In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Kilmun like this:
Kilmun, a village in Dunoon and Kilmun parish, Cowal, Argyllshire, on the NE shore of salt-water Holy Loch, 1¼ mile WNW of Strone, 4¼ miles by water but 8 by road N of Dunoon, and 7½ by water WNW of Greenock. Here towards the close of the 6th century a Columban church was founded by St Fintan Munnu of Teach Munnu in Ireland, which church was ' in lay hands in the 13th century, since, between 1230 and 1246, Duncan, son of Fercher, and his nephew Lauman, son of Malcolm, grant to the monks of Paisley certain lands at Kilmun held by them and their ancestors, with the whole right of patronage in the church ' (Skene's Celtic Scotland, ii. ...
411, 1877). Here, too, in 1442 Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochow founded a collegiate church for a provost and six prebendaries, and within this church were buried the founder himself in 1453; the headless body of the great Marquis of Argyll in 1661 (his head not till three years after); the fifth Duke's duchess. known as one of the ' beautiful Miss Gunnings,' in 1790; and other members of the Argyll family. A plain, square mausoleum, pavilion-roofed, of 1794 now covers their remains, nothing existing of the collegiate church but a square tower, 40 feet high, with a stair of peculiar construction. In 1829 David Napier, marine engineer, built the ' six tea caddies ' (houses so called from their plain and uniform aspect), and he it was who constructed the present stone quay. Many beautiful villas have since been erected; and this favourite water-place, sheltered to the N by Kilmun Hill (1535 feet), has now a post office, an hotel, an Established church (1841; 450 sittings), a Free church (1844), and a seaside convalescent home, erected in 1873-74 at a cost of £3500, with accommodation for 70 patients. Kilmun was the death-place of the eminent chemist, Thomas Thomson, M.D., F.R.S. (1773-1852). Pop. (1871) 320, (1881) 331.—Ord. Sur., sh. 29, 1873.
Kilmun through time
Kilmun is now part of Argyll and Bute district. Click here for graphs and data of how Argyll and Bute has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Kilmun itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Kilmun in Argyll and Bute | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21653
Date accessed: 26th April 2024
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