Parish of Kilmore and Kilbride

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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1791-99: Kilmore and Kilbride
1834-45: Kilmore and Kilbride

Kilmore and Kilbride, a united maritime parish of Lorn, Argyllshire, containing the town of Oban, and comprehending the island of Kerrera. It is bounded N by the entrance to Loch Etive, E by the Muckairn portion of Ardchattan, SE by Kilchrenan, S by Kilninver and Loch Feachan, and W by the Firth of Lorn. Its utmost length, from NNE to SSW, is 85/8 miles; its width varies between 9 furlongs and 9¾ miles; and its area is 46 square miles or 29, 500 acres. The coast, indented by Dunstaffnage, Ganavan, and Oban Bays, is generally bold and rocky; and the interior is hilly, chief elevations from N to S being Ganavan Hill (235 feet), Tom Ard (412), Cnoc Mor (500), Cruach Lerags (827), Tom na Buachaille (688), Sron Mhor (651), Torr Dhamh (961), and Beinn Dearg (1583). Troutful Loch Nell (15/8 mile x 3 furl.; 48 feet) is the largest of thirteen fresh-water lakes, and sends off a stream 2 miles south-south-westward to the head of Loch Feachan. The rocks include slate and sandstone, both of which have been quarried; and the soil of the arable lands is generally light and sandy. Sheep and dairy farming is the leading industry. A ` serpent mound,' near Loch Nell, was explored by Mr J. S. Phene, F.S.A., in 1872, when a megalithic chamber in the cairn at its W extremity was found to contain charred bones, stone implements, etc. Other features of interest are noticed separately under Connel Ferry, Dog's Stone, Dunolly, Dunstaffnage, and other articles already indicated. Nine proprietors hold each an annual value of £500 and upwards, 23 of between £100 and £500,20 of from £50 to £100, and 41 of from £20 to £50. In the presbytery of Lorn and synod of Argyll, this parish is divided ecclesiastically into Kilmore, Oban, and St Columba's, the first a living worth £369. Kilmore church, 4½ miles SSE of Oban, was built in the latter half of the 15th century, and contains 350 sittings; Kilbride church, 3 miles S of Oban, was built in 1740, and contains 300. Close to the S wall of the latter church lie fragments of a very beautiful West Highland cross, 11½ feet high, which was erected by Archibald Campbell of Laerraig in 1516, and is unique in bearing a coat of arms. Two public schools, Kerrera and Kenmore, each with accommodation for 60 children, had (1881) an average attendance of 12 and 49, and grants of £22, 12s. and £62, 8s. 6d. Valuation (1880) £10, 566, 2s. 11d., (1883) £11,152, 7s. 8d. Pop. (1801) 1854, (1831) 2836, (1861) 2962, (1871) 3402, (1881) 5142, of whom 2816 were Gaelic-speaking, whilst 629 were in Kilmore, 3153 in Oban, and 1360 in St Columba's, ecclesiastical parish.—Ord. Sur., shs. 45, 44, 1876-83.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer

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