Millport () is the only town on the island of

Great Cumbrae Great Cumbrae () is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. The island is sometimes called Millport, Cumbrae, Millport, after its main town. Home to the Cathedral of The Isles and the ...

in the

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...

off the coast of mainland Scotland, in the council area of

North Ayrshire North Ayrshire (, ) is one of 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and s ...

. The town is south of the ferry terminal that links the island to the Scottish mainland. Due to its small size, the island and its town are often linked in the minds of visitors and residents and Cumbrae is often referred to as Millport. The island offers views across to the Isle of Arran as well as of its smaller neighbour which lies barely a kilometre away, called

Little Cumbrae Little Cumbrae () is an island in the Firth of Clyde, in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies south of Great Cumbrae, its larger neighbour. The underlying geology is igneous with limited outcrops of sedimentary rock. Little Cumbrae House is of 20th ...

. The Cumbraes are referred to as the ''Kumreyiar'' in the medieval Norse ''

Saga of Haakon Haakonarson Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia. The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...

''.

Etymology

The Gaelic name ''Cumaradh'' means "place of the Cymric people", referring to the Brittonic-speaking inhabitants of the

Kingdom of Strathclyde Strathclyde (, "valley of the River Clyde, Clyde"), also known as Cumbria, was a Celtic Britons, Brittonic kingdom in northern Britain during the Scotland in the Middle Ages, Middle Ages. It comprised parts of what is now southern Scotland an ...

. Alternatively, the name Cumbrae may derive from ''Kil Maura'' meaning "cell or church of a female saint".

History

During the development of the

River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...

as a main thoroughfare for goods,

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...

and

smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...

, Millport was a strategic base for Customs and Excise. Several of the streets in Millport are named after crew members of the

Revenue In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of product (business), goods and services related to the primary operations of a business. Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some compan ...

cutter Cutter may refer to: Tools * Bolt cutter * Box cutter * Cigar cutter * Cookie cutter * Cutter (hydraulic rescue tool) * Glass cutter * Meat cutter * Milling cutter * Paper cutter * Pizza cutter * Side cutter People * Cutter (surname) * Cutt ...

''Royal George''. The

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

was a period of rapid growth, both in terms of population, governance, amenities and property. To the west and east of the old harbour, many fine

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

and

Edwardian In the United Kingdom, the Edwardian era was a period in the early 20th century that spanned the reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. It is commonly extended to the start of the First World War in 1914, during the early reign of King Ge ...

villas were built, along with new tenements. Many of these used rock mined from

The Eileans The Eileans are two small, low-lying islands located in Newtown Bay, Millport on the island of Great Cumbrae, Scotland. (). The name is an anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic, ''eilean'' meaning "island". Unusually for the west coast of Scot ...

. These large houses still form the backbone of the housing stock. The

Cathedral of the Isles The Cathedral of the Isles and Collegiate Church of the Holy Spirit is a Category A listed cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the town of Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae. It is one of the two cathedrals of the Diocese of Argyll and ...

of the

Scottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church (; ) is a Christian denomination in Scotland. Scotland's third largest church, the Scottish Episcopal Church has 303 local congregations. It is also an Ecclesiastical province#Anglican Communion, ecclesiastical provi ...

, completed in 1851, seats only 100 people. It is the smallest

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

and is variously described as "the smallest cathedral in Europe", "the second smallest in Europe", or "probably the smallest in Europe". Various other churches such as the cathedrals in Nin and

Zadar Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

lay claim to this title. The local

Lady Margaret Hospital Lady Margaret Hospital is a small 10-bedded hospital at Millport on Great Cumbrae in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is managed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran. History The foundation stone for the new "Millport Infectious Diseases Hospital" was laid ...

was founded in 1900 and bears the name of Lady Margaret Crichton-Stuart, daughter of John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute as a tribute and mark of respect to the eldest daughter of Lord Bute.

