Duart Castle is a superbly restored 13th century fortified citadel on a promontory jutting into scenic Duart Bay on the Isle of Mull in Scotland’s blustery and beautiful Inner Hebrides. Leaning on a wall in the former stone barn now serving as a tearoom is an unassuming black slate with the words “McLean Virginia USA 3,291 miles” in white letters.
The slate recognizes the NoVA locale as being named for a Maclean. And, as it happens, Duart Castle is the ancestral home of the Scottish clan. The 28th Chief of the Clan, Sir Lachlan Hector Charles Maclean, 12th Baronet, lives there. When my wife and my brother- and sister-in-law arrived earlier this fall, the young woman selling tickets, upon hearing my name, said that the chief would be in the Sea Room and is looking forward to meeting you.
The chief of the clan! How cool! Not even on my bucket list. Selfies to ensue.
But first, how did McLean, Virginia, get its name?
According to Chris Barbuschak, the Virginia Room archivist and librarian at the City of Fairfax Regional Library, the village that eventually became the suburban community of 50,000 was named after John Roll McLean, owner of The Washington Post, who acquired it in 1905. McLean was also president of Washington Gas Light Company and a director of two banks. So, money.
McLean was formed when the communities of Lewinsville and Langley merged in 1910. John Roll McLean named a railroad station on the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad after himself for $1,500 and the name of the area stuck. (That’s about $49,000 today.)
The McLeans were from Ohio, where the elder McLean owned the Cincinnati Enquirer. Not having access to robust genealogy tools, I can’t tell when or where the McLeans would have arrived from Scotland, if they did, and how Maclean became spelled McLean.
But that’s no matter for the chief of the clan. If you are a Maclean — or a McClain, McLain, Macleane, MacLaine, MacClane, or any other modification of the original — the chief is happy to have you add your name to the family guest book, kept separate from the visitors’ book that all are welcome to sign.
We came into the Sea Room, with its fabulous and strategic view of the bay, and were greeted by an affable 82-year-old gentleman in a well-loved flat cap and zippered vest.
The chief. My chief.
I introduced myself with a big smile and a bit of bravado as being a Maclean.
“You’re a Maclean, are you?” Lachlan responded. “You’re the third one today!”
So much for feeling special, but the Maclean Clan is enormous and global. We suspect our McClains came to the New World via the port at Philadelphia and along a trail to Appalachia, Virginia, blazed by none other than Daniel Boone after the 1746 Battle of Culloden.
The hour-long skirmish at Culloden between Jacobite Highlanders and the better-armed government army of the Duke of Cumberland saw some1,300 Highlanders killed (to the 50 on the government side), including 30 of the 300 Macleans who fought in the battle. We visited the site. There’s an ancient monument stone with our name on along one of the trails, and it’s a very moving memorial to the Highlanders.
Back at the castle, the chief mentioned that the next clan reunion is in 2027, which might be kind of fun. It’s on my tickler calendar. I’ll have the kilt ready.
Feature image by Leslie Aun
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