Help Us Save Duart Castle

Hello, my name is Angela Martin. On 14 May 2022, I lost my wonderful grandmother. She is survived by her husband, 3 children, 4 grandchildren, & 4 great grandchildren. She was 91.

In leu of flowers my family is asking that donations be made in her honor to help save our clans castle in Scotland, Duart Castle. It is through my grandmother that I am able to trace to some incredible moments in history that are both fascinating & heartbreaking. Being able to save a little piece of that history would mean so much to her; to me as well.

I couldn’t select the Duart Appeal as a charity here on GFM. I will be leaving this open for donations until 14 May 2023 & mark the one year of her death with the donations being sent to the Duart Appeal.

Thank you to all who decide to donate & honor my grandmother’s memory by helping to save a small piece her families history.

Angela Martin

An appeal from the Chief of the Clan Maclean

Introduction

The main source of concern at Duart is the water penetration into the Castle. In the winter of 2013-14 we lost four ceilings, which were brought down by water penetration through the chimneys.

At the Clan Congress on Mull in June 2012 I told the Macleans present that my family could no longer afford the repairs that we had undertaken at the Castle in the previous 100 years. I asked them if they would help with the repairs that we needed to do to make the Castle watertight.

There are some major areas of water penetration that we are trying to stop. The situation has now become so bad that some of the pictures and items on display are being affected by water.

The unanimous response of those present was that they wanted to help. I am therefore launching this appeal to both Macleans and members of the public who are interested in saving Duart for future generations.

The pointing of the walls, the state of the asphalt on the walkways, and the re-pointing of all the chimneys add up to a cost of over £1.2 million. I have received support from Historic Scotland, and the family have committed to make a contribution as well, but we are still left with over £600,000 to raise.

All donations are important to restoring the Castle, no matter how large or small.

CASTLE HISTORY

The Keep at Duart was built in 1360 when Lachlan Lubanach, the 5th Chief, married Mary Macdonald, the daughter of the Lord of the Isles. She brought Duart as her dowry. Lachlan built the Keep and the north-west part of the site. The other two wings were added in the 16th and 17th centuries.

My family lost the Castle in the late 17th century when the Earl of Argyll took the Castle and our lands to pay off the family’s debts. In 1911 my great-grandfather, Sir Fitzroy Maclean, the 26th Chief, bought back the Castle and in the period up to the First World War restored it to the building you see today.

There are major leaks around the windows in the Banqueting Hall

Water runs down the Keep stairs in a stream

Duart remains one of the few original clan seats that has survived as the home of the Chief and his family while also being open to the public.

If you are concerned about Duart and its long-term future, both for the Clan and for Scotland, then I ask if you would please make a contribution to the appeal.