Lady's Rock is an uninhabited
skerry
A skerry ( ) is a small rocky island, or islet, usually too small for human habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low stack (geology), sea stack.
A skerry may have vegetative life such as moss and small, ...
to the south west of
Lismore in the
Inner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides ( ; ) is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which experience a mild oceanic climate. The Inner Hebrides compri ...
. 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 Duart decided to
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
his wife, Lady Catherine Campbell, a sister of
Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll. He rowed out to the rock one night at low tide and left his wife stranded on the rock to die.
[Murray (1977) p. 158 states the incident took place in 1523.] Looking out the next day from
Duart Castle
Duart Castle, or ''Caisteal Dhubhairt'' in Scottish Gaelic, is a castle on the Isle of Mull, beside the Sound of Mull off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and i ...
he observed the rock was devoid of life, so he sent a message of condolence to the earl at
Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle (pronounced or ; Scottish Gaelic ''Caisteal Inbhir Aora'' ) is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. It is one of the earliest ex ...
, indicating that he intended to bring his wife's body there for burial. Maclean duly arrived at
Inveraray
Inveraray ( or ; meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Located on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, Inveraray is a former royal burgh and known affectionately as "The Capital of Argyll." It is the ...
with an entourage of men and the coffin. He was immediately taken to the dining hall of the castle for refreshment only to discover Lady Catherine waiting for him at the head of the table. She had been rescued during the night by boat from
Tayvallich
Tayvallich (pronounced ; ) is a small village in the Knapdale area of Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. The village name has its origins in Gaelic, and means the "house of the pass". The village is built around a sheltered harbour on Loch Sw ...
[Murray (1977) p. 158] (or possibly Lismore
[) that had passed by the rock.
No word was said of the incident by Argyll or his sister during the meal and Maclean was allowed to make his escape. He was murdered in his bed in Edinburgh some time later by Sir John Campbell of Calder, another of Lady Catherine's brothers.][
]
See also
* List of lighthouses in Scotland
* List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses
Footnotes
References
* Murray, W.H. (1977) ''The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland.'' London. Collins.
External links
Northern Lighthouse Board
Skerries of Scotland
Uninhabited islands of Argyll and Bute
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