Argyll (;

archaically In language, an archaism (from the grc, ἀρχαϊκός, ''archaïkós'', 'old-fashioned, antiquated', ultimately , ''archaîos'', 'from the beginning, ancient') is a word, a sense of a word, or a style of speech or writing that belongs to a hi ...

Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and

registration county A registration county was, in Great Britain and Ireland, a statistical unit used for the registration of births, deaths and marriages and for the output of census information. In Scotland registration counties are used for land registration purpose ...

of western

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of on

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...

. Argyll was also a medieval bishopric with its cathedral at Lismore, as well as an early modern

earldom Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particula ...

and

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

dom, the Dukedom of Argyll. It borders

Inverness-shire Inverness-shire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands and Outer Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in popula ...

to the north, Perthshire and

Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire ( gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Breatann) or the County of Dumbarton is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbartonshire borders Pe ...

to the east, and—separated by the

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the River Clyde. It is located on the west coast of Scotland and constitutes the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles (it is 164 metres deep at its deepest). The firth is sheltered from the Atlantic ...

—neighbours

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Re ...

and Ayrshire to the south-east, and Buteshire to the south. Between 1890 and 1975, Argyll was an administrative county with a county council. Its area corresponds with most of the modern

council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act. ...

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020) ...

, excluding the

Isle of Bute The Isle of Bute ( sco, Buit; gd, Eilean Bhòid or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent is ...

and the

Helensburgh Helensburgh (; gd, Baile Eilidh) is an affluent coastal town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local gove ...

area, but including the

Morvern Morvern, historically also spelt Morven, is a peninsula and traditional district in the Highlands, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies south of the districts of Ardgour and Sunart, and is bounded on the north by Loch Sunart and Glen Tarbert, ...

and

Ardnamurchan Ardnamurchan (, gd, Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is a peninsula in the ward management area of Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoiled and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access ...

areas of the

Highland council area Highland ( gd, A' Ghàidhealtachd, ; sco, Hieland) is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom. It was the 7th most populous council area in Scotland at the 2011 census. It shar ...

. There was an Argyllshire constituency of the Parliament of Great Britain then

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

, from 1708 until 1983.

Name

The name derives from Old Gaelic ' (border region of the Gaels). The early 13th-century author of ' wrote that "the name ''Arregathel'' means margin (i.e., border region) of the Scots or Irish, because all Scots and Irish are generally called ''Gattheli'' (i.e. Gaels), from their ancient warleader known as Gaithelglas." The ' is however of dubious authenticity. However, the word ' naturally carries the meaning of the word 'coast' when applied to maritime regions, so the placename can also be translated as "Coast of heGaels". Woolf has suggested that the name ' replaced the name ' when the 9th-century Norse conquest split Irish and the islands of Alban off from mainland Alban . The mainland area, renamed ', would have contrasted with the offshore islands of ', literally 'islands of the foreigners'. They were referred to this way because during the 9th to 12th centuries, they were ruled by

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...

-speaking

Norse–Gaels The Norse–Gaels ( sga, Gall-Goídil; ga, Gall-Ghaeil; gd, Gall-Ghàidheil, 'foreigner-Gaels') were a people of mixed Gaelic and Norse ancestry and culture. They emerged in the Viking Age, when Vikings who settled in Ireland and in Scotlan ...

North Argyll

The term ''North Argyll'' historically referred to what is now called

Wester Ross Wester Ross () is an area of the Northwest Highlands of Scotland in the council area of Highland. The area is loosely defined, and has never been used as a formal administrative region in its own right, but is generally regarded as lying to t ...

. It acquired the name ''North Argyll'' as it was settled by missionaries and refugees from Dál Riata, based at the abbey of

Applecross Applecross ( gd, A' Chomraich) is a peninsula north-west of Kyle of Lochalsh in the council area of Highland, Scotland. The name Applecross is at least 1,300 years old and is ''not'' used locally to refer to the 19th century village (which ...

. The position of abbot was hereditary, and when Ferchar mac in tSagart, son of the abbot, became the

Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12 ...

, the region of ''North Argyll'' started to acquire the name ''Wester Ross''. Both names continued in use until the 15th century, when ''Wester Ross'' became the exclusive term.

Geography

Argyllshire is split into two non-contiguous mainland sections divided by Loch Linnhe, plus a large number of islands that fall within the Inner Hebrides. Mainland Argyllshire is characterised by mountainous

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

scenery interspersed with hundreds of lochs, with a heavily indented coastline containing numerous small offshore islands. The islands present a contrasting range of scenery – from the relatively flat islands of

Coll Coll (; gd, Cola; sco, Coll)Mac an Tàilleir (2003) p. 31 is an island located west of the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and ...

and

Tiree Tiree (; gd, Tiriodh, ) is the most westerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The low-lying island, southwest of Coll, has an area of and a population of around 650. The land is highly fertile, and crofting, alongside tourism, an ...

to the mountainous terrain of Jura and

Mull Mull may refer to: Places *Isle of Mull, a Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides ** Sound of Mull, between the Isle of Mull and the rest of Scotland * Mount Mull, Antarctica *Mull Hill, Isle of Man * Mull, Arkansas, a place along Arkansas Highway ...

. For ease of reference the following is split into three sections: Mainland (north), Mainland (south) and the Inner Hebrides.

Mainland (north)

The northern mainland section consists of two large peninsulas –

and

– divided by

Loch Sunart Loch Sunart (Scottish Gaelic ) is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland. Loch Sunart is bounded to the north by the Sunart district of Ardnamurchan and to the south by the Morvern district. At long, it is the longest sea loch in the Highlan ...

, with a large inland section – known traditionally as

Ardgour Ardgour () (, meaning ''Height of the goats'') is an area of the Scottish Highlands on the western shore of Loch Linnhe. It lies north of the district of Morvern and east of the district of Sunart. Administratively it is now part of the wa ...

– bounded on the east by Loch Linnhe. This loch gradually narrows, before turning sharply west in the vicinity of Fort William (where it is known as

Loch Eil Loch Eil (Scottish Gaelic, ''Loch Iall'') is a sea loch in Lochaber, Scotland that opens into Loch Linnhe near the town of Fort William. ".. the name of the Chief of Clan Cameron is spelt LOCHIEL, while the name of the loch is spelt LOCH EIL,.. ...

