Dunoon
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|---