest version belonged to Clan MacDougall. In the 13th century, they were the real power in the west coast, until they came up against King Robert the Bruce!
Most of MacDougalls property fell to their cousins the MacDonalds who were known as the Lords of the Isles. From their base on the Isle of Islay, the MacDonalds held councils, wrote charters and gifted parts of their huge territory. The MacLeans got their possession of Duart from them, in a bold and risky fashion.
In the middle of the 14th century, Lachlan Lubanach MacLean fell in love with Mary, daughter of John of Islay, the MacDonald chief. The story goes that Lachlan was an up and coming figure, but not quite good enough for Mary! To convince John to allow them to marry, they kidnapped the MacDonald chief and only released him when he agreed!
It was brave and reckless, but it worked – no wonder Lachlan Lubanach means Lachlan the Crafty… Duart Castle and most of the Isle of Mull were part of Mary’s dowry! The MacLeans took the small original castle and vastly improved and extended it into what we see today.
Red Hector Of The Battles
My favourite chief of Clan MacLean is the dramatically named Red Hector of the Battles! He was the 6th chief of Clan MacLean and such a celebrated swordsman that men from around Scotland visited Duart Castle to challenge him! One Norwegian forced Hector to fight to the death, but was soon buried beneath a cairn at Salen…
In 1411, Red Hector followed the Lord of the Isles in rebellion against the Regent of Scotland. They rampaged almost unopposed across the country and deep into Aberdeenshire. Eventually, the islanders were faced down by a small but well-equipped force outside Inverurie.
At the following Battle of Harlaw, Red Hector had the honour of leading the right flank. Wielding his massive sword with great strength, he cut down every foe he encountered. That was until he became locked in single combat with Alexander Irvine of Drum.
Amongst the carnage, men stopped to watch an incredible scene of two warriors of equal skill. The fight ended as a tragic draw, with both men succumbing to their injuries, slumped together in death. The legendary Red Hector of the Battles was carried from the field with great sorrow to be buried on the Holy Isle of Iona.
Lachlan Cattanach & Lady’s Rock
Not all MacLean chiefs were quite as well respected as Hector though. Especially not Lachlan Cattanach MacLean, otherwise known as Lachlan the Shaggy. He was the 11th Clan Chief during the early 16th century, securing a peaceful alliance with the Campbells by marrying the Earl of Argyll’s sister Catherine.
Lachlan was such a cruel husband that his wife attempted to poison him, but unfortunately for her, he survived. The chief got revenge by kidnapping Catherine from her room and rowing her out to be left on a tiny island, knowing that when high tide came, she would drown.
In the morning, there was no sign of the unhappy wife and it seemed as if the plan had worked!
Lachlan wrote a sad letter to the Earl of Argyll about his sister’s tragic death. However, Argyll forced the MacLean chief to travel to Inveraray and tell him what happened personally. As the MacLean chief was sitting there, lying through his teeth, Catherine miraculously appeared at the table.
She had been rescued by some fishermen from Lismore and went straight to her brother with the story. I doubt Lachlan had ever run home so fast in his life. The Campbells never forgot and Lachlan the Shaggy was found one day with John Campbell of Cawdor’s knife in his back!
There’s actually a really interesting novel all about this story from Duart Castle – you can get a copy here!
Spanish Prisoners in the Cells of Duart Castle
If you don’t like mannequins, don’t look in any of the castle dungeons! They’re set up full of Spanish prisoners from one of the strangest stories from Duart Castle!
In 1588, after the Spanish Armada was defeated by the English navy, many ships were scattered. One of those Galleons, the Florentina limped around the north coast of Scotland into Tobermory Bay. Lachlan Mor MacLean, a warlike chief of the clan, agreed to help them make their repairs. However, there was a catch…
MacLean forced the captain to lend him 100 soldiers to help him fight a feud against the MacDonalds. Several of the crew were kept as forced guests in Duart Castle to ensure the others good behaviour. The arrangement was working well for Lachlan, until the Spanish ship was fixed up and they wanted to leave.
These soldiers were far too valuable to let go! When it became clear Lachlan wasn’t listening, they decided to abandon their crewmates and escape Mull anyway. Before they could get out of Tobermory Bay, their stores of gunpowder mysteriously exploded! The ship sank, legend says with a horde of gold on board, but the wreck has never been found.
The Sinking Of The Swan
There is another wrecked ship with a story linked to Duart Castle – this one much closer! This one comes from the turbulent times of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the mid-1600s. The MacLeans were proud Royalists, staying loyal to the King Charles, while their Campbell rivals were Covenanters.
In 1653, six warships anchored off Mull to destroy Duart Castle on orders of Oliver Cromwell. Knowing their medieval castle didn’t stand a chance against modern cannons, the MacLeans had already fled to the Isle of Tiree. However, the English ships had underestimated the Scottish weather and fierce storm sank half of the fleet!
In 1979, the location of the wrecked HMS Swan was discovered and several artefacts have been recovered. You can find a whole room dedicated to the story and archaeology around the wreck inside the castle. There’s also an information board on the shore beneath the castle indicating where it is!
The Destruction and Loss of Duart Castle
Even though the Royalists eventually won the day and the MacLeans were recovered the castle, things weren’t rosy for long. Their long-standing feud with the Campbells proved disastrous and they lost Duart to their enemies. Even after quickly gaining it back, their support of the Jacobite cause was the final nail in the coffin.
In 1691, the MacLeans were forced to leave Duart and the Campbells swooped in. They demolished much of the walls, scattering the stones and the Scottish wind and rain did the rest. This once mighty castle fell into complete ruin. The MacLean chiefs were forced to settle for a much reduced estate, most becoming professional soldiers.
The Story Of Duart Castle’s Rescue
That could have been the end for Duart Castle, abandoned to become a romantic ruin like so many others. However, after 200 years of neglect, the ancestral home of Clan MacLean was rescued! In 1911, clan chief Sir Fitzroy MacLean bought part of the old estate and set about restoring Duart.
It was an enormous labour of love, but Fitzroy succeeded in bringing Duart back to life. It became a home once more and since then a pilgrimage site for all those with the name MacLean. You can see his portrait hanging proudly in the Great Hall. Without that passion and stubborn refusal to let the castle go, we wouldn’t be visiting Duart today and remembering the deeds of one of Scotland’s most important clans.
The story of Duart’s restoration isn’t quite over. The last 100 years haven’t been kind to the old building and there have been several phases of conservation completed since 2014. Don’t be surprised to see scaffolding or stonemasons on your visit. Just be very glad that they’re doing what they’re doing!
Another island castle well worth visiting is Castle Tioram – read about it here!
If you enjoyed these stories of Duart Castle then you can find more like it in the Scotland’s Stories book! Pick up a copy of it here!
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