Scotland > 1837 - Pigot and Co.'s national commercial directory for the whole of Scotland and of the Isle of Man

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CAMPBELTOWN, &c.
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The staple business at present may be said to bo the
distilling of whisky, iti which no fewer than twenty-
seven respectable firms are engaged, producing an
article inferior perhaps to none of its kind in the
kingdom, chiefly for the Glasgow and English markets.
Next in consequence, and entirely dependent on dis-
tilling, is malting. Agriculture of late years lias risen
into great importance, vast quantities of potatoes being
annually exported from this port to Dublin and other
parts of Ireland, as well as to Liverpool, &c. ; barley,
also, for the various distilleries, is grown in the im-
mediate neigbbourhood. Some of the finest and
richest land in this part of Scotland lies to the north
and west of the town, and is chiefly tlie property of
the Duke of Argyle, and D. S. Galbraith and George
Macneal, Esqrs. Two small woollen manufactories,
a colliery, tannery, rope walks, &c. add to tlie im-
portance of the town ; and its neighbourhood abounds
with lime, stone, &c. for building and other purposes.
Few towns of the size of Campbeltown possess equal
commercial advantages: there are a custom-house,
an extensive excise establishment, and branches of
the Commercial Bank of Scotland and the Renfrew-
shire Banking Company. Steam vessels sail regularly
to Glasgow, Greenock, and Islay, and occasionally to
the adjacent coast towns, and to Londonderry, &c. in
Ireland ; and numerous coasting vessels are freighted
to Liverpool, and other more distant parts of the em-
pire, as well as North America, &c. The principal
exports are whisky, potatos, wool, herrings, live stock,
salt, iron, &c. ; and the imports are timber, grain,
yest, groceries, ironmongery, &c. The most remark-
able piece of antiquity is an ancient cross, erected in
the middle of the main street ^ its foliage is very fine
and distinct. The inscription is in the Saxon cha-
racter, and the following is a literal copy, with the
translation annexed. Hasc : est : crux : Domini :
YVARl : M : H : EACHYRNA : quondam : Rectoris :
de KYREGAN : et : Domini : ANDRE : naii : ejus :
Rectoris de KIL: COMAN : qui banc crucem fieri
faciebat : 'This is the cross of Mr. Edward M. H.
Each ran, once Rector of Kyregan, and Master Andrew
his son, Rector of Kilcoman, who erected this cross.'
There is, however, no date, but it is said to have been
executed about the 12th century, and to have been
brought from the Isle of lona. The town-house or
gaol is ornamented with a handsome spire, containing
a good clock ; the building also contains a council-
chamber, a sheriff's hall, and an assembly-room.
The town is brilliantly lighted with gas by a spirited
company, formed in 1830; and the inhabitants are
well supplied with water, from Cross-hill, close to the
westward of the town, which is conducted into tlie
principal streets by pipes. The municipal government
is vested in a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, and
twelve commou-councilmen, and, combined with Ayr,
Inverary, Irvine, and Oban, sends one member to
parliament.
Places of worship, schooi.s, &c. — The Castle
church, so called fiom its occupying the site of the
ancient royal castle, was erected in 1781. The Gaelic
church, so named from the language in which the
service is performed, was erected in 1807, to which a
beautiful stone spire was added in 1836. The Relief
church was erected in 1767, and is ornamented with a
handsome and substantial stone tower, in the gothic
style, which was built in 1834. The secession church
was erected in the same year. The Roman catholics
have a small chapel, and there are places of worship for
independents, Wesleyan methodists, and baptists. The
burgh and parochial school is an extensive and very
uselul institution, supported by the corporation and
the heritors in the parish ; the society for propagating
christian knowledge have a school in the town, and
another about five miles north ; and there is also a
school of industry for girls.
South of the town is the high mountain called Ben-
goelion, from which there is an extensive view of the
neighbouring country, including the distant objects of
Arran and Pladda islands, Cowall hills, the bay and
heads of Ayr, the Lowlands as far as Loch Ryan, the
Craig of Ailsa, Black Head at the entrance of Belfast
Lough, Dounavertie, Sanda Isles, part of tlie Irish
coast near the points of Garronhead, Red Bay and
Fair Head, the dangerous bay of Macrahanish, the
Mull of Islay, and the Paps of Jura; also the ceme-
tery at Kilkerran, with the points of Saddel, Carrdell
and Skipness. As the north and south shores of
Campbeltown are both pleasant and healthy, they are
the residence of many respectable families ; and iu
the neighbourhood the seats of D. S. Galbraith, G.