), almost cutting the northern mainland section of Argyll in two. This area, in the vicinity of Fort William and along the railway line, contains the largest towns of northern mainland Argyll. Ardnamurchan is a remote, mountainous region with only one access road; it terminates in

Ardnamurchan Point Ardnamurchan (, gd, Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is a peninsula in the ward management area of Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoiled and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access ...

and

Corrachadh Mòr ETRS89 (; ) is a headland on the peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, notable for being the most westerly point on the island of Great Britain. It is further west than Land's End in Cornwall. Depending on which coordinates are used ...

, the westernmost points of the British mainland. In the north-east of the peninsula two unnamed sub-peninsulas almost encircle Kentra Bay, and are bound by the South Channel of

Loch Moidart Loch Moidart is a sea loch (sea inlet) in the district of Moidart in Highland, Scotland. It is on the west coast of Scotland, and runs about 8 km (5 miles) eastward from the sea. It is connected to the sea by two narrow channels which are se ...

to the north; to the east of this lies the River Shiel and then

Loch Shiel :''See Glen Shiel for the much smaller Loch Shiel in Lochalsh.'' Loch Shiel ( gd, Loch Seile) is a freshwater loch situated west of Fort William in the Highland council area of Scotland. At long it is the 4th longest loch in Scotland, and ...

, a long loch which forms most of this section of the border with Inverness-shire. Morvern is a large peninsula and like its northern neighbour is remote, mountainous and sparsely populated. In its north-west Loch Teacuis cuts deeply into the peninsula, as does

Loch Aline Loch Aline (Scottish Gaelic: ''Loch Àlainn'') is a small salt water loch home to fish, birds and game, located in Morvern, Lochaber, Scotland. Key features of interest are Kinlochaline Castle, Ardtornish Castle Ardtornish Castle is situated ...

in the south. At the estuary of Loch Teacuis lie the large islands of Oronsay,

Risga Risga is an uninhabited island in between Càrna and Oronsay, in the centre of Loch Sunart, about from the north shore, in the council area of Highland, Scotland. Its area is and its highest elevation is . In 1950, over 50 pairs of Lesser blac ...

and Càrna. There are numerous lochs in northern Argyll, the largest being Loch Doilet, Loch Arienas, Loch Teàrnait, Loch Doire nam Mart and Loch Mudle.

List of islands

* Am Brican * Ardtoe Island * Big Stirk * Càrna * Dearg Sgeir * Dubh Sgeir * Eilean a' Chuilinn * Eilean a' Mhuirich * Eilean an Fhèidh * Eilean an t-Sionnaich * Eilean Ghleann Fhionainn * Eilean Mhic Dhomhnuill Dhuibh * Eilean mo Shlinneag * Eilean Mòr, Loch Sunart * Eilean Mòr, Loch Sunart (inner) * Eilean na h-Acarseid * Eilean na Beitheiche * Eilean nam Gillean * Eilean nan Eildean * Eilean nan Gabhar * Eilean nan Gall * Eilean Rubha an Ridire * Eilean Uillne * Eileanan Glasa * Eileanan Loisgte * Eileanan nan Gad * Garbh Eilean * Glas Eilean (inner Loch Sunart) * Glas Eilean (outer Loch Sunart) * Glas Eileanan * Little Stirk * Oronsay *

Red Rocks Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure in the western United States, near Morrison, Colorado, west of Denver. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind th ...

* Seilag * Sgeir an Eididh * Sgeir an t-Seangain * Sgeir Buidhe * Sgeir Charrach * Sgeir Ghobhlach * Sgeir Horsgeat * Sgeir Mhali * Sgeir Mhòr * Sgeir nan Gillean * Sgeirean nan Torran * Sgeirean Shallachain * Sligneach Bag * Sligneach Mòr File:Corrachadh Mor 2005-07-15.jpg, Corrachadh Mòr as seen from the Ardnamurchan Point lighthouse File:Dramatic Scenery at Loch Sunart - geograph.org.uk - 1659920.jpg, Loch Sunart File:Creach Bheinn and Glen Galmadale.jpg, Creach Bheinn on the Morvern peninsula File:Risga - geograph.org.uk - 1348719.jpg, The isle of Risga File:Kentra Moss near Kentra - geograph.org.uk - 125936.jpg, Kentra Moss flatlands

Mainland (south)

The southern mainland section is much larger than the northern, and is dominated by the long

Kintyre Kintyre ( gd, Cinn Tìre, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East and West Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately nor ...

peninsula, the

terminus Terminus may refer to: * Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination * Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination Geography *Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...

of which lies only from

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

on the other side of the

North Channel North Channel may refer to: *North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland) The North Channel (known in Irish and Scottish Gaelic as , in Scots as the ) is the strait between north-eastern Northern Ireland and south-western Scotland. It begins no ...

. The coast is complex, with the west coast in particular being heavily indented and containing numerous sea inlets, peninsulas and sub-peninsulas; of the latter, the major ones (north to south) are

Appin Appin ( gd, An Apainn) is a coastal district of the Scottish West Highlands bounded to the west by Loch Linnhe, to the south by Loch Creran, to the east by the districts of Benderloch and Lorne, and to the north by Loch Leven. It lies north ...

, Ardchattan,

Craignish Craignish (Scottish Gaelic, ''Creiginis'') is a peninsula in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies around south of Oban, and north-west of Lochgilphead. The peninsula is around long, and is aligned along a north-east to south-west ori ...

, Tayvallich, Taynish,

Knapdale Knapdale ( gd, Cnapadal, IPA: �kraʰpət̪əɫ̪ forms a rural district of Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands, adjoining Kintyre to the south, and divided from the rest of Argyll to the north by the Crinan Canal. It includes two parishes, ...

and

, and the major loch inlets (north to south) are Loch Leven,

Loch Creran Loch Creran is a sea loch in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It is about long from its head at Invercreran to its mouth on the Lynn of Lorne, part of Loch Linnhe. The loch separates the areas of Benderloch to the south and Appin to the n ...

