Arms of the Maclean Chief This is the arms of the Chief of the Clan Maclean, House of Duart. These arms are the hereditary personal coat of arms of Sir Lachlan Hector Charles Maclean, Bt, CVO, DL of Morvern and Duart, 28th Chief of the Clan Maclean. It is a hereditary piece of property and is therefore passed to his heirs upon his death. It is common to re-matriculate the full achievement of arms every three to five generations. It is not to be used by any other member of the clan as their personal coat of arms. In fact, according to Scottish law, simply affixing a coat of arms to any particular item, makes that item the personal property of the one who owns the coat of arms. OSTRICH The ostrich usually symbolizes the sincerity and willing TOWER EMBATTLED There is little doubt that the tower represents Duart Castle which has obedience. The use of the ostrich as a support charge in this full been in use since it was occupied by the Macleans in 1360. The Tower was originally used achievement of arms may be a reference to military and alone on a shield as the earliest arms of the Clan Maclean. This is documented in the Lindsay government service to Great Britain, and may explain it's use as a LOWER RIGHT armorial in 1542. The tower is even utilized in the earliest recorded Maclean seal. supporting charge in the full achievement of arms. Before the QUARTER seal was added, earlier achievements included "two Although the double SEAL The specific meaning behind the use of ostriches proper with horseshoes in their beaks." eagle usually signifies that BARONET'S HELM The the Seal is unknown. There is strong cause to Although the symbolism of the horseshoe is the bearer is an individual of addition of the baronet's helm believe that the seal is symbolic of the unknown, it is very common and typically action and integrity who is to the full achievement of geographic location and close ties of the Clan considered a symbol of good fortune. often occupied with weighty arms most likely occurred Maclean to the sea since seals are commonly affairs, there seems to be a when Sir Lachlan was made a found in the region. UPPER RIGHT much simpler explanation. baronet in 1631. It would have QUARTER OF THE The Exchequer Rolls record been customary to matriculate the fact that on several the arms after the bestowal of SHIELD UPPER LEFT QUARTER The red hand occasions, the Chiefs of such a title. Since then, OF THE SHIELD Clan Maclean supplied Maclean chiefs have held the holding the blue cross A l t h o u g h m a n y refers to St. Moluag, St. hawks to the King for his hereditary title, Baronet of believe that the rock personal and military use. Morvern. M o l u a g w a s m o s t represents the Isle of Mull, r e m e m b e r e d f o r Since the arms of the West Some believe that the rock founding a hundred Highland Clans depicted their social and political MEDALLION The medallion is actually symbolic of the monasteries in the 6th alliances rather than their is apparently a likeness of a M a c l e a n f o r t r e s s o f century. bloodlines, the later medallion of a Baronet of Cairnburgh located in the The red hand is a explanation is most likely Nova Scotia. Although these Treshnish Isles. It was at the common ancient symbol accurate. arms were last matriculated Cairnburgh Fortress that the referring to an area in The salmon, in Gaelic on behalf of Sir Fitzroy Macleans regrouped after northern Ireland now cultures, represents eternal Donald Maclean in 1904, this Duart Castle was conquered known as Ulster, St. life because it always medallion would have been by the Campbell's in 1681. Moluag's birthplace; the returns to it's birthplace to added with the Baronet's The use of the rock was first cross crossed fitchée is spawn and therefore a helm in 1631. recorded in 1591. a reference to Christian evangelism. When used mysterious and important together in the Western symbol. The silver salmon is LOWER LEFT QUARTER The *lymphad (black galley) Highlands, it recognizes a heraldic reference to the demonstrates the Clan's affiliation with the Lordship of the St. Moluag, the Christian nobile Dálriadic origins of Isles. All clans that were associated with the Lordship of the evangelist from Ulster. Gilleain na Tuaighe. Isles used the lymphad in their arms. The origins of the lymphad are clearly from Norse royalty and are symbolic of prowess at sea. There is speculation that the Norse kings *A Lymphad or galley is a charge used primarily in Scottish heraldry. It is a single masted ship propelled by oars. In addition to the mast and specifically used the lymphad to identify with the pagan oars, the Lymphad has three flags and a basket. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic long fhada, meaning a long ship or birlinn. It goddess, Nerthus, whose symbol was a crescent shaped usually indicates a title associated with islands, such as Lord of the Isles, specifically those on the west coast of Scotland, but not limited to galley. the Hebrides. Also, it is not limited to Scottish arms, prominent examples including the coats of arms of New Zealand and New Brunswick.