Macneal, J. L. Stewart, and J. E. Campbell, Esqrs.
deserve particular notice. A regatta and horse races
are held annually in the summer. The market is on
Thursday, and the fairs on the first Tinirsday in Fe-
bruary, the third Thursday in May and November,
the second Thursday in August, the third Tuesday in
September, and the Tuesday before the last Wednes-
day in October.
Salt-Pans, so called from salt having been made
here from sea, water, is a small village, five miles west
of Campbeltown, on the southern shore of Macraha-
nish bay, the dashing of whose waves can be heard to
a great distance; and the continual heavy swell
here, caused by the Atlantic rolling in between Islay
and the northern coast of Ireland, is justly dreaded
by the mariner. In the village is an excellent paro-
chial school. Nearly half a mile south is ' Lossit
House,' the tasteful and modern mansion of George
Macneal, Esq. of Ugadale; and a mile on the way to
Campbeltown, at Drumleman, is the Campbeltown
colliery, the only work of the kind in the county : the
coftl lies in a bed of considerable thickness, is rather
inferior in quality, and is conveyed in small boats, on
a canal constructed on purpose, without locks, to
Campbeltown.
Saddel and Skipness form a united parish, situate
at the inner extremity of the peninsula of Kintyre,-
the village of Saddel being about ten miles north of
Campbeltown : it contains the ancient castle of
Somerled, the great chieftain and founder of the clan
Macdonald ; and the ruins of a monastery, of the Cis-
tercian order, founded by Somerled in 1160. Saddel
is now the family residence of D. S. Galbraith, Esq.
whose mansion stands in a very eligible situation, iu
the centre of this fine glen. The ancient castle,
which is still entire, and the ruins of the monastery,
in which is the cemetery of the ancient Macdonald
family, are well worthy ot being visited by the curious
traveller.
POST OFFICEj Back street, Campbeltown, James Maxwell, Post Master. — Letters from
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tarbert, &c. arrive (by horse post) every morning (Monday excepted) at eight, and
are despatched every evening (Sunday excepted) at six.
GENTRY & CLEKGY.
Beatson Captain Henry Dundas,
Dalimober [Main st
Beitli John , esq. (collector ot taxes)
Beith Mr. John.jun. (sub-disiribu-
ter of stamps) Main st
Campbell Mrs. Charles, Bell grove
Campbell Miss Elizabeth, Church st
Campbell Mrs. James, Burnside
Campbell Miss Jane, Church st
Campbell Mr. John, Dalintober
Campbell Mrs. John, East cliff
Campbell John Eyton, esq. of
Kildalloig
Campbell Miss Lilias, Church st
Campbell Miss Lucy, Gowan bank
Campbell Miss Margaret, Church st
Campbell Miss Mary, East cliff
Campbell Miss Mary, Church st
Campbell Miss Montgoiiierv, East
chft [Back st
Campbell Captain Thomas Fraser,
Catanach Rev. James, Church st
Christie Mr. John, Dalintober
Crawford Mrs.Jas.Coutts,South pk
Elder John, esq. ftlain st
Elder Mrs. Robert, Longrow st
Fleming Captain Johir, North park
GiiUiraith Mr. Archibald, Back st
Galbraith David Stewart, esq. of
Glensaddell, Drumore bouse
Harvey Nathaniel, esq. Kilkerran rd
Hutchinson Capt. VVni. Church st
Kilpatrick Mr.Samuel, jun.Chiskan
Kelly Rev. Daniel,Castle hill manse
Lacy Mrs. Thomas, Dalintober
Maralister Mrs. Matthew,Church st
M'Eachran Captain Colin, Oatfleld
M'Farlane Mrs. John, Dalintober
McGregor Lieutenant Robert (har-
bour master), Markland
M'lsaac Lacklan (sheriff clerk de-
pute), Back st
M'Larty Mrs. Charles, Church st
M'Leau Rev. Duncan, Castle hill
manse [row st
M'Lean Capt. Hedor Hugh, Long-
M'Ltan Captain John, Main st
M'Lean John, esq. Main st [st
Kilpatrick Samuel, esq. Longrow st ! M'MillanMr5.VVm,Beiiuelt,Church
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