CUMBRAY-LITTLE, an island, in the county of
Bute, ecclesiastically annexed to the parish of West
Kilbride, in the county of Ayr, and containing 8 inhabitants.
This island is situated in the Firth of Clyde,
between the island of Bute and the promontory of Portincross,
from each of which it is distant aboot two miles
and a half. Little Cumbray anciently formed part of
the domains of the Stuart family, ancestors of the kings
of that line; and, on the erection of the principality of
Scotland, by Robert HI., in 1404, in favour of his son,
was included within its limits. It was for many years
retained as a royal preserve, and in 1515 was conferred
upon Hew, Earl of Eglinton, whose descendants are its
present proprietors. The island is composed entirely
of trap-rock, resting on the sandstone formation of the
opposite coast; it is about a mile long and half a mile
in breadth, and has an elevation of 600 feet above the
sea. The surface comprises about 700 acres; but with
the exception of a few potato-gardens, it does not appear
to have been cultivated. There are a few ash-trees
growing near the south-east extremity, but it is otherwise
perfectly destitute of wood, and the rocky pasture only
affords food for a few sheep and young cattle; the island
is, indeed, chiefly a rabbit-warren at present, and about
500 dozens of rabbits are taken annually on the average,
and sent for the supply of the neighbouring markets.
Nearly in the centre is a circular tower, thirty feet in
height, once appropriated as a lighthouse, and still
forming a very conspicuous object from all parts of the
chanuel; it has long been neglected, and a lighthouse
has been built upon the edge of a precipice overhanging
the sea, on the west side of the island. This newer
building, with the keeper's house and garden, romantically
contrasting with the rugged crags among which it
is situated, has a truly picturesque appearance: it is
twenty-eight feet in height, and shews a clear fixed light
to the distance of fifteen miles in fair weather. In the
southern extremity of the island are several natural caverns,
formed by fissures in the rock; the largest, on
the east side, is called the King's Cave.
Near the old lighthouse are the remains of an ancient
square fort, the walls of which, six feet in thickness,
thirty-five feet in height, and nearly entire, inclose an
area twenty-eight feet in length and fifteen feet wide,
formed into two apartments, the lower of which has a
vaulted stone roof. By whom, or at what time, it was
erected is not known; but being in the possession of the
Montgomerie family at the period of Cromwell's invasion
of Scotland, it was surprised and burnt by his soldiers.
To the north of the castle are the remains of an ancient
chapel dedicated to St. Vey, who was buried here, in a
tomb a little to the north of the chapel. These remains
consist chiefly of portions of the walls of the chapel,
which appears to have been a dependency of the monastery
of lona; the walls are about three feet in thickness,
and rudely built, inclosing an area thirty feet in length
and fifteen in width. Of the tomb, which seems to have
been comprised within four walls of stone, two square
stones only are left, one of which is broken into two
pieces; they are ornamented with tracery, but no inscription
of any kind is to be discovered. At Shanwilly
point, on the north of the island, are several tumuli,
some of which were opened a few years before his death
by the late Earl of Eglinton, when sepulchral urns and
various fragments of weapons were found.