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www.maclean.org - Home to the Worldwide Family of Clan Maclean  
The Interior
Visitors now enter the castle through Beveridge's portico into a Victorian reception hall that leads in to the East wing that is now occupied by a splendid staircase which was once decorated by fresco panels of medieval scenes.
On the intermediate landing between the first and second floors is a stained glass window in which is set two coats of arms, two monograms and two mottos: that for HB (Henry Beveridge?) Is "Laetus Sorte Mea" (Goodwill be my lot), while RB (Isobel Beveridge?) expresses the pious hope that "Deus Providebat" (The Lord will provide).
The panels immediately below these also bear Latin Inscriptions; "Ora et Labore" ("Pray and Work") and "Fortitudine et Perservare" ("Courage and Perseverance"). If these last two are intended to direct the observer to higher thoughts, perhaps the same might apply to the inscription above the portico mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
On the rlght of the reception hall the spiral staircase descends to the domestic area. Most of the rooms leading off the lower corridor are now offices, but there are two areas of historical interest.
The Gun Room
At the West end of the corridor, a door leads into the 'Gun Room', which was the castle kitchen, and retains the original arch over the fire.  Within this arch may be seen fine examples of 'masons' marks'. The stonemasons who built the castle were paid by results, and as each laid a stone in place, he chiselled his mark on it. These marks were used as a record of work, thus determining the mason's wages. This room became, in turn:
a. The Beveridge's gun room where they kept their sporting guns, fishing tackle and associated equipment. b. Administration offices, when the oak panelling was painted an unattractive shade of dirty duck-egg blue, and finally c. A small function suite, used for conferences or small private parties.