Oban, Scotland
Apr. 29, 2023
For information about the country of Scotland, please see my post on The Isle of Skye. This post will focus on the city of Oban. The tour was very short, though informative. The focus of the tour was Inveraray Castle.
Oban (meaning The Little Bay) in Scottish Gaelic is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. With a population normally around 8,500, during the tourist season the town can have a temporary population of up to over 24,000 people. Oban occupies a setting in the Firth of Lorn. The Firth of Lorn or Lorne is the inlet of the sea between the south-east coast of the Isle of Mull and the mainland of Scotland. It includes a number of islands and is noted for the variety of wildlife habitats that are found. The bay forms a near perfect horseshoe, protected by the island of Kerrera; and beyond Kerrera, the Isle of Mull. To the north, is the long low island of Lismore and the mountains of Morvern and Ardgour.
Humans have used the site where Oban now stands since at least Mesolithic times, as evidenced by archaeological remains of cave dwellers found in the town. Just outside the town, stands Dunollie Castle, on a site that overlooks the main entrance to the bay and has been fortified since the Bronze Age.
The coach took us to Inveraray Castle. Inveraray Castle is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch. It is one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture. An Inveraray Castle has been standing on the shores of Loch Fyne since the 1400s, although the impressive castle today was inspired by a sketch by Vanbrugh, the architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard in the 1700s.
Vanbrugh died soon afterwards, but the great architect’s gem of an idea became the base of the house which the 3rd Duke was eventually to build. The foundation stone was laid in 1746 and what followed was the construction – to a design by the architects Roger Morris and William Adam – of a truly modern, baroque, Palladian and Gothic-style castle, architecturally before its time.
Both Morris and Adam died before the castle was finished and Adam’s sons, James and Robert, brought the castle to completion 43 years after the first stone was laid.
The castle today was the result of a fire in 1877, which resulted in the addition of the third floor and conical roofs on the corner towers.
Tis bridge is part of the castle grounds:
Here is the family dining room:
And the kitchen:
Inveraray Castle has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century. The Campbells arrived in Argyll as part of a royal expedition in c.1220. They settled on Lochaweside where they were placed in charge of the King’s lands in the area. Colin Mor Campbell (‘Colin The Great’) was their Chief and his name ‘MacCailein Mor’ is still one used by the chief of the Clan Campbell, The Duke of Argyll, today.
The present Duke, Torquhil Ian, inherited the title on the death of his father in 2001. He combines his duties as Duke, Clan Chief and Landowner with a consultant role with Pernod Ricard, promoting Scotch Whiskies including Chivas Regal and Glenlivet. He captained Scotland to victory in 2004 and 2005 in the World Elephant Polo Championships. He is married to Eleanor Cadbury; they have three children and live in the castle today.
There are four tartans corresponding to various Campbells, but the main one is known as Campbell or Old Campbell. In darker tones, it is more commonly known as the Black Watch tartan or the Government Sett. The Black Watch, first raised in 1695 to police the “black trade” of cattle smuggling in the Highlands, taking role later as a militia in 1725 by General Wade (after the act of Union in 1707), became what was the first Highland Regiment in the British Army. All Campbell tartans are based upon the Old Campbell tartan, as are many other clan tartans. The Black Watch variant was used, and is in current use, by several military units throughout the Commonwealth.
During the Jacobite risings of the 18th century the Clan Campbell supported the British-Hanoverian Government. On 23 October 1715, chief John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll learned that a detachment of rebels was passing by Castle Campbell, towards Dunfermline. He sent out a body of cavalry which attacked the rebel party and defeated it in what is now known as the Skirmish of Dunfermline and took a number of prisoners, taking only light casualties. A month later the British Government forces, including men from Clan Campbell, fought and defeated the Jacobites at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715. However, there were in fact a small number of Campbells who took the side of the Jacobites led by the son of Campbell of Glenlyon whose father had commanded the Government troops at the Massacre of Glencoe against the MacDonalds 22 years earlier. (As an aside, we own a very small plot of land in Glencoe, which I guess makes us Lord and Lady of Glencoe) These two families then settled their differences and swore to be brothers in arms, fighting side by side in the Sheriffmuir. However, the British Government forces led by chief John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll defeated the Jacobites.
General Wade’s report on the Highlands in 1724 estimated the strength of the clan who supported the Government under the Duke of Argyll as 4,000 men, whilst those under Campbell of Breadalbane who had supported the Jacobites in 1715, as 1000 men. In 1725, six Independent Highland Companies were formed to support the Government: three from Clan Campbell, one from Clan Fraser of Lovat, one from Clan Munro and one from Clan Grant. These companies were known by the name Reicudan Dhu, or Black Watch. The Regiment of the Line was formed officially in 1739 as the 43rd Regiment of Foot and first mustered in 1740, at Aberfeldy.
Just before 1745, the strength of the Clan Campbell had been put at a total of 5,000 men. During the Jacobite rising of 1745, the Clan Campbell continued their support for the British Government. They fought against the rebel Jacobites at the Battle of Falkirk (1746) where Government forces were defeated. However, shortly afterwards the Campbells held out during the Siege of Fort William where the Jacobites were defeated. The Campbells were also involved in the Skirmish of Keith around the same time. At the Battle of Culloden in 1746 where the Jacobites were finally defeated, involved in the fighting on the Government side were four companies from the Campbell of Argyll Militia, three companies from Loudon’s Highlanders who were under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell and one company from the 43rd Highlanders who were under the command of Captain Dugald Campbell of Auchrossan.
The town of Oban is one of architectural beauty. Here are some scenes:
A local hotel:
I must also mention that Oban distillery is a whisky distillery in Oban. Established in 1794, it was built before the town of the same name, which sprang up later in the surrounding craggy harbor.
Oban distillery is owned by Diageo. It has only two pot stills, making it one of the smallest in Scotland, producing a whisky that has been described as having a “West Highland” flavor that falls between the dry, smoky style of the Scottish islands and the lighter, sweeter malts of the Highlands.
This brings the tour of Oban to an end. Next stop: Dublin, Ireland.
