KILMORE-AND-KILBRIDE, a parish, in the district
of Lorn, county of Argyll, 3i miles (S. by E.) from
Oban; containing, with the island of Kerera, and the
former quoad sacra district of Oban, 2773 inhabitants.
These two ancient parishes, which appear to have been
united soon after the Reformation, are supposed to have
derived their names, of Gaelic origin, from the dedication
of their churches respectively to the Virgin Mary and
St. Bridget. The early history of the place is involved
in great obscurity, referring to a period of remote antiquity,
of which few authentic records have been preserved.
DuNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE, of which neither the
name of its founder nor the date of its erection is known,
seems to have been either the seat of government, or the
occasional residence, of the Pictish kings, till their subjugation
by Kenneth Mc Alpine, who about the year 834
finally established the Scottish monarchy. In this castle,
which Kenneth for a time made his chief seat, was preserved
the celebrated stone whereon the kings of Scotland
were crowned, till its removal to the abbey of Scone
by Mc Alpine, who in 843 transferred the place of government
to Forteviot, in the county of Perth, where he died.
Alexander II., King of Scotland, having assembled a fleet
in the bay of Oban, in order to exact from Angus, Lord
of Argyll, that homage for his territories which the lords
of Argyll had previously paid to the kings of Norway,
was seized with a fever, of which he died in the island of
Kerera in July 1249. In 1305, Robert Bruce, having
defeated the Mc Dougals at the pass of Loch Awe, laid
waste the lands of Argyll, and besieged the castle of
Dunstaffnage, which he reduced, and garrisoned with his
own forces. In 1436, the castle, and the lands belonging
to it, were granted by James II. to Dugald, son of Colin,
Knight of Lochawe, in whose descendants, as " Captains
of Dunstaffnage ", they have remained till the present
time. The castle was maintained as the principal stronghold
of the Campbells, and, in the rebellions of 1715 and
1745, was garrisoned by the royal troops. The remains
of this ancient palace are situated on a rock washed on
the west by the Atlantic, and on the north skirted by
Loch Etive. They consist chiefly of the walls, inclosing
a quadrangle defended at three sides of the angles with
circular towers. On three sides, the building is little more
than a ruin; on the fourth, it is in tolerable preservation.
A commodious tenement has been erected as a
residence for the steward of the Duke of Argyll, who is
hereditary keeper; and near it are the remains of a
small roofless chapel of elegant design, in which many
of the kings of Scotland are interred, and of which the
cemetery is still used as a burying-place by the inhabitants
of Oban. Some remains also exist of Gylen Castle,
one of the strongholds of the Mc Dougals, romantically
situated on a rocky promontory in Kerera: in 1647 the
castle was besieged and taken by the forces under General
Leslie.
The PARISH is bounded on the north by Loch Etive,
on the south by Loch Feochan, and on the west by the
sound of Mull. It is twelve miles in length and nearly
nine in breadth, but the number of acres has not been
ascertained. The surface is diversified with hills of
moderate elevation, and with valleys which are fertile
and in good cultivation. There are several lakes in the
parish, exclusively of the salt-water lochs that form
its boundaries: the largest lake is Loch Nell, abounding
with trout; and in the river issuing from it are found
salmon. The coast is indented with numerous bays, of
which those of Oban and Dunstaffnage are excellent
harbours; and in the north of the sound of Kerera is
the Horse-shoe bay, which also forms a good harbour.
The island of Kerera, inclosing the bay of Oban on the
west, is about three miles in length and nearly two in
breadth. The soil of the parish is in general light and
sandy, and there are some extensive tracts of moss, of
which considerable portions might be reclaimed; the
chief crops are barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips. The
system of agriculture has been much improved; and
great attention is paid to the rearing of live stock, for
which the hills afford good pasture. The cattle are of
the West Highland breed, with the exception of some
Ayrshire cows kept in a few places; the sheep are the
black-faced, with some South -Downs on one of the
farms. Freestone of superior quality, and slate, are
found in abundance; and on the lands of Gallanach are
quarries in operation. There are several fishing-stations,
chiefly for salmon and trout; and herrings are frequently
taken in Loch Etive and Loch Feochan: shell-fish are
found on the shores, and various kinds of white-fish off
the coast. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £8744.
Dunolly Castle, the ancient seat of the lords of Lorn,
became forfeited together with the lands on the rebellion
of 1715; but the property was subsequently restored by
the crown to Alexander, grandfather of the existing proprietor,
Capt. John Mc Dougal, R. N. The present family
mansion is situated beneath the romantic ruins of the
old castle, on the border of Loch Etive, about a mile from
Oban: the principal remains of the castle are the keep and
some portions of other buildings, overgrown with ivy. In
the grounds is an upright pillar called the Dog's Pillar,
said to have been used by Fingal for fastening his dog
Bran. Many ancient relics are preserved in the house,
among which is the brooch of Robert Bruce, taken by
Allaster Mc Dougal from the owner, whom he had defeated
at the battle of Dalree, near Tyndrum, and which,
after passing through various hands, was purchased by
General Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, who in 1826
restored it to the proprietor of Dunolly. Fairs are held
four times a year in Kilmore, but they are not well attended.
Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads, and by ferries at Oban, Dunstaffnage, Kerera,
and other places, and by a ferry to the island of Mull.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Lorn and synod of Argyll.
The minister's stipend is £249. 8., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £40 per annum: patron, the Duke of
Argyll. Kilmore church was erected about 1490, and
contains 350 sittings; the church of Kilbride, of a later
date, contains 300 sittings. Divine service is performed
in each on alternate Sundays. A church has also been
erected at Oban, where are likewise places of worship
for dissenters. There are two parochial schools, one at
Kilmore, and the other in the island of Kerera; the
master of the former has a salary of £25, with fees
averaging £10, and the master of the latter a salary of
£21, with £6 fees: both have houses and gardens.