Duart Castle dates back to the 13th century and is the seat of Clan MacLean. In 1647, Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell, but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean. In September 1653, a Cromwellian task force of six ships anchored off the castle, but the Macleans had already fled to Tiree. A storm blew up on the 13 September and three ships were lost, including HMS Swan.

In 1678, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, son of the Marquess of Argyll, successfully invaded the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet fled the castle and withdrew to Cairnbulg Castle, and afterward to Kintail under the protection of the Earl of Seaforth. In 1691 Duart Castle was surrendered by Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. The Campbell clan demolished the castle, and the stones from the walls were scattered. Donald Maclean, 5th Laird of Torloisk used some of the stones to build a cottage for his family close to the site of the castle. By 1751 the remains of the castle were abandoned.

Descendants of Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll sold the castle in 1801, to MacQuarrie, who then sold it to Carter-Campbell of Possil who kept it as a ruin within the grounds of his own estate to the north, Torosay Castle. He later sold his Torosay Estate which now included the ruins of Castle Duart to A. C. Guthrie in 1865. On 11 September 1911, the ruin was separated from the rest of the Torosay Estate and was bought by Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, the 26th Chief of the Clan MacLean and restored.

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Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

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4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dani Boniface (2 years ago)
Lovely place to explore. Staff were kind and friendly, ticket prices are very reasonable and the castle is full of interesting facts and history. The view from the top is spectacular!
Robert Umans (2 years ago)
Five stars for the views, location, and super friendly staff. The road to the castle is narrow, but it has multiple wider spots to let oncoming traffic pass. They have a very nice Cafe for great lunches.
Tully Waylor (2 years ago)
Superb looking castle with a rich history and many artifacts to look at. The castle is open from the dungeons to the ramparts, except from some private residence. The current clan chief lives in it and was an excellent host.
Kara Citarella (2 years ago)
Such a fun experience! This castle is from the 14th century and I arrived early, so barely anyone was there. I could take my time exploring and buy a ticket right on the spot. Absolutely gorgeous! The tour guides love history, shared stories with me, and even made other recommendations of places to see on my trip.
Mardee Sherman (2 years ago)
This was a lovely castle with some incredible views here. I really enjoyed walking through and seeing the history, and also knowing that the original family still lives here. The price is very reasonable and it is in a gorgeous location. They also have a nice tea shop where you can stop and get something and sit outside.
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