Population and demographics

The usual island population of 1,376 as recorded by the 2011 census was a slight fall from the 2001 figure of 1,434. The population increases substantially during the summer tourist season. The island has an active and engaged community with a wide range of interest groups represented in the many clubs and associations on the island. The island has its own radio online station, Radio Millport.

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

reported that Cumbrae was number 8 in British online property searches in 2021, attributing this to the effect of the

COVID-19 lockdown During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions), were implemented in numero ...

then in force. As well as its numerous beaches, Millport has an 18-hole golf course with views over the Arran hills and the

. Other recreational facilities include a

crazy golf Miniature golf (also known as minigolf, putt-putt, crazy golf, and by several other names) is an offshoot of the sport of golf focusing solely on the putting aspect of its parent game. The aim of the game is to score the lowest number of poi ...

course, Millport Bowling Club with a putting green, and two football pitches. In addition to coastal

sea fishing Recreational fishermen usually fish either from a boat or from a shoreline or river bank. When fishing from a boat, or fishing vessel, most fishing techniques can be used, from nets to fish traps, but some form of angling is by far the most comm ...

, primarily for

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

fly fishing Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is in ...

is available at two fresh water reservoirs. The perimeter road around the island is used by walkers and cyclists and provides access to the island's beaches. The community is represented b
The Cumbrae Community Council
Council members are elected by the residents, and all groups and individuals on the island are invited to its monthly meetings. The community council provides a connection with North Ayrshire council, and its members are formal members of Locality Planning Partnerships. Millport is part of

, and is represented on

North Ayrshire Council North Ayrshire (, ) is one of 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and s ...

as part of the

North Coast North Coast or Northcoast may refer to : Antigua and Barbuda * Major Division of North Coast, an urban area and major division in the parish of Saint John * North Coast, Barbuda, an administrative district of Barbuda Australia * New South Wa ...

council ward which is based at Cunningham House in

Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier * Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia * Irvine Island * Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada * Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut Scotland *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotlan ...

, the administrative centre of North Ayrshire Council.

Developments

The Garrison House in the centre of town, constructed in 1745, was formerly the

barracks Barracks are buildings used to accommodate military personnel and quasi-military personnel such as police. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word 'soldier's tent', but today barracks ar ...

/Captain's mansion, then the home of the

Earl of Glasgow Earl of Glasgow is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for David Boyle, Lord Boyle. The first earl was subsequently one of the commissioners who negotiated the Treaty of Union uniting the Kingdom of England and the Kingd ...

, and is now in community ownership (see "Current Developments" below). The Garrison House was badly damaged after an

arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...

attack in 2001. Cumbrae Community Development Company, the local

development trust Development trusts are organisations operating in the United Kingdom that are: *community based, owned and led *engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community *independent but seek to work in partners ...

, made a successful bid to the

National Lottery National Lottery may refer to: *National Lottery (Ireland), the state lottery of Ireland *National Lottery (United Kingdom), the lottery franchise in the United Kingdom *South African National Lottery, established in 2000 *A number of countries con ...

and other funders to enable the building to be re-constructed for community benefit. After several years of work renovation of the property was completed in 2008 at a total cost of £5 million. It now houses the Museum of the Cumbraes, a library, council offices, a GP surgery and the Garrison Café. , developments on the island include: * A flood protection scheme is being developed for the south of the island. * A marina is proposed as part of the flood protection scheme works. * Millport Town Hall is being brought back into use. * A proposal is underway to buy the former National Watersports Centre and make it into a community facility called The Wave. * A large development of around 40 family sized homes is underway between Millport Bowling Club and Penmachrie Farm. * In 2011, Millport considered applying for

city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a monarch, national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, ci ...

, on the basis of having a cathedral. It would have been the smallest city in the UK.