Loch Etive Loch Etive (Scottish Gaelic, ''Loch Eite'') is a 30 km sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It reaches the sea at Connel, 5 km north of Oban. It measures 31.6 km (19 miles) long and from 1.2 km ( mile) to wide. Its ...

, Loch Feochan, Loch Melfort,

Loch Craignish Loch Craignish is a sea loch on the mid-Argyll coast. Geography Loch Craignish lies between Oban and the Crinan Canal. Its opens into the Sound of Jura and provides a safe anchorage for small craft. Several islands lie within the loch, the la ...

Loch Crinan Loch Crinan is a seawater loch on the West of Scotland, leading into the Sound of Jura The Sound of Jura () is a strait in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is one of the several Sounds of Scotland. It is to the east of the island of Jura and ...

Loch Sween ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spellin ...

, Loch Caolisport and

West Loch Tarbert West Loch Tarbert ( gd, Loch A Siar) is a sea loch that separates the northern and southern parts of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. A small isthmus joins these two areas, on which is to be found the village of Tarbert. The loch contai ...

, the latter dividing Kintyre from Knapdale. To the east

Loch Fyne Loch Fyne ( gd, Loch Fìne, ; meaning "Loch of the Vine/Wine"), is a sea loch off the Firth of Clyde and forms part of the coast of the Cowal peninsula. Located on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It extends inland from the Soun ...

separates Kintyre from the

Cowal Cowal ( gd, Còmhghall) is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute, in the west of Scotland, that extends into the Firth of Clyde. The northern part of the peninsula is covered by the Argyll Forest Park managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. The Arroch ...

peninsula, which is itself split into three sub-peninsulas by Lochs Striven and Riddon and split on its east coast by

Holy Loch The Holy Loch ( gd, An Loch Sianta/Seunta) is a sea loch, a part of the Cowal peninsula coast of the Firth of Clyde, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The "Holy Loch" name is believed to date from the 6th century, when Saint Munn landed there afte ...

and Loch Goil; south across the

Kyles of Bute The Kyles of Bute ( gd, Na Caoil Bhòdach) form a narrow sea channel that separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the Scottish mainland. The surrounding hillsides are roughly wooded, and ov ...

lies the island of Bute, which is part of Buteshire, and to east across

Loch Long Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Sea Loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately in length, with a width of between . The loch also has an arm, Loch Goil, on its west ...

lies the Rosneath peninsula in

. The topography of south Argyll is in general heavily mountainous and sparsely populated, with numerous lochs; Kintyre is slightly flatter though still hilly. Near

Glen Coe Glen Coe ( gd, Gleann Comhann ) is a glen of volcanic origins, in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the north of the county of Argyll, close to the border with the historic province of Lochaber, within the modern council area of Highland ...

can be found

Bidean nam Bian Bidean nam Bian ( gd, Bidean nam Beann, 'peak of the mountains') is the highest peak in a group of mountains south of Glen Coe and north of Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands. With a height of , it is a Munro and the highest point in Argyll. I ...

, the tallest peak in the county at 1,150 m (3,770 ft). Of the lochs and bodies of water the largest are (roughly north to south) the Blackwater Reservoir, Loch Achtriochtan, Loch Laidon, Loch Bà, loch Buidhe, Lochan na Stainge, Loch Dochard, Loch Tulla,

Lochan Shira ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spelling ...

, the

Cruachan Reservoir Cruachan Reservoir is a reservoir in Scotland. It is located to the north west of Loch Awe, in a corrie beneath Ben Cruachan. It is the upper reservoir for the Cruachan Power Station pumped-storage scheme. It was created in the 1960s, and is ...

, Loch Restil,

Loch Awe Loch Awe (Scottish Gaelic: ''Loch Obha'') is a large body of freshwater in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such ...

Loch Avich Loch of Avich is a large freshwater loch that lies approximately west of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute in Scotland. It is the second biggest loch in the Etive basin after Loch Awe. It trends east-northeast, west-southwest and is narrowly triangul ...

Blackmill Loch Blackmill Loch is an impounding reservoir, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The loch was constructed in 1964 and is one source of freshwater for the Lochgair Hydroelectric Scheme. The loch feeds the River Add, when not diverted for hydroelectric pu ...

Loch Nant ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spelling ...

Loch Nell ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spelling ...

, Loch Scammadale,

Loch Glashan ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch. In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spel ...

, Loch Loskin,

Loch Eck Loch Eck (Gaelic: ''Loch Eich'') is a freshwater loch located on the Cowal peninsula, north of Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is long. Along with Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (198 ...

, Asgog Loch, Loch Tarsan, Càm Loch, Loch nan Torran, Loch Ciàran, Loch Garasdale, Lussa Loch and Tangy Loch.

List of islands

''Note that islands lying off the west coast are generally considered to be part of the Inner Hebrides (see below)'' * Abbot's Isle *

An Oitir An, AN, aN, or an may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Airlinair (IATA airline code AN) * Alleanza Nazionale, a former political party in Italy * AnimeNEXT, an annual anime convention located in New Jersey * Anime North, a Canadian an ...

* Barmore Island * Black Islands * Burnt Islands (''comprising Eilean Mòr, Eilean Fraoich and Eilean Buidhe'') * Island Davaar * Duncuan Island * Eilean a' Chòmhraidh * Eilean an t-Sagairt * Eilean Aoghainn * Eilean Beith * Eilean Buidhe * Eilean Dubh * Eilean Grianain * Eilean Math-ghamhna * Eilean Mòr * Eilean Munde * Eilean nam Meann * Glas Eilean * Gluniform Island *

Henrietta Reef Henrietta may refer to: * Henrietta (given name), a feminine given name, derived from the male name Henry Places * Henrietta Island in the Arctic Ocean * Henrietta, Mauritius * Henrietta, Tasmania, a locality in Australia United States * Henr ...

* Inis Chonain * Inishail * Innis Errich * Island Ross * Liath Eilean * Oitir Mòr * Sanda Island * Scart Rocks * Sgat Beag * Sgat Mòr * Sgeir Bhuide * Sgeir Caillich * Sgeir Lag Choan * Sgeir Leathann * Sgeir Mhaola Cin * Sgeir na Dubhaidh * Sgeir Port a' Ghuail * Sheep Island *

Thorn Isle Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...

