Argyll and Bute explained

Argyll and Bute
Scots: Argyll an Buit
Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd
Image Blank Emblem:Argyll and Bute Council.svg
Blank Emblem Type:Council logo
Seat Type:Admin HQ
Seat:Lochgilphead
Governing Body:Argyll and Bute Council
Leader Title:Control
Leader Name:Ind + Con + LD (council NOC)
Leader Title1:MPs
Leader Name1:
Subdivision Type:Sovereign state
Subdivision Name:United Kingdom
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Type2:Council area
Subdivision Type3:Lieutenancy areas
Subdivision Name1:Scotland
Subdivision Name3:Argyll and Bute, Dunbartonshire (part)
Leader Title2:MSPs
Leader Name2:
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Rank:Ranked
Population Rank:Ranked
Population Density Km2:auto
Area Code Type:GSS code
Area Code:S12000035
Iso Code:GB-AGB

Argyll and Bute (Scots: Argyll an Buit; Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ɛrˠəˈɣɛːəlˠ̪ akəs̪ ˈpɔːtʲ/) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020).[1] The administrative centre for the council area is in Lochgilphead at Kilmory Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival building and estate. The current council leader is Councillor Jim Lynch.[2]

Argyll and Bute covers the second-largest administrative area of any Scottish council. The council area adjoins those of Highland, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.

History

Buteshire and Argyll were two of the historic counties of Scotland, having originated as shires (the area controlled by a sheriff) in the Middle Ages. From 1890 until 1975 both counties had an elected county council.[3]

In 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Scotland's counties, burghs and landward districts were abolished and replaced with upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. The Strathclyde region was created covering a large part of western Scotland. Strathclyde was divided into nineteen districts, one of which the 1973 Act called "Argyll", covering most of the former county of Argyll, but also including the Isle of Bute from Buteshire. The shadow authority elected in 1974 requested a change of name to "Argyll and Bute", which was agreed by the government before the new district came into being on 16 May 1975.[4]

As created in 1975 the Argyll and Bute district covered the whole area of fourteen of Argyll's sixteen districts and part of a fifteenth, plus two of Buteshire's five districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[5]

From Argyll:

From Buteshire:

The two Buteshire districts together corresponded to the whole Isle of Bute. The rest of Buteshire, being the Isle of Arran and the Cumbraes, went to Cunninghame district. The Ardnamurchan district from Argyll went to the Lochaber district of Highland.[5] The new district was made a single Argyll and Bute lieutenancy area.[6]

Local government was reformed again in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which abolished the regions and districts which had been created in 1975, replacing them with unitary council areas. Argyll and Bute became one of the new council areas, but had its territory enlarged to include the town of Helensburgh and surrounding rural areas which had been in the Dumbarton district prior to 1996, and had formed part of the county of Dunbartonshire prior to 1975. The Helensburgh area had voted in a referendum in 1994 to join Argyll and Bute rather than stay with Dumbarton.[7] [8]

Council

See main article: Argyll and Bute Council.

Transport

Railways

See main article: West Highland Line. The main railway line in Argyll and Bute is the West Highland Line, which links Oban to Glasgow, passing through much of the eastern and northern parts of the area. From the south the line enters Argyll and Bute just to the west of Dumbarton, continuing north via Helensburgh Upper to the eastern shores of the Gare Loch and Loch Long. The line comes inland at Arrochar and Tarbet to meet the western shore of Loch Lomond. At the northern end of the loch the lines leaves Argyll and Bute to enter Stirling council area. The Oban branch of the West Highland Line re-enters the area just west of Tyndrum, and heads west to Oban: stations on this section of the line include Dalmally and Taynuilt railway station. The majority of services on the line are operated by ScotRail: as of 2019 the summer service has six trains a day to Oban, with four on Sundays. In addition to the ScotRail service is the nightly Caledonian Sleeper, although this does not run on the Oban branch.[9] [10]

Helensburgh also has a much more frequent service into Glasgow and beyond via the North Clyde Line, which has its western terminus at the town's central railway station.[11]

Roads

The main trunk roads in Argyll and Bute are:[9] [12] [13]

Ferry services

See main article: Caledonian MacBrayne and Western Ferries. Due to its heavily indented coastline and many islands, ferries form an important part of the council area's transport system. The main ferry operator in Argyll and Bute is Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which operates services from the mainland to most of the inhabited islands. Several other routes are operated by commercial operators, usually on contract to the council, although the Western Ferries service across the Firth of Clyde is run on a commercial basis.

There are also routes connecting some mainland locations in Argyll and Bute to other parts of the mainland:

Argyll and Bute also has ferry services linking it to islands in neighbouring council areas:

There is also a passenger-only ferry service linking Campbeltown and Port Ellen on Islay with Ballycastle in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, running seasonally from April to September, operated by West Coast Tours as the Kintyre Express.[42]

Cultural references

The later scenes of the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love were filmed around the lochs and hills of Argyll and Bute.[43]

The area has also been indirectly immortalised in popular culture by the 1977 hit song "Mull of Kintyre" by Kintyre resident Paul McCartney's band of the time, Wings.

