Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 2

KILM
K I L M
Etive, and consist chiefly of the walls, inclosing a qua-
drangle defended at three of the angles with circular
towers. On three sides, the building is little more than
a ruin ; on the fourth, it is in tolerable preservation.
A commodious tenement has recently been erected as a
residence for the steward of the Duke of Argyll, who is
hereditary keeper ; and near it are the remains of a
small roofless chapel, of elegant design, in which many
of the kings of Scotland are interred, and of which the
cemetery is still used as a burial-place by the inhabitants
of Oban.
The parish is bounded on the north by Loch Etive,
on the south by Loch Feochan, and on the west by the
sound of Mull ; it is twelve miles in length and nearly
nine in breadth, but the number of acres has not been
ascertained. The surface is diversified with hills of
moderate elevation, and with valleys which are fertile
and in good cultivation. There are several lakes in the
parish, exclusively of those which form its boundaries ;
the largest is Loch Nell, abounding with trout ; and in
the river issuing from it are found salmon. The coast
is indented with numerous bays, of which those of Oban
and Dunstaffnage are excellent harbours ; and in the
north of the sound of Kerera is the Horse-shoe bay,
which also forms a good harbour. The island of Kerera,
inclosing the bay of Oban on the west, is about three
miles in length and nearly two in breadth. The soil is
in general light and sandy, and there are some extensive
tracts of moss, of which considerable portions might be
reclaimed ; the chief crops are barley, oats, potatoes,
and turnips. The system of agriculture has been much
improved ; and great attention is paid to the rearing of
live stock, for which the hills afford good pasture. The
cattle are of the West Highland breed, with the excep-
tion of some Ayrshire cows on the dairy-farms ; the
sheep are the black-faced, with some South-Downs on
one of the farms. Freestone of superior quality, and
slate, are found in abundance ; and on the lands of
Gallanach are quarries in operation. There are several
fishing stations, chiefly for salmon and trout, and her-
rings are frequently taken in Loch Etive and Loch Feo-
chan ; shell-fish are found on the shores, and various
kinds of white-fish off the coast. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £S744.
The castle of Dunolly, the ancient seat of the lords
of Lorn, together with the lands, became forfeited to the
crown on the rebellion of 1715 ; but the property was
subsequently restored to Alexander, grandfather of the
existing proprietor, Capt. John McDougal, R.N. The
present family mansion is situated beneath the romantic
ruins of the old castle, on the border of Loch Etive,
about a mile from Oban : the principal remains of the
castle are the keep and some portions of other buildings,
overgrown with ivy. In the grounds is an upright pillar,
called the Dog's pillar, and said to have been used by
Fingal for fastening his dog " Bran." In the house are
preserved many ancient relics, among which is the
brooch of Robert Bruce taken by Allaster Mc Dougal
from the owner, whom he had defeated at the battle of
Dalree, near Tyndrum, and which, after passing through
various hands, was purchased by General Duncan Camp-
bell, of Lochnell, who, in 1826, restored it to the pro-
prietor of Dunolly. Fairs are held four times in the
year in Kilmore, but are not well attended. Facility of
communication is afforded by good roads, and by ferries
at Oban, Dunstaffnage, in the island of Kerera, and other
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places, and by one to the island of Mull. The ecclesi-
astical affairs are under the superintendence of the
presbytery of Lorn and synod of Argyll. The minister's
stipend is £249. 8., with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£40 per annum ; patron, the Duke of Argyll. The
church of Kilmore was erected about the year 1490, and
contains 350 sittings ; the church of Kilbride, of a later
date, contains 300 sittings. Divine service is performed
in each on alternate Sundays. A church has also been
erected at Oban, where are likewise places of worship
for Seceders. There are two parochial schools, one at
Kilmore, and the other in the island of Kerera ; the
master of the former has a salary of £25, with fees
averaging £10, and that of the latter a salary of £21,
with fees averaging £6 : both have houses and gardens.
There are also three Sabbath schools. Some remains
exist of Gylen Castle, one of the strongholds of the
Mc Dougals, romantically situated on a rocky promon-
tory in Kerera, and which, in 1647, was besieged and
taken by the forces under General Leslie.
KILMORIE, a parish, in the Isle of Arran, county
of Bute, 24 miles (S. W. by W.) from Saltcoats ; con-
taining 3455 inhabitants. This place, which occupies
the western portion of Arran, and derives its name from
the dedication of its ancient church to St. Mary, is, in
all its historical details, identified with the parish of
Kilbride, which occupies the eastern portion of the
island. Kilmorie is bounded on the south by the Frith
of Clyde, and on the west by the sound of Kilbrandon,
which separates it from Can tyre, and is here about eight
miles wide. It extends from Largy beg Point, in the south-
east, to Loch Ranza in the north-west, and is thirty miles
in length and six miles in breadth, comprising an area
of nearly 93,000 acres, of which S300 are arable, and the
remainder hill pasture and waste. The surface is gene-
rally mountainous, and diversified with hills interspersed
with deep and narrow glens ; and the lands are watered
by numerous rivulets descending from the heights, and
of which some are of great rapidity, forming in their
course beautiful cascades, the falls of Essmore and
Esscumhan being the most prominent. The highest
of the mountains is Beinn-Bharf hionn, or " the white-
topped mountain," so called from its summit being
usually covered with snow, and which has an elevation
of more than 3000 feet above the level of the sea. There
are several lakes in the parish, of which the principal
are, Loch Tanna, about two miles, and Loch Iorsa, about
one mile, in length ; they are both very narrow, the for-
mer abounding with trout, and the latter with salmon.
Trout are also found in the rivulets, all of which afford
good sport to the angler.
The sea-coast, more than thirty miles in extent, is
generally bold and rocky. The chief headlands are,
Dippen Point, Benan Head, Brown Head, and Drumi-
doon ; and the bays are, Pladda Sound, Drumidoon,
Machray, and Loch Ranza, the last at the north-west-
ern extremity of the parish, and the only one affording
safe anchorage for vessels. Opposite to Kildonan, in
the sound, is the island of Pladda, on which a light-
house was erected in 1800, and another, of greater ele-
vation, in 1826, both exhibiting fixed lights, visible at a
distance of five leagues. Fish of various kinds are taken
off the coast ; the chief are, haddock, whiting, mackerel,
and cod. Ling and turbot are found towards the south ;
lobsters and crabs are caught in abundance near Kildo-
nan, for the Glasgow market ; and off the northern
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