File:Iainland - towards Rubha nah Airde - geograph.org.uk - 1102840.jpg, Knapdale scenery File:Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 49941.jpg, Mull of Kintyre lighthouse File:Loch Riddon or Loch Ruel and the Kyles of Bute - geograph.org.uk - 848161.jpg, Loch Riddon File:Loch Etive.jpg, Loch Etive looking NE from Sron nam Feannag File:Glencoepanorama.jpg, Glen Coe, with the Three Sisters of Bidean nam Bian File:Loch Restil - geograph.org.uk - 11726.jpg, Loch Restil File:Davaarisland1379.jpg, Davaar island

Inner Hebrides

Argyllshire contains the majority of the Inner Hebrides group, with the notable exceptions of Skye and

Eigg Eigg (; gd, Eige; sco, Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Isle of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an ar ...

(both in Inverness-shire). The islands are too geographically diverse to be summarised here; further details can be found on the individual pages below.

List of islands

Am Fraoch Eilean Am Fraoch Eilean is an uninhabited island in the Sound of Jura, in the council area of Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute ( sco, Argyll an Buit; gd, Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a ...

* An Dubh Sgeir * An Stèidh * Bach Island * Balach Rocks *

Belnahua Belnahua is one of the Slate Islands, in the Firth of Lorn in Scotland, known for its deserted slate quarries. The bedrock that underpins its human history is part of the Scarba Conglomerate Formation and its value has been on record since the 16 ...

Bernera Island Bernera Island ( gd, Beàrnaraigh) or simply Bernera is a tidal island off Lismore, in Argyll, Scotland. History In the 6th century, Bernera was settled by monks of the Irish Culdee church under the leadership of St. Moluag. St. Columba used ...

* Brosdale Island *

Calve Island Calve Island is an uninhabited low-lying island off the east coast of the Isle of Mull in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. A whitewashed farmhouse with substantial outbuildings stands on the western shore, used as a summer residenc ...

* Canna *

Cara Island Cara Island ( gd, Cara) is a small island which is located off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. Geography and etymology Cara is south of Gigha. It is accessible from Gigha. Cara has a translation in Gaelic as "dearest" or "dear one". C ...

* Carraig an Daimh * Carsaig Island * Coiresa *

Colonsay Colonsay (; gd, Colbhasa; sco, Colonsay) is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, located north of Islay and south of Mull. The ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeil, it is in the council area of Argy ...

* Craro Island * Island of Danna * Dubh Artach * Dubh Sgeir * Eagamol * Eag na Maoile * Easdale * Eilean a' Chalmain * Eilean a' Chùirn * Eilean a' Mhadaidh * Eilean Àird nan Uan * Eilean an Aodaich * Eilean an Fhuarain * Eileach an Naoimh * Eilean Annraidh * Eilean an Righ * Eilean Arsa * Eilean Ascaoineach * Eilean Balnagowan * Eilean Bàn * Eilean Bhrìde * Eilean Coltair * Eilean Craobhach * Eilean dà Ghallagain *

Eilean dà Mhèinn Eilean dà Mhèinn, is a small inhabited island in Loch Crinan and one of the Inner Hebrides The Inner Hebrides (; Scottish Gaelic: ''Na h-Eileanan a-staigh'', "the inner isles") is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, t ...

* Eilean Dioghlum * Eilean Dùin * Eilean Fraoich * Eilean Gainimh * Eilean Garbh * Eilean Ghòmain * Eilean Ghreasamuill * Eilean Imersay * Eilean Inshaig * Eilean Loain * Eilean Loch Oscair * Eilean Mhartan * Eilean Mhic Chrion *

Eilean Mhic Coinnich Eilean Mhic Coinnich, also known as Mackenzie Island (although recorded on the Land Register as McKenseys Island), is an uninhabited island of , lying off the southern end of the Rinns of Islay peninsula on the Inner Hebridean island of Islay, Sc ...

* Eilean Mòr * Eilean Musdile * Eilean na Cloiche * Eilean na Cille * Eilean na Creiche * Eilean na h-Eairne * Eilean na h-Uamha * Eilean na Seamair * Eilean nam Ban * Eilean nam Muc * Eilean nan Caorach * Eilean nan Coinean * Eilean nan Each * Eilean nan Gamhna * Eilean Odhar * Eilean Ona *

Eilean Ornsay Eilean Ornsay is a rocky and uninhabited island located off the south-western coast of the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. It is situated on the western side of Loch Eatharna and is joined to Coll at low tide. Evidence of the dun and other archa ...

* Eilean Ramsay * Eilean Reilean * Eilean Righ * Eilean Tràighe * Eileanan Glasa * Eileanan na h-Aoran *

Eorsa Eorsa is an uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Geography Eorsa lies in Loch na Keal on the west coast of the Isle of Mull, to the east of Ulva. It is part of the Loch Na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland. Hi ...

* Erisgeir * Eriska * Erraid * Fladda * Frenchman's Rocks * Gamhna Gigha * Gamhnach Mhòr * Garbh Rèisa *

Garbh Sgeir Garbh Sgeir (Gaelic: 'rough skerry') is a rock about 100 metres west of the islet Òigh-sgeir, in the Small Isles, Lochaber, Scotland. There is an anchorage between the two. It is not to be confused with the nearby islet of the same name th ...

* Garvellachs * Gigalum Island *

Gigha Gigha (; gd, Giogha, italic=yes; sco, Gigha) or the Isle of Gigha (and formerly Gigha Island) is an island off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. The island forms part of Argyll and Bute and has a population of 163 people. The climate is ...

* Gòdag *

Gometra Gometra ( gd, Gòmastra) is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, lying west of Mull. It lies immediately west of Ulva, to which it is linked by a bridge, and at low tide also by a beach. It is approximately in size. The name is also app ...

* Guirasdeal * Hàslam *

Humla Humla District ( ne, हुम्ला जिल्ला), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Simikot as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has population of 50,858 a ...