Communities

The area is divided into 56 community council areas, all of which have community councils as at 2023.[44]

Settlements

Largest settlements by population:

!Settlement!Population
Helensburgh
Oban
Dunoon
Campbeltown
Rothesay
Garelochhead
Lochgilphead
Cardross
Rhu
Sandbank
Kilcreggan
Airdeny; Appin; Ardbeg (Islay); Ardbeg (Bute); Arden; Ardfern; Aldochlay; Ardlui; Ardmay; Ardgartan; Ardpeaton; Ardrishaig; Arduaine; Arrochar; Ardentinny; Ardnadam
Cardross; Carradale; Clachan; Cairnbaan; Campbeltown; Clachan of Glendaruel; Cladich; Clynder; Colgrain; Colintraive; Connel; Coulport; Cove; Coylet; Craigendoran; Craighouse; Craignure; Craobh Haven; Crarae; Crinan; Clachaig; Carrick Castle;
Dalavich; Dalmally; Druimdrishaig; Drumlemble; Duchlage; Dunbeg;
Ford; Furnace;
Garelochhead; Geilston; Glenbarr; Glencoe; Glenmallan; Grogport;
Hunters Quay;
Keillmore; Kilberry; Kilchattan Bay; Kilchenzie; Kilcreggan; Kilmadan; Kilmartin; Kilmore; Kilmun; Kilninver; Kilmelford; Kilfinan; Kirn;
Lochawe; Lochgair; Lochgilphead; Lochgoilhead; Luss;
Millhouse; Minard; Muasdale;
Ormsary; Otter Ferry;
Portavadie; Port Askaig; Port Bannatyne; Port Charlotte; Port Ellen; Portincaple; Portnahaven; Portkil;
Rhu; Rosneath; Rothesay;
Salen; Sandbank; Shandon; Skipness; Southend; Stewarton; Strachur; Succoth; Strone; St Catherines;
Tarbet (Dunbartonshire); Tayinloan; Taynuilt; Tayvallich; Tighnabruaich; Tobermory; Torinturk; Toward;
Whitehouse;

Places of interest

See main article: Scheduled monuments in Argyll and Bute and List of Category A listed buildings in Argyll and Bute.

Islands

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lord-Lieutenant for Argyll and Bute: 14 July 2020. GOV.UK.
  2. Web site: Scots council leader decided by cutting cards after split vote . news.stv.tv . 2024-04-04 . 2024-05-24.
  3. [Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]
  4. Web site: Historical information from 1973 onwards . Boundary-Line support . Ordnance Survey . 26 February 2023.
  5. act. Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 1973. 65. 26 February 2023.
  6. si. The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975. 1975. 428. 26 February 2023.
  7. News: Was Argyll and Bute move right decision? . 20 February 2023 . Helensburgh Advertiser . 15 August 2014.
  8. act. Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. 1994. 39. 21 February 2023.
  9. Web site: OS Maps: online mapping and walking, running and cycling routes. osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk.
  10. Web site: Timetable: Glasgow to Oban, Fort William and Mallaig. 1 August 2019. Abellio ScotRail.
  11. Web site: Dunbartonshire - Glasgow, Cumbernauld & Falkirk Grahamston Timetable. 1 August 2019. Abellio ScotRail.
  12. Web site: Scottish trunk road network map. Transport Scotland. 1 August 2019.
  13. Web site: Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, List and description of roads which are the responsibility of the Scottish Ministers. Transport Scotland.
  14. Web site: A815 - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki. www.sabre-roads.org.uk.
  15. Web site: A886 - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki. www.sabre-roads.org.uk.
  16. Web site: Bute: Colintraive - Rhubodach. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  17. Web site: Bute: Wemyss Bay – Rothesay. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  18. Web site: Coll & Tiree: Oban – Coll – Tiree. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  19. Web site: Gigha: Tayinloan – Gigha. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  20. Web site: Islay: Kennacraig – Port Ellen/Port Askaig. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  21. Web site: Port Askaig – Feolin. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  22. Web site: Jura Passenger Ferry. Jura Passenger Ferry. 31 July 2019.
  23. Web site: Kerrera: Gallanach – Kerrera. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  24. Web site: Lismore: Oban – Lismore. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019. 29 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160629065505/https://www.calmac.co.uk/oban-lismore-lismore-ferry-summer-timetable. dead.
  25. Web site: Home. www.aspships.com.
  26. Web site: Port Appin – Lismore. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  27. Web site: Mull: Oban – Craignure. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  28. Web site: Ardnamurchan and Mull: Tobermory – Kilchoan. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  29. Web site: Mull: Lochaline – Fishnish. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  30. Web site: Iona: Fionnphort–Iona. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  31. Web site: Cuan – Luing. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  32. Web site: Ellenabeich - Easdale. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  33. Web site: Cowal & Kintyre: Tarbert Loch Fyne – Portavadie. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019. 11 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191211052052/https://www.calmac.co.uk/tarbert-portavadie-ferry-summer-timetable. dead.
  34. Web site: Dunoon: Gourock – Dunoon. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019. 31 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190731124137/https://www.calmac.co.uk/gourock-dunoon-dunoon-ferry-winter-timetable. dead.
  35. Web site: Gourock – Kilcreggan. Caledonian MacBrayne. 31 July 2019.
  36. Web site: CalMac to take over Dunoon to Gourock ferry next month. 12 December 2018. The Lochside Press. 1 August 2019.
  37. Web site: Kintyre: Ardrossan – Campbeltown. Caledonian MacBrayne. 1 August 2019.
  38. Web site: Kilcreggan Ferry. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. 1 August 2019.
  39. Web site: Barra: Oban – Castlebay. Caledonian MacBrayne. 1 August 2019.
  40. Web site: Arran: Claonaig – Lochranza. Caledonian MacBrayne. 1 August 2019.
  41. Web site: Arran: Claonaig/Tarbert – Lochranza. Caledonian MacBrayne. 1 August 2019.
  42. Web site: Kintyre Express Ferry Service to Ireland . West Coast Tours . 17 December 2021.
  43. Web site: From Russia with Love (1963) - IMDb. www.imdb.com.
  44. Web site: Community Councils . Argyll and Bute Council . 26 February 2023.

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