The Great Hall, used as a meeting, living, wedding and banquet room, would have originally been plastered and painted with murals in vivid prime colours, depicting historical, religious and heraldic themes. Around the walls at ceiling level are some fine examples of stone carved corbels, bearing arms of families connected with the Murrays through intermarriage. Above the fireplace is an early 15th century royal coat of arms. All these carvings were at one time highlighted with coloured paint.

The western side of the hall is dominated by the huge open fireplace, an original lintel (long since gone), was replaced by a wooden beam unequal in length, propped up on one end by a carved pillar. Above the lintel is a unique carved 11th Century overmantle depicting various plants and heads emanating from a dragons breath, believed to depict the ancient Celtic legend of the green man, or god of spring. To the right of the fire is a small dressing room where the laird would have changed into a variety of outfits, to entertain a constant stream of business delegations and social guests.

The hall is lit by high window recesses, positioned to catch the rising and setting sun through the coloured glass panels set within. Leading off the hall are three alcoves, which would have been screened by hangings or tapestries to accord some privacy for those members of the lairds family not directly involved in the activities conducted within the Great Hall.

The original flagstone floor would have been covered in woven reed mats, these in turn would be almost buried under dried flowers and herbs, producing a giant pot pourri effect. However, due to the extreme fire risk presented by the tinder box dry floor coverings, illumination through traditional tallow candles was a potentially hazardous affair. Consequently most of the castles light came from the huge fireplaces, which would have given off far more heat than required and so were designed to be expelled from the building up the huge chimney, radiating through the stone work to centrally heat the upper levels.

To the left of the fire, on the south wall is an elaborate sideboard or aumbry grooved for shelves. Made from carved arched stone window surrounds, they appear to have been reclaimed from an earlier religious structure. An aumbry (originally almry, a place for alms) such as this were fairly common in Scottish tower houses and would have been used to hold sacred vessels for the mass, but later for the safe keeping of valuables or as buffets for display of stacking plate or pewter.

An aumbry was always conveniently placed near the fireplace at the end of the high table. At the opposite end of the fireplace is a small hatch, or servery, which conceals the kitchen area. When the castle was first constructed, the cooking area would have been screened by a painted wooden wall, then this was replaced by a stone wall filling the archway. At a later date its function evolved to one of merely reheating food for serving, as the kitchen had been relocated in the castle courtyard.

The room adjacent to the kitchen was a waiting room or "withdrawing room" where servants would retire between courses to keep out of sight of the lairds guests. Immediately entering the Great Hall, a chamber leads off to the right. Down a series of winding steps is the guard room, pledge chamber and pit, all contained within 13 feet thick walls. Set in the guard room is a small hatch measuring 2 feet by 2 feet allowing access to the dismal pit, 18 feet by 5 feet and some 11 feet deep, this hatch was covered by a series of wooden doors, packed with wool or leather so designed as to make the only entrance soundproof and virtually airtight. This pit was used for the intimidation of prisoners awaiting the eventual payment of ransom, part of the darker side of castle life.

Stronghold, The Ghost