Inch Kenneth Inch Kenneth ( gd, Innis Choinnich) is a small grassy island off the west coast of the Isle of Mull, in Scotland. It is at the entrance of Loch na Keal, to the south of Ulva. It is part of the Loch na Keal National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scot ...

* Inn Island *

Insh Island Insh ( gd, Am Baile Ùr) is a village in Highland, Scotland that lies on the east coast of the Insh Marshes. It is in the Badenoch and Strathspey area, around east of Kingussie, in the Spey valley. It is located in historic Inverness-shire. The ...

* Iona * Island Macaskin * Islay * Hough Skerries *

Hyskeir Hyskeir ( gd, Òigh-sgeir) or Heyskeir is a low-lying rocky islet (a skerry) in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. The Hyskeir Lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Minch. Geography Hyskeir lies in the southern entrance to the Minch, 10 kil ...

(''in Gaelic, Oigh-Sgeir'') * Jura *

Kerrera Kerrera (; gd, Cearara or ''Cearrara'') is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, close to the town of Oban. In 2016 it had a population of 45, divided into two communities in the north and south of the island. Geology The oldest bedrock ...

Lady's Rock Lady's Rock is an uninhabited skerry to the south west of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides. It is submerged at high tide and carries a navigation beacon. Eilean Musdile is to the north east, next to Lismore. History In 1527, Lachlan Maclean of Du ...

* Liath Sgeir * Lismore * Little Colonsay *

Luing Luing ( ; Gaelic: ''Luinn'') is one of the Slate Islands, Firth of Lorn, in the west of Argyll in Scotland, about south of Oban. The island has an area of and is bounded by several small skerries and islets. It has a population of around 200 peo ...

* Lunga *

MacCormaig Isles The MacCormaig Isles are small islands south of the Island of Danna in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The MacCormaig Islands lie in the entrance to Loch Sween within the powerful tides of the Sound of Jura. They form part of the Ulva, Danna and ...

* Maisgeir *

Muck Muck most often refers to: *Muck (soil), a soil made up primarily of humus from drained swampland Muck may also refer to: Places Europe * Muck, Scotland, an island * Isle of Muck, County Antrim, a small island connected by sand spit to Portmu ...

* Na Sgeiran Mòra *

Nave Island Nave Island lies to the north of Islay in the Inner Hebrides near the mouth of Loch Gruinart. It is uninhabited. Geography The island is all but cut in two by a narrow chasm that runs northwest to southeast across the northern third. The high ...

* Ormsa * Oronsay *

Orsay Orsay () is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the centre of Paris. A fortified location of the Chevreuse valley since the 8th centur ...

* Rèidh Eilean * Rèisa an t-Struith * Rèisa Mhic Phaidean * Ruadh Sgeir * Rùm * Samalan Island * Sanday *

Scarba Scarba ( gd, Sgarba) is an island, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, just north of the much larger island of Jura. The island was owned by Richard Hill, 7th Baron Sandys, and has not been permanently inhabited since the 1960s. It is now covered in ...

* Scoul Eilean * Seil * Sgeir a' Mhàim-àrd * Sgeir a' Phuirt * Sgeir an Ròin * Sgeiran Mòra * Sgeir Mhòr * Sgeir na Caillich * Sgeir nan Gobhar * Sgeir nan Sgarbh * Sgeir Shealg * Sgeir Tràighe * Shian Island * Shuna, Slate Islands * Shuna Island, Loch Linnhe * Skerryvore *

Small Isles The Small Isles ('' gd, Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn'') are a small archipelago of islands in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. They lie south of Skye and north of Mull and Ardnamurchan – the most westerly point of main ...

* Soa, near Coll * Soa, Tiree * Soa, near Mull *

Staffa Staffa ( gd, Stafa, , from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island) is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were built from ver ...

* Taynish Island * Sùil Ghorm *

Texa Texa (Scottish Gaelic: Teacsa) is a small island directly south of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. It reaches a height of at its highest point, Ceann Garbh. It is part of the parish of Kildalton on Islay. The distilleries of Laphroa ...

Torran Rocks The Torran Rocks are a group of small islands and skerries located between the islands of Mull and Colonsay in Scotland. Geography and geology The main rocks are Dearg Sgeir, MacPhail's Anvil, Na Torrain, Torran Sgoilte and Torr an t-Saothaid ...

Torsa Torsa (occasionally Torsay) is one of the Slate Islands in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Lying east of Luing and south of Seil, this tidal island was inhabited until the 1960s. There is now only one house there, which is used for holiday lets. The ...

Treshnish Isles The Treshnish Isles are an archipelago of small islands and skerries, lying west of the Isle of Mull, in Scotland. They are part of the Inner Hebrides. Trips to the Treshnish Isles operate from Ulva Ferry, Tobermory, Ardnamurchan and Tiree. Geo ...

Ulva Ulva (; gd, Ulbha) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, off the west coast of Mull. It is separated from Mull by a narrow strait, and connected to the neighbouring island of Gometra by a bridge. Much of the island is formed f ...

File:Calve Island.jpg, Calve Island File:Iorcail - geograph.org.uk - 761496.jpg, Cliffs at Iorcail on Canna File:Caraislandaerial.jpg, Cara File:Eorsa, Loch Na Keal.jpg, Eorsa from Mull File:Iona Abbey from water.jpg, Iona Abbey File:Dun Nosebridge.jpg, Dun Nosebridge on Islay File:Gylen Castle, Kerrera - geograph.org.uk - 1640107.jpg,

Gylen Castle Gylen Castle is a ruined castle, or tower house, at the south end of the island of Kerrera in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on a promontory overlooking the Firth of Lorne. It was made a scheduled monument in 1931. History Built in 1582 by the Clan ...

on Kerrera File:Rum Ponies - geograph.org.uk - 151595.jpg, Ponies on Rum File:Waterfall on South Coast of Rum - geograph.org.uk - 41742.jpg, Coastal waterfall on Rum File:Staffa01.jpg, Basalt columns on Staffa File:Ulbhabluebells.jpg, Bluebell field on Ulva

Shire, county and district

Historically, the term ''shire'' is somewhat misleading, as it must not be confused with an English

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

. In medieval Latin, the latter was referred to as a ''comitatus'', which prior to 1889 a Scottish ''shire'' had never been. In Scotland, the ''comitatus'' was in fact the region controlled as a ''Lordship'' (as opposed, for example, to a

Laird Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...

ship), such as a

mormaer In early medieval Scotland, a mormaer was the Gaelic name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a ''Toísech'' (chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English earls or Continental c ...

dom, or an early

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...

dom, and typically survived as a ''

regality A regality was a territorial jurisdiction in old Scots law which might be created by the King or Queen only, by granting lands to a subject ''in liberam regalitatem'', and the tract of land over which such a right extended. A lord of regality h ...