Economy and education

Millport has a hotel and guest house, and many properties are available as holiday lets. A motorhome site caters for short term stays. The wide sandy beaches close to the centre of the town are popular for paddling and swimming. One of the best known landmarks in Millport is the Crocodile Rock, a rock on the foreshore that has been painted to look like a crocodile. It has been a feature since at least 1913 when Robert Brown was acknowledged by the council for the work. Millport has the world's narrowest house, The Wedge, which measures at its front. The house is 22 feet long by 11 feet wide at its widest point (). Millport Bay is a popular destination for sailors in the summer, and has a number of donation-based visitor moorings. There is a small boatyard at the western end of the town. The town hosts Scotland's biggest independent country music festival, the Millport Country Music Festival, in September each year, and a

firework Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

s display is held during September. The historic paddle steamer calls at Millport twice a week during the summer, on trips originating at Ayr and Glasgow. Primary-aged children on the island attend Cumbrae Primary School. Older children attend

Largs Academy Largs Academy is a Scottish secondary school, opened in August 1970, serving the towns of Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie and the island of Cumbrae, as well as taking placement requests from across Scotland, from places such as West Kilbride, Beit ...

on the mainland. FSC Millport is a biological teaching and research centre operated by the

Field Studies Council Field Studies Council is an educational charity based in the UK, which offers opportunities for people to learn about and engage with the outdoors. History The organisation was established as the Council for the Promotion of Field Studies in ...

. The centre's origins can be traced back to 1885, when the oceanographer Sir John Murray set up a floating laboratory in a

lighter A lighter is a portable device which uses mechanical or electrical means to create a controlled flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of flammable items, such as cigarettes, butane gas, fireworks, candles, or campfires. A lighter typic ...

which he called 'The Ark'. This led to the establishment of the Millport Marine Biological Station in 1897 by the naturalist David Robertson, also known as the 'Cumbrae Naturalist'. In 1970 the station became the University Marine Biological Station Millport of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

. In 2014 ownership transferred to the Field Studies Council, which built new classrooms and accommodation for school and university visitors as well as providing holiday accommodation. The National Watersports Training Centre was a

Sportscotland Sportscotland (officially styled sport) (), formerly the Scottish Sports Council, is the national agency for sport in Scotland. The Scottish Sports Council was established in 1972 by royal charter. The body works in partnership with public, ...

facility that taught a wide range of courses including sailing, windsurfing, paddlesports, cruising and yachting. The centre closed in 2020, and a local group is planning to reopen the site for community use. The island also has its own Coastguard Rescue Team whose station is on the South East of the island, adjacent to the FSC Millport and which forms part of

His Majesty's Coastguard His Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG) is the section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible, through the Secretary of State for Transport to Parliament, for the initiation and co-ordination of all maritime search and rescue (SAR) within th ...

, one of around 350 such teams based around the coast of the UK.

Transport

In spite of its relatively remote feel, Millport is only one hour's travel from major transport hubs of

Glasgow Airport Glasgow Airport, also known as Glasgow International Airport () and formerly Abbotsinch Airport, is an international airport located in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, west of Glasgow city centre. In 2019 it handled 8.84 million passe ...

and

Glasgow Central railway station Glasgow Central (), usually referred to in Scotland as just Central or Central Station, is one of two principal mainline rail terminals in Glasgow, Scotland. The railway station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 1 August 1879 and is one ...

. Millport is accessible by public transport via the train at , with a ferry journey of eight minutes. A bus to Millport meets each ferry.

In popular culture

The town of Millport was the titular setting for the BBC Radio 4 comedy '' Millport''; written by Lynn Ferguson. The series was broadcast between 2000 and 2002, and recounts the lives of several Millport inhabitants including Irene Bruce (played by Ferguson) and her sister Moira, with the former desperate to leave the isolate community and start her life anew in the mainland. The radio series resulted in a television adaptation in 2002 that did not progress beyond the pilot, the latter being not well received by the islanders

References

External links

Garrison HouseMillport Field Studies Council

Millport Golf Club
*Millport Tow
Hall

The Cumbrae Wave

Live camera and weather forecast on the Isle of CumbraeLive camera and weather forecast at Largs ferry slip
*Cumbrae Communit
Isle of Cumbrae Tourist Association
{{authority control Towns in North Ayrshire Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom Towns on Scottish islands Towns and villages in Buteshire The Cumbraes Firth of Clyde