Duart Castle

Duart Castle is a multiphase castle occupying a rocky ridge on the east side of the Isle of Mull, overlooking the sea lanes where the Firth of Lorn, Loch Linnhe and the Sound of Mull meet. The oldest part of the castle is the 13th century courtyard wall, with additions and modifications dating from the 16th to 20th centuries. It is privately owned but open to the public.

The castle was founded by the MacDougall family in all likelihood in the 13th century as a simple courtyard fortified with a polygonal stone wall and plain gate arch – a design commonplace across the west coast at this time – although Duart follows a rectangular plan like Skipness and Sween rather than irregular like Dunvegan and Tioram. The oldest stone building is the tower-keep, the footprint of which is outside the courtyard, and therefore is an extension, dating to the latter 14th century, after the MacDougalls had been ejected from Lorn by Robert Bruce and the Macdonalds. Lachlan Maclean married the daughter of John Macdonald, Mary, and as her dowry, Lachlan gained Duart and a large part of Mull. Lachlan’s son Hector was killed at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, where he served as a lieutenant of the Lord of the Isles; his heir Lachlan was captured on the field. The Macleans were actively involved in Hebridean politics throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, and perhaps in the time of Hector Mor the old courtyard buildings were replaced with a new range of buildings on the south-east side of the courtyard and a gatehouse. Later a north-east range was added – these were modified towards the end of the 16th century and rebuilt in 1673 after a period of abandonment. By this time the Macleans had lost Duart to the Campbells in repayment of defaulted loans, and was in disrepair and in use as a garrison. In 1691 the Macleans were forfeited, not that it made any difference to the garrison castle, and by 1748 the great tower was roofless. It was abandoned by this time and left to rot until repurchased in 1911, when restoration started.

Official Duart Castle website

HES Canmore database entry