'' (though this is a broader term encompassing also more junior authority). ''Shire'' instead came into use, in Scotland, to refer to the region in which a particular sheriff operated; in Scottish medieval Latin this was sometimes called the ''vice-comitatus''. Following the transfer of the Hebrides and adjacent mainland coast from Norway to Scotland, by the 1266

Treaty of Perth The Treaty of Perth, signed 2 July 1266, ended military conflict between Magnus VI of Norway and Alexander III of Scotland over possession of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The text of the treaty. The Hebrides and the Isle of Man had becom ...

, Argyll was served by the

sheriff of Perth The Sheriff of Perth was historically a royal official, appointed for life, who was responsible for enforcing justice in Perth, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite upri ...

. However, in 1293, king

John Balliol John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an ...

established the post of sheriff of Kintyre. In 1326, Dougall Campbell, son of Neil Campbell, was rewarded for

Campbell Campbell may refer to: People Surname * Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell Given name * Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer * Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...

support of

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...

; Dougall was grandson of the baron of Innis Chonnell, at the centre of the Argyll region, so he was created ''Sheriff of Argyll''. However, the sheriffdom had only been created to oversee the forfeited

MacDougall Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as ...

territory of Lorn (including

), the southern parts of Argyll remained part of the quasi-independent

Lordship of the Isles The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title ...

until the late 15th century. In 1476, John MacDonald, the Lord of the Isles,

quitclaim Generally, a quitclaim is a formal renunciation of a legal claim against some other person, or of a right to land. A person who quitclaims renounces or relinquishes a claim to some legal right, or transfers a legal interest in land. Originally a c ...

ed Kintyre and Knapdale (including the region between

and

) to Scotland, and initially Knapdale was served by the Sheriff of Perth. However, in 1481, it was placed under the control of ''

Tarbertshire Tarbertshire, or the sheriffdom of Tarbert, was a shire of Scotland until 1633, when it was annexed to Argyllshire.RPS, 1633/6/91 It comprised the mainland peninsula formed by Knapdale and Kintyre, together with the southern Inner Hebrides to t ...

'' – an expanded sheriffdom of Kintyre. The

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Scotland broke with the Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterian in its outlook. It was part of the wider European Protestant Refor ...

coincidentally followed the fall of the Lordship of the Isles, but the MacDonalds – former lords – were strong supporters of the former religious regime. The Campbells by contrast were strong supporters of the reforms, so at the start of the 17th century, under instruction from

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, the Campbells were sent to Islay and Jura – MacDonald territory – to subdue the MacDonalds. The sheriffdom of Argyll was an inherited position, and had remained in the Campbell family, and now it was extended to include Islay and Jura. Campbell pressure at this time also lead to the sheriff court for Tarbertshire being moved to

Inverary Inveraray ( or ; gd, Inbhir Aora meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is a former royal burgh, the traditional county town of ...

, where the Campbells held the court for the sheriff of Argyll. Somewhat inevitably, in 1633, Tarbertshire was abolished, in favour of the sheriff of Argyll. David II had restored MacDougall authority over Lorn in 1357, but John MacDougall (head of the MacDougalls) had already renounced claims to Mull (in 1354) in favour of the MacDonalds, to avoid potential conflict. The

MacLeans ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian persp ...

were an ancient family based in Lorn (including Mull), and following the quitclaim, they no longer had a Laird in Mull, so themselves became Mull's Lairds. Unlike the MacDonalds, they were fervent supporters of the Reformation, even supporting acts of civil disobedience against king Charles II's repudiation of the Solemn League and Covenant.

Archibald Campbell Archibald Campbell may refer to: Peerage * Archibald Campbell of Lochawe (died before 1394), Scottish peer * Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (died 1513), Lord Chancellor of Scotland * Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll (c. 1507–1558) ...

(Earl of Argyll) was instructed by the privy council to seize Mull, and suppress the non-conformist behaviour; by 1680 he gained possession of the island, and transferred shrieval authority to the sheriff of Argyll. In 1746, following Jacobite insurrections, the

Heritable Jurisdictions Act The Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746 (20 Geo. II c. 43) was an Act of Parliament passed in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745 abolishing judicial rights held by Scots heritors. These were a significant source of power, espec ...

abolished regality, and forbade the position of sheriff from being inherited. Local governance was brought into line with that of the rest of Great Britain. Boards for health, water, education, the poor law, and so on, were established for each sheriffdom, akin to the way counties were now governed in England. In 1889, counties were at last formally created in Scotland, by Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, a dedicated Local Government Act; they were to use the same boundaries as sheriffdoms. Argyll thus gained a county council, which lasted until 1975. Argyll's neighbouring counties were

, Perthshire,

, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and County of Bute, Bute. Renfrewshire and Ayrshire are on the other side of the

, while Bute was a county comprising the islands in the firth. The county town of Argyll was historically Inveraray, which is still the seat of the Duke of Argyll. Lochgilphead later claimed to be the county town, as the seat of local government for the county from the 19th century. Neither town was the largest settlement geographically, nor in terms of population, however. Argyll's largest towns were (and are) Oban, Dunoon and Campbeltown. Argyll County Council was officially based at the County Clerk's Offices in Lochgilphead. However, it appears that there was "no recognised headquarters for the accommodation of all the chief officials for the meetings of the county council." The Small Isles of Muck or Muck, Scotland, Muick, Rhum or Rùm, Canna and Sanday were part of the county until they were transferred to

in 1891 by the boundary commission appointed under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. The island of Egg or

was already in Inverness-shire. The concept of a County of Argyll ceased for local government purposes in 1975, with its area being split between Highland (council area), Highland and Strathclyde Regions. A local government (Scotland), local government district called Argyll and Bute was formed in the Strathclyde Local government areas of Scotland 1973 to 1996, region, including most of Argyll and the adjacent

(the former County of Bute was more extensive). The

, Ballachulish, Duror, Glencoe, Highland, Glencoe, Kinlochleven and

areas of Argyll were detached to become parts of Lochaber District, in Highland. They remained in Highland following the 1996 revision. Coastal walk south east Isle of Colonsay

Coastal walk south east Isle of Colonsay

In 1996 a new Council areas of Scotland, unitary council area of

was created, with a change in boundaries to include part of the former Strathclyde district of Dumbarton.

