Hector Reaganach Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie facts for kids

Eachann Reaganach Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie also known as Hector Reaganach Maclean or Hector the Stern, was the first leader and founder of the Macleans of Lochbuie. He was an important figure in Scottish history.

Biography

Hector Reaganach Maclean, or Hector the Stern, was the first leader of the Macleans of Lochbuie. He was the son of John Dubh MacLean, 4th Clan Chief. Hector was a famous warrior. He and his brother Lachlan were very close. They always went on dangerous trips together. Hector was known for his brave actions.

A story tells how Hector arrived in Lochbuie. He found the land was owned by the chief of MacFadyean. Hector asked for permission to build a castle at the head of Lochbuie. When the castle was finished, Hector went to the top. He took a bow and arrow. He aimed at a bone MacFadyean was eating. Hector shot the arrow right through the bone! MacFadyean simply said, "It is time I was leaving." He left without causing any problems for Hector.

Hector might have helped build Moy Castle. The lower part of the castle looks very old. When Hector owned it, the castle might have been partly ruined. Today, it is one of the best-preserved castles in the Hebrides. Its roof was kept in good condition until recently. Moy Castle is on a low rock near the water. When the tide is high, the sea touches its base.

The castle is mostly built from flat stones. These stones are held together very strongly. The castle is wider at the bottom. The main door faces north. It used to be protected by a ditch filled with water. The doorway has a wooden door that swings inward. It is also guarded by an iron gate. This gate is secured by a wooden beam. The beam slides out from the wall to lock it.

Inside the wall, to the west, is a small space. A guard always stood there. The floor of the first story is solid rock. In the middle of this floor is a 4-foot deep pool of water. It's always full but never overflows. No one knows where the water comes from!

In the east wall, there is a passage. This leads to the stairs. The stairs go through the east wall to the second story. From there, the stairs are spiral and made of stone. Above the first passage, in the wall, is a special room. This room held the dead during funeral ceremonies.

The second and third floors are made of solid stone arches. The second story was the judgment hall. Next to it, inside the east wall, is the chapel. You can reach the chapel from the spiral stairs. In the southwest corner is the dungeon. It goes from the second floor down to the ground. No light enters the dungeon. It was built to hold water. A single stone was placed on the floor. Prisoners had to stand on it or they would drown. No one knows where this water came from either! There was a way for water to escape to prevent overflowing.

The third floor was the banqueting hall. This is where big feasts were held. The fourth and fifth stories had wooden floors. Here you can see chimneys, fireplaces, and windows. On the top, on the north side, is a wall called a parapet. A watchman was always on duty there.

The castle is 55 feet tall. On the north and south sides, the outer walls are 32 feet wide. On the east and west sides, they are 37 feet wide. All the walls are 7 feet thick. Hector Reaganach received his land rights from the Lord of the Isles. This meant he was independent from Duard.

Family Life

Hector married Christina. She was the daughter of Malcolm MacLeod of Glenelg and Harris. They had six sons:

• Charles, who settled in Glen Urquhart
• Murdoch Maclean, 2nd Laird of Lochbuie
• Donald
• Ewen
• Thomas
• Malcolm

Death

The exact date of Hector's death is not known.