Great Cumbrae
Millport | |
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References | [3][4] |
Great Cumbrae (
Home to the Cathedral of The Isles and the FSC Millport field study centre, the island has a community of 1,300 residents.
Geography
The island is roughly 4 kilometres (2+1⁄2 mi) long by 2 kilometres (1+1⁄4 mi) wide, rising to a height of 127 metres (417 ft) above sea level at The Glaid Stone, which is a large, naturally occurring rock perched on the highest summit on the island.[4] There is a triangulation pillar nearby, as well as an orientation point which indicates the locations of surrounding landmarks.
In clear conditions, views extend north over the upper Clyde estuary to Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. To the west, the larger islands of Bute and Arran can be seen, while on the other side of Knapdale the Paps of Jura may be visible. Looking south, Ailsa Craig is visible, around 40 mi (60 km) distant beyond Little Cumbrae. Ailsa Craig roughly marks the halfway point to Northern Ireland, which itself may be glimpsed if visibility is good. To the east, the views are not so extensive, being restricted by the higher ground of the Renfrew Hills only a few miles distant, however the town of Largs and village of Fairlie and the deep water coal terminal and power station at Hunterston can be seen.
The land on the island is primarily owned by the farmers, with the other major land owner being the Millport Golf Club.
Etymology
The Cumbraes take their name from the
In the 16th century the island was known as Cumbray and its neighbour Little Cumbrae is recorded as Cumbray of the Dais.
In modern Gaelic these two islands are known as Cumaradh Mòr and Cumaradh Beag.[10]
Geology
The island is formed largely from
The youngest sedimentary rocks are the sandstones forming 'The Eileans' in Millport Bay whilst the Kelly Burn Sandstone is the oldest. In stratigraphical order (i.e. youngest at the top), the sequence is:
- Inverclyde Group
- Clyde Sandstone Formation
- Eileans Sandstone Member
- Millport Cornstones Member
- Ballagan Formation
- Kinnesswood Formation
- Foulport Sandstone Member
- Doughend Sandstone Member
- Clyde Sandstone Formation
- Stratheden Group
- Kelly Burn Sandstone Formation
The Doughend Sandstone (named from the westernmost reach of the island) unconformably overlies the Kelly Burn Sandstone; both are of late Devonian age whilst the rest of the sequence is of Carboniferous age.
Various of the rock formations have become popular with tourists, including Crocodile Rock, Indian's Face, Lion Rock and Queen Victoria's Face. Several have been enhanced with colourful paint.
A raised beach is developed around almost the whole of the island at about 8 metres (26 ft) above current sea level. Vegetated spreads of sand, shingle and boulders occur locally across this platform. Wider in the west, it has been exploited by the B896 coastal road. The island's highest waterfall, Horse Falls, plunges over the old sea cliffs at Bell Bay. A higher raised beach is covered by marine deposits inland of Millport Bay and in the northeast of the island. Inland are traces of till deposited by the glacial ice which over-ran the island during the last ice age. Small areas of peat, alluvium and blown sand are also present in places.[12]
History
The island has been inhabited since the end of the
Legend has it that
In 1263,
Cumbrae has long been linked to
For many centuries the island was under shared ownership, with the
, put the island up for general sale, with first refusal given to his farmer tenants.Tourism grew in the 20th century, and Millport became a popular stop for Clyde steamers and families going 'Doon the Watter for the Fair' (Glasgow Fair holidays). It is possible to experience a traditional day out on the PS Waverley which operates from both Glasgow and Ayr during the summer.
The
The island was home to the National Watersports Centre which closed in 2020.[18]
Residents
The usual island population of 1,376
The island has an active and engaged community [19] with a wide range of interest groups represented in the many clubs and associations on the island. The Guardian reported that Cumbrae was number 8 in British online property searches in 2021, attributing this to the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown then in force.[20]
It is estimated that the 2018 economic output of the island was £10.2 million, of which 30% came from the health sector. Total employment was estimated at 400, of which a third worked in the health sector and a quarter in tourism-related sectors.[citation needed]
Governance
The local authority responsible for both the Cumbrae islands is
The local community is represented by The Cumbrae Community Council. Community Council members are elected by the residents, and all groups and individuals on the island are invited to its monthly meetings.[21] The community council's members are formal members of Locality Planning Partnerships.[22]
Tourism
During the summer, the population grows by several thousand every weekend. Hiring a bike and cycling around the island's 11-mile (18-kilometre) encircling coastal road is a popular activity for visitors, as the roads are quiet compared to the mainland. There are informal walks all over the island. Fintry Bay, around 3 mi (5 km) from Millport on the west coast, has a small cafe.
Millport Bay, with visitor moorings, is a popular destination for sailors in the summer. The most dived site on the Clyde is just south of the ferry slip; a Second World War
There is a curling pond near the highest point on the island, in January 2010 it hosted the Dumfries Cup for the first time in 14 years, and in December of the same year it was also available for public use.
Other attractions include:
- College of the Holy Spirit, also known as Cumbrae Theological College – attached to the cathedral, this former seminary for ordination training is now a Retreat House and the Argyll Diocesan Conference Centre. The college was founded by University of Durham during the 1860s.[24]The college closed in 1888 and the building was later used for other purposes. It was the base for The Community of Celebration, or Fisherfolk, an international group of artists and musicians sharing a Benedictine lifestyle during the 1970s and the 1980s.
