Argyll

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Argyll, also called Argyllshire, is a historic county in western Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic it is Earra-Ghàidheal, meaning the border region or coast of the Gaels. The mainland is split into two non‑contiguous areas by Loch Linnhe, and the area includes many islands in the Inner Hebrides. The northern mainland contains Ardnamurchan and Morvern, while the southern mainland is dominated by the Kintyre peninsula. The Inner Hebrides include Mull, Islay, Jura, Tiree, Colonsay and many others; Skye and Eigg lie to the northwest in Inverness-shire, outside Argyll.

History and origins
Argyll’s roots go back to the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata, which lasted from about the 5th to the 9th centuries. Iona Abbey, founded in 563, became a major early Christian site. The fortress at Dunadd in the Kilmartin Glen was a key seat of the kingdom. During the Viking era, parts of the region were controlled by different powers, and by the 9th–10th centuries the mainland portion became part of the kingdom that would form Scotland as Alba. The name Argyll came to describe the mainland part of the old Dál Riata; the surrounding islands formed the separate Kingdom of the Isles.

In the later medieval period the area was split into several lordships, including Cowal, Kintyre, Knapdale, Lorn and Argyll proper. A sheriff of Argyll emerged in the 14th century, with the sheriff’s authority eventually covering all five regions. The Campbells became the hereditary sheriffs and later governors of Argyll, while Tarbertshire was absorbed into the Argyll shire. After the Reformation, the Campbells extended their control, and by the 17th century shire administration was well established. The county was renamed and reorganized several times as Scotland’s government evolved.

From 1890 to 1975 Argyll had its own county council. Inveraray was the historic county town, but Lochgilphead housed the council from 1890. The county’s long-run governance changed in 1975, when Argyll was divided between the Highland and Strathclyde Regions. A new Argyll and Bute District was created, including much of Argyll and the Isle of Bute; Morvern and Ardnamurchan joined the Highland region. In 1996, Argyll and Bute became a single-tier council area, with some boundary adjustments (including adding a nearby area that had belonged to Dunbartonshire). Today the historic county name survives mainly for land registration and certain official uses.

Geography and places
Argyll’s landscape is dramatic: rugged mountains, hundreds of lochs, and a deeply indented coastline with many islands. The northern mainland features remote Ardnamurchan and Morvern, while the southern mainland is dominated by Kintyre, just 13 miles from Northern Ireland across the North Channel. The islands, which make up most of the Inner Hebrides, include Mull, Islay, Jura and Tiree, among others. The area’s notable places include Kilmartin Glen with ancient standing stones, the old seat of Dunadd, and towns such as Oban, Dunoon, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead, Inveraray and Tobermory.

Transport and travel
Transport today includes the West Highland railway in the north, with branches to Oban and Mallaig, along with ferries connecting the Inner Hebrides to the mainland. Several small airports serve the region, including Oban, Tiree, Coll, Colonsay, Campbeltown and Islay, providing connections to larger cities in Scotland.