Duart Castle

Isle of Mull

The castle stands on a crag at the end of the peninsular jutting out into the Sound of Mull at the intersection of the sound of Mull, Loch Linne and the Firth of Lorne and within view of the neighbouring castles of Dunstaffnage, Dunollie, Aros and Ardtornish, part of a chain of castles up the Sound of Mull to Mingary Castle.

Duart was originally a rectangular wall enclosing a courtyard. In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach, the 5th Chief, married Mary Macdonald, the daughter of the Lord of the Isles and she was given Duart as her dowry.
Lachlan Lubanach built the keep (tower house) on the outside of the original curtain wall but forming an integral part with it, and enclosed the well.

Later in the mid 17th century small vaulted cellars with a hall at first floor level and perhaps a small chamber above, were built within the courtyard on the South East side. At the same time the defence to the gateway entrance to the courtyard was strengthened by a two story gatehouse.

In 1673 Sir Allan Maclean rebuilt the three storey building on the North East side of the courtyard, facing the entrance. There was a kitchen at ground floor level and residential rooms above.

In 1691 the Macleans surrendered Duart and all their lands on Mull to the Duke of Argyll. The Castle, although in a fairly ruinous condition was used as a garrison for Government troops until 1751. It was then abandoned until 1910 when it was purchased by Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 26th Chief. He then set about the enormous task of restoring the building.

In 1991 Sir Lachlan Maclean, the present Clan Chief engaged Professor Sir James Dunbar Naismith to repair the castle. The main repairs were completed in 1995, but work on the castle still continues.

Today the castle is open to the public, for which there is an entrance charge. Visitors may walk through the dungeons and state rooms at their leisure, ending on the top of the keep where it is easy to appreciate the strategic site of the castle.

Below the castle Historic Scotland have designated a site of archaeological importance to mark the spot where the Swann and two of her sister ships sank in 1653.

They had been sent by Cromwell to capture the 10 year old chief who, fortunately, had been removed to the Treshnish Isles for safety.

In January 2000 Sir Lachlan planted the Millennium Wood, a collection of trees and shrubs indigenous to Argyll.

Open - April to October