- The Wedge – a private residence which has the smallest frontage in the UK; the width of a front door.
- Museum of the Cumbraes occupies part of the Garrison, built originally for the captain of an anti-smuggling revenue cutter.
- FSC Millport – has an aquarium of sea creatures from the Firth of Clyde, and a museum which tells the story of the sea and of the Clyde area, which is open daily. The FSC refurbished the existing facilities of the Marine Biological Station and created two additional blocks, one for accommodation and one for conferences.
Transport
A
Millport was served by
Preceding station | Ferry | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Terminus | Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry |
Largs |
Marine environment and wildlife
Cumbrae has a marine climate and can experience gale-force winds from the Atlantic at any time of year; these westerly or south-westerly gales can be severe and destructive. However, while the west of the island might experience gales up to 70 mph (110 km/h), the weather on the sheltered east side facing Largs can remain tranquil.
Local wildlife includes
Environmental issues
This section may lend create a more balanced presentation. Discuss and resolve this issue before removing this message. (August 2023) |
Cumbrae lies close to two
The waters nearby are also host to the UK's nuclear deterrent,
Current developments
- A flood protection scheme is in development for the southern part of the island.[30]
- A marina is proposed as part of the flood protection scheme works.
- A new town hall is in development.[31]
Commonwealth Games – Glasgow 2014
The Commonwealth Torch used in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was crafted using locally sourced elm wood from the garrison grounds in Millport.
Notable residents
- Duncan Macrae (actor and comedian, Whisky Galore, The Prisoner)[32]
- Stephens Orr (society photographer)
- David Robertson (naturalist)[33]
- The Saxon (a Clyde puffer which provided a shipping service to the island) and which featured in the TV series The Vital Spark, based on Neil Munro's Para Handy stories about the Vital Spark.
Media and the arts
The island was featured in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series, Millport, written by and starring Lynn Ferguson.
The island was the focus of a BBC documentary called Seaside Stories which featured many local businesses and residents.
The island also featured in children's TV programme My Story shown on CBeebies in 2012.
See also
- Millport, Cumbrae
- List of islands of Scotland
- Little Cumbrae Castle
Footnotes
- ^ 2011 census.
- ^ a b c National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ a b Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 18-20
- ^ a b Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
- hdl:10023/4164.
- ^ James, Alan (2019). "The Brittonic Language in the Old North: A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence (Volume 2)" (PDF). Scottish Place-Name Society. p. 85.
- ^ Munro (1961) p. 48, quoting the Sibbald Manuscript of Monro (1549)
- ^ "Buthe Insula"Atlas Maior. (1662-5) 6. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Martin, Martin, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, Appins, archived from the original on 13 March 2007
- ^ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003) Ainmean-àite/Placenames. (pdf) Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ "Lion Rock". Archived from the original on 1 August 2015.
- ^ British Geological Survey 2008. Dunoon and Millport, Scotland sheet 29E with part of 21E. Bedrock and superficial deposits . 1:50,000. (Keyworth, Nottingham: BGS)
- ^ Alexander, Derek; Neighbour, Tim; Oram, Richard D. (2000). "Glorious Victory? The Battle of Largs, 2 October 1263". History Scotland. Vol. 2, no. 2. pp. 17–22.
- ^ Monro (1549) No. 8
- ^ University of Glasgow (1898). Glasgow University Calendar for the Year 1898–99. The University. p. 151. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "About UMBSM". University of Glasgow. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "FSC Millport". Field Studies Council. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "National sailing centre on Cumbrae to close this year". BBC News. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Home". www.cumbrae.org. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "Escape to the country? The top 10 UK property searches in 2021". The Guardian. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "About CCC". cumbrae.org. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "Community Council (North Coast)". North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ The building is variously described as "the smallest cathedral in Europe", "the second smallest in Europe" etc. See for example "Millport Musings" (19 November 2005) BBC. Retrieved 11 May 2008, "About Cumbrae" Westbourne House. Retrieved 11 May 2008. Various other churches such as the cathedrals in Nin and Zadar in Croatia lay claim to this title.
- ^ "MS 54 College and Collegiate Church of The Holy Spirit, Isle of Cumbrae". Archive Services Online Catalogue. University of Dundee. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
- ^ The Third Statistical Account of Scotland. 1962. p. 537.
- ^ a b "Largs pier could put Waverley up the creek without a paddle". The Herald. Glasgow. 27 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-9507166-7-1.
- ^ "MV Loch Shira". Calmac. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
- ^ "Where to Watch Birds in Ayrshire". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
- ^ "Millport Coastal FPS".
- ^ "Our Mission". Millport Town Hall Charity. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Scottish Daily Record. "Millport.(Town of the Week)". Retrieved 10 December 2005.
- ^ "David Robertson". gashe.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
References
- Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
- Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
- Monro, Sir Donald (1549) Description of the Western Isles of Scotland. William Auld. Edinburgh - 1774 edition.
- Munro, R. W. (1961) Monro's Western Isles of Scotland and Genealogies of the Clans. Edinburgh and London. Oliver and Boyd.