HELENSBURGH, a town, chiefly in the parish of
Row, and partly in that of Cardross, county of Dumbarton;
containing, in 1841,2229 inhabitants, of whom
16/2 were in the burgh of barony of Helensburgh, 8
miles (N. W. by W.) from Dumbarton. This place is
situated on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde, at the
entrance of the Gareloch, and nearly opposite to the port
of Greenock on the other side of the Firth, which is here
about four miles in width. It was founded in 1777, by
Sir James Colquhoun, in honour of his wife. Lady Helen
Sutherland, from whom it derives its name; and has
rapidly grown into importance as a fashionable wateringplace,
and a favourite resort of families of distinction
during the summer months. The town is regularly built,
and comprises one principal street, extending along the
shore for more than a mile, and intersected at right
angles by numerous other well-formed streets. The
houses are of handsome appearance, and interspersed
with pleasing villas having grounds tastefully laid out
the surrounding scenery, also, is agreeably diversified.
On the opposite shore of the Gareloch are the elegant
mansion and pleasure-grounds of Roseneath; and at
the western extremity of the town is Ardincaple, the
beautiful seat of the Duke of Argyll, who is also proprietor
of Roseneath. Along the banks of the Gareloch
are various interesting promenades; and to the north,
the scenery is boldly marked with rugged mountains of
Highland character. A public library of more than 1000
volumes, and a newsroom amply furnished with daily
journals and periodical publications, are supported by
subscription; there are two commodious hotels, with
several inns, and also numerous lodging-houses for the
accommodation of visiters. On the shore, at the east
end of the town, is a spacious and well- arranged building
containing hot and cold baths with every requisite appendage.
Facility of intercourse is provided by steamers to
Greenock, which make nine trips daily; and from Greenock
there are steamers to Glasgow, touching at all the
intermediate places on both banks of the Clyde. Between
Greenock and Glasgow are also six railway trains,
in connexion with the Helensburgh boats; and persons
leaving Glasgow by these trains reach Helensburgh in
one hour and a half. The passage, by steam-boat, to
Glasgow, is about three hours, and to Greenock a quarter
of an hour. An act of parliament was passed in 1846,
authorizing the construction of a railway from Glasgow
to Dumbarton and Loch Lomond, with branches to
Helensburgh and other places. The quay, formed in
1817, and which at high water was partly obstructed,
has been greatly improved; and a very substantial and
commodious quay has been made about a mile westward
of the town, at the entrance of the Gareloch. The town
was erected into a burgh of barony by charter granted
in 1802 to Sir James Colquhoun, under whom, as superior,
the government was vested in a provost, two bailies,
and four councillors, elected annually by the burgesses
from their own body, consisting of all inhabitants who
are leaseholders of houses and lands under the superior.
In 1846 an act was passed for extending the
limits of the burgh, for lighting and cleansing it, and
establishing a police; also, in the same year, an act for
improving the port and harbour. A weekly market on
Thursday, and four annual fairs of two days each for
horses, cattle, and other merchandise, on the second
Tuesday in February, the 1st June, the 6th August, and
the 12th November, are allowed by charter; but they are
not much frequented. The quoad sacra parish of Helensburgh
was separated from the parish of Row, by act of
the presbytery, in 1S39, and contained a population of
1899: it was abolished in 1843, in common with all
similar divisions in the country, as being illegal. The
church was originally built for a congregation of dissenters,
in 1824, and, on their re-union to the Established
Church, was made parochial. It passed, however, in
1843, into the hands of the Free Church, the minister
and congregation joining in the great secession of that
year. The building contains 600 sittings; and there is
also an Independent meeting-house in the town. Mr.
Henry Bell, who first successfully applied the steamengine
to navigation, resided at this place from 1804 till
his decease in 1830; his first steam-boat, the Comet,
was built at Port-Glasgow, in 1812, and he made his first
passage across the Clyde to Helensburgh.