•  Kerrera, Argyll

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In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Kerrera like this:

Kerrera, an island of Kilmore and Kilbride parish, Argyllshire, in the Firth of Lorn, opposite the south-eastern part of Mull. Separated from the mainland by the Sound of Kerrera, ¼ to 1 mile in breadth, and screening, in its northern part, the Bay of Oban, it extends 4 ³/8 miles south-south-westward, with a varying breadth of 1¾ furlong and 1¾ mile; and it forms part of the line of communication between Oban and Mull. ...

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Its shores contribute largely to the excellence of the romantic harbour of Oban, and contain within themselves two good harbours, called Ardintraive and Horseshoe Bays; its southern extremity is a promontory, exhibiting noble cliff scenery, and crowned with the strong, tall, roofless tower of Gylen Castle, probably erected in the 12th century, long a stronghold of the Macdougals of Lorn, and besieged and captured in 1647 by a detachment of General Leslie's army. Chief elevations from N to S are Barr Dubh (374 feet), Ardchoric (617), and Cnoc na Faire (344); and the general surface is a broken and confused mixture of steep hills and deep vales, commanding gorgeous views from the heights, containing good arable and pasture land in the hollows, and so rapidly alternating as to be traversable only with much fatigue and difficulty. The rocks are a remarkable assemblage of trap, schist, slate, and conglomerate, and form a singular study to geologists. With the exception of two farms, the island is included in the Dunolly property. Alexander II., when preparing his expedition against the Hebrides, assembled his fleet in Horse-shoe Bay, and, being seized with fever there, was taken ashore to a pavilion, on a spot still called Dalree or 'the King's field,' and there died, 8 July 1249; and Hakon of Norway, in 1263, held a meeting of Hebridean chiefs on Kerrera, to engage their aid in his descent on the mainland. Pop. (1841) 187, (1861) 105, (1871) 101, (1881) 103, of whom 91 were Gaelic-speaking.

Kerrera through time

Kerrera 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 Kerrera itself, go to Units and Statistics.

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