Argyll
This article is about the Scottish county of Argyll. For other meanings, see Argyll (disambiguation).
Argyll (pronunciation: [ɑːrˈɡaɪl]; Scottish Gaelic Earra-Ghàidheal, pronunciation: [ɛrˠə'ɣɛː. əl̪ˠ], meaning roughly "coast of the Gaels") is also known as Argyllshire and is one of the traditional counties of Scotland, part of the Scottish Kingdom of Dalriada in the 7th century.
The historic administrative seat is Inveraray, which is also the seat of the Duke of Argyll, head of Clan Campbell. The main towns are Oban, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead and Inveraray. Ardnamurchan and Morvern, north of the Isle of Mull, are part of the county.
The islands of Muck, Rum, Canna and Sanday - the so-called Small Isles - were part of the district until 1891, when they - together with Eigg - were added to the county of Inverness-shire. From 1889 to 1975 Argyll was an administrative county and then merged into the Argyll and Bute District of Strathclyde.
Location of Argyll in Scotland
Today
The present Council Area of Argyll and Bute includes Argyll and the Isle of Bute, formerly part of Buteshire, and the area west of Loch Lomond (part of Dunbartonshire). Lochgilphead is the seat of government.
Places of interest
The historically very interesting complex of Kilmartin is located in Argyll.
