KILCALMONELL AND KILBERRY

"Kilcalmonell, a coast parish in Kintye, Argyllshire, containing the village of CLACHAN and the greater part of the small seaport town of TARBERT, each with a post, moneyorder, and telegraph office. Until 1891 Kilcalmonell was united with the old parish of Kilberry in Knapdale, comprising 21,915 acres, and separated from it by West Loch Tarbert and the parish of South Knapdale. Kilberry was then transferred by the Boundary Commissioners to South Knapdale parish, and the remaining Kintyre portion restricted to the name Kilcalmonell. It is bounded N by West Loch Tarbert and by South Knapdale, E by Loch Fyne and by Saddell and Skipness, S by Killean and Kilchenzie, and W by the Atlantic Ocean. Its greatest length, from NE to SW, is 14 miles; its breadth varies between 2 1/2 and 5 miles ; and its area, excluding foreshore and water, is now 27,751 1/2 acres. The coast comprises a largish aggregate of sandy shore, and includes several small fishing hamlets and harbours, from which boats go out to the herring fishery. Of twelve or thirteen fresh-water lakes dotted over the parish, the largest are Lochs Ciaran (8 3/4x 3 1/2 furl; 353 feet) and Garasdale (4 1/4 x3 1/2 furl; 404 feet), and both are well stocked with trout. The surface is hilly but nowhere mountainous, chief elevations from N to S being Cruach an t-Sorchain (1125 feet), Cnoc a' Bhaileshios (1383), Cruach nam Fiadh (882), Creag Loisgte (650), and Cruach McGougain (813). Limestone occurs, and sea-weed is plentiful. A few of the larger farms are very well cultivated, and potatoes form the staple article of farm produce; but cattle and sheep grazing is much more important than husbandry. Cairns are numerous; remains exist of the chain of forts that formerly defended the communication between Kintyre and Knapdale; and other antiquities, treated in special articles, are the forts of DUNSKEIG and the ruins of TARBERT Castle. Giving off a portion to the quoad sacra parish of Tarbert, this parish is in the presbytery of Kintyre and synod of Argyll ; the living is worth £188. The two churches--Kilcalmonell (1760) and Kilberry (1821)--are served by the minister and assistant. There is a Free church at Tarbert; and two public schools--Clachan and Whitehouse--with respective accommodation for 95 and 57 children, have an average attendance of about 50 and 30,and grants of about £65 and £50. Pop. (1881) 2304, (1891) 1901, of whom 1005 were Gaelic-speaking, and 890 were in the ecclesiastical parish.--Ord. Sur., shs. 20, 29, 28, 1873-83."

Extract from Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland c.1896