Constituency

Starting in 1590, as one of the measures that followed the Scottish reformation, each sheriffdom elected Commissioner (Scottish Parliament), commissioners to the Parliament of Scotland. As well as the commissioner representing ''Argyll'', at least one was sent to represent Tarbertshire, Sir Lachlan Maclean, 1st Baronet, Sir Lachlan Maclean of

. In the 1630 parliamentary session, Sir Coll Lamont, Clan Lamont, laird of Lamont, was the commissioner for "Argyll ''and Tarbert''". There was an Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency), ''Argyllshire'' constituency of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801, and of the

from 1801 to 1983 (renamed ''Argyll'' in 1950). The Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency), Argyll and Bute constituency was created when the Argyll constituency was abolished.

Civil parishes

Civil parishes are still used for some statistical purposes, and separate census figures are published for them. As their areas have been largely unchanged since the 19th century, this allows for comparison of population figures over an extended period of time. *Ardchattan and Muckairn *

*Ardrishaig *

*Campbeltown *

and Oronsay, Inner Hebrides, Oronsay *

*Dunoon and Kilmun *

and

* Glassary *Glen Orchy and Inishail *Inveraray * Inverchaolain * Jura * Kilbrandon and Kilchattan * Kilcalmonell * Kilchoman * Kilchrenan and Dalavich * Kildalton * Kilfinan * Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon * Killarow and Kilmeny * Killean and Kilchenzie *Kilmallie (part) *Kilmartin *Kilmodan * Kilmore and Kilbride * Kilninian and Kilmore * Kilninver and Kilmelford * Lismore and

*Lochgilphead *Lochgoilhead and Kilmorich *

*North

*Saddell and Skipness *South

*Southend, Argyll, Southend *Strachur * Strathlachlan *

* Torosay,

Settlements

Mainland (north)

*Acharacle *Achaphubuil *Ardery *

*Ardtoe *Banavie *Blaich *Bonnavoulin *Caol *Clovullin *Corpach *Corran, Lochaber, Corran *Duisky *Fassfern *Glenborrodale *Kentra *Kilchoan *Kilmory, Ardnamurchan, Kilmory *Kinlocheil *Laga, Lochaber, Laga *Lochaline *Melfort, Argyll, Melfort *Newton of Ardtoe *Ockle *Polloch *Portuairk *Resipole *Salen, Ardnamurchan, Salen *South Garvan *Stronchreggan *Strontian *Trislaig

Mainland (south)

Dunoon from above the Firth of Clyde - geograph

*Achahoish *Achinhoan *Achnamara *Ardentinny *Ardgartan *Ardnadam *Ardrishaig *Ardtaraig *Ardulaine *Arrochar, Argyll, Arrochar *Ballachulish *Barcaldine, Argyll, Barcaldine *Bellochantuy *Benderloch *Blairmore, Argyll, Blairmore *Cairndow *Campbeltown *Carradale *Carrick Castle (village), Carrick Castle *Clachaig *Clachan, Kintyre, Clachan *Clachan of Glendaruel *Claonaig *Colintraive *Connel *Coylet *Craobh Haven *Crinan, Argyll and Bute, Crinan *Dalavich *Dalmally *Dippen, Argyll, Dippen *Drumlemble *Dumbeg *Dunoon *Duror *Ford, Argyll, Ford *Furnace, Argyll, Furnace *Glenbarr *Glenbranter *Glen Coe, Glencoe *Glendaruel *Grogport *Hunters Quay *Innellan *Inveraray *Inverchaolain *Invercreran *Kames, Argyll, Kames *Kennacraig *Kentallen *Kilberry *Kilchenzie *Kilkerran *Kilmanshenachan *Kilmelford *Kilmore, Argyll, Kilmore *Kilmun *Kinlochleven *Kirn, Argyll, Kirn *Knipoch *Largiemore *Lochgair *Lochgilphead *Lochgoilhead *Machrihanish *Millhouse, Argyll and Bute, Millhouse *Muasdale *North Connel *Oban *Ormsary *Otter Ferry *Peninver *Port Ann *Port Appin *Portavadie *Rashfield *St Catherines, Argyll, St Catherines *Saddell *Sandbank, Argyll, Sandbank *Skipness *Southend, Argyll, Southend *Stewarton, Argyll, Stewarton *Strachur *Strone *Succoth, Argyll, Succoth *Tarbert, Kintyre, Tarbert *Tayinloan *Taynuilt * Tayvallich *Tighnabruaich *Torinturk *Torrisdale, Argyll, Torrisdale *Tullochgorm *Whistlefield, Argyll and Bute, Whistlefield *Whitehouse, Argyll, Whitehouse

Inner Hebrides

*Ardbeg, Islay, Ardbeg (Islay) *Ardfernal (Jura) *Ardilistry (Islay) *Ardmenish (Jura) *Ardtalla (Islay) *Ardtun (Mull) *Arinagour (Coll) *Ballygrant (Islay) *Bowmore (Islay) *Bridgend, Islay, Bridgend (Islay) *Bruichladdich (Islay) *Bunessan (Mull) *Bunnahabhain (Islay) *Calgary, Mull, Calgary (Mull) *Craighouse (Jura) *Craignure (Mull) *Dervaig (Mull) *Feolin (Jura) *Fionnphort (Mull) *Fishnish (Mull) *Kilchoman (Islay) *Kinloch, Rùm, Kinloch (Rùm) *Kintra (Mull) *Knockan (Mull) *Lagavulin (Islay) *Laphroaig (Islay) *Lochbuie, Mull, Lochbuie (Mull) *Nerabus (Islay) *Pennyghael (Mull) *Port Askaig (Islay) *Port Charlotte, Islay, Port Charlotte (Islay) *Port Ellen (Islay) *Port Mòr (Muck) *Portnahaven (Islay) *Port Wemyss (Islay) *Salen, Mull, Salen (Mull) *Scalasaig (Colonsay) *Scarinish (Tiree) *Tiroran (Mull) *Tobermory, Mull, Tobermory (Mull) *Uisken (Mull) *Ulva Ferry (Mull) File:Bowmore Round Church.JPG, Bowmore Round Church, Islay File:Craighouse from the pier - geograph.org.uk - 755742.jpg, Craighouse, Jura File:Port Mor, Muck.jpg, Port Mòr, Muck

Transport

The West Highland Line, West Highland railway runs through the far north of the county, stopping at Locheilside railway station, Locheilside, Loch Eil Outward Bound railway station, Loch Eil Outward Bound, Corpach railway station, Corpach and Banavie railway station, Banavie, before carrying on to Mallaig in Inverness-shire. A branch of the line also goes to Oban railway station, Oban, calling at Dalmally railway station, Dalmally, Loch Awe railway station, Loch Awe, Falls of Cruachan railway station, Falls of Cruachan, Taynuilt railway station, Taynuilt and Connel Ferry railway station, Connel Ferry. Numerous ferries link the islands of the Inner Hebrides to each other and the Scottish mainland. Many of the islands also contain small airstrips enabling travel by air. A fairly extensive bus network links the larger towns of the area, with bus transport also available on the islands of Islay, Jura and Mull. The county contains a number of small airports which serve the region and Edinburgh/Glasgow: Oban Airport, Oban, Tiree Airport, Tiree, Coll Airport, Coll, Colonsay Airport, Colonsay, Campbeltown Airport, Campbeltown and Islay Airport, Islay. Kintyre has been one of the mooted locations for a proposed British Isles fixed sea link connections, British-Irish bridge; as the closest point to Ireland at first glance it appears to be the most obvious route, however Kintyre is hampered by its remoteness from the main centres of Scotland's population.

Residents

Clans

*Clan Campbell was the main clan of this region. The Campbell clan hosted the long line of the Duke of Argyll, Dukes of Argyll. *Clan MacIntyre historically held lands in this region and had close ties with Clan Campbell. *Clan Gregor historically held a great deal of lands in this region prior to the proscription of their name in April 1603, the result of a power struggle with the Campbells. *Clan Lamont historically both allied and feuded with the Campbell clan, culminating in the Dunoon Massacre. In the 19th century, theclan chief sold his lands and relocated to Australia, where the current chief lives. *Clan McCorquodale held lands around Loch Awe from the early medieval period until the early 18th century. Their seat was a castle on Loch Tromlee. *Clan MacMillan held lands in Argyll, notably in knapdale (viz. "MacMillan of Knap") *Clan Malcolm Also known as MacCallum. The Malcolm clan seat is Duntrune Castle on the banks of

*Clan MacLean Historically held lands on the Isle of Mull with its seat at Duart Castle *Clan MacLachlan historically feuded with the Campbells, and espoused Jacobitism. Held lands on both sides of Loch Fyne, with its seat in Strathlachlan *Clan MacEwan historically feuded with the Campbells, cousins of MacLachlans. Held lands in Kilfinan.

Other notable residents

*Patrick MacKellar, (1717–1778), born in Argyll, military engineer, achieved his reputation on projects in the United States of America. *George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen KT, GCMG, FRSA, FRSE, PC (born 12 April 1946, George Islay MacNeill Robertson), British Labour Party (UK), Labour politician and tenth Secretary General of the NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation *Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell, who resided in the northernmost part of Jura, during the final years of his life (1946-1950). During this period, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. *Karen Matheson, folk singer, grew up in Taynuilt. *Frances Ruth Shand Kydd (née Roche; 20 January 1936 – 3 June 2004) was the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales. She was resident at Ardencaple House on the Island of Seil. She was buried in Pennyfuir Cemetery on the outskirts of Oban.

In fiction

* Rosemary Sutcliff's novel ''The Mark of the Horse Lord'' (1965) is set in Earra Gael, i.e. the Coast of the Gael, wherein the Dal Riada undergo an internal struggle for control of royal succession, and an external conflict to defend their frontiers against the Caledonians, Caledones. * The highlands above the village of Lochgilphead were used for a scene in the 1963 film ''From Russia with Love,'' starring Sean Connery as James Bond. He killed two villains in a helicopter by firing gunshots at them. * The main focus of the song "The Queen of Argyll" is that of a beautiful woman, from Argyll. The song was sung by the band Silly Wizard and covered by Fiddler's Green (band), Fiddler's Green in 2000. * The 1985 Scottish movie ''Restless Natives'' used Lochgoilhead to film a chase scene, as well as some roads just outside the village. * The housekeeper Elsie Carson in Julian Fellowes' television drama ''Downton Abbey'' is from Argyll. * In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, after being attacked by Sirius Black, the Fat Lady is found hiding in a map of Argyllshire that is located on the second floor in Hogwarts

Notes

References

* Omand, Donald (ed.) (2006). ''The Argyll Book''. Edinburgh: Birlinn. .

External links

Map of Argyllshire
on Wikishire
"Filming locations", ''From Russia with Love'' (1963)
IMDB
Argyll.org – Argyll Independent Visitor Information

Argyll and Argyle Visitor Information

Visitor information for Inveraray, Tarbert, Knapdale, Crinan and Lochgilphead
{{Authority control Argyllshire, Counties of Scotland Counties of the United Kingdom (1801–1922)

Name

North Argyll

Geography

Mainland (north)

List of islands

Mainland (south)

List of islands

Inner Hebrides

List of islands

Shire, county and district

Constituency

Civil parishes

Settlements

Mainland (north)

Mainland (south)

Inner Hebrides

Transport

Residents

Clans

Other notable residents

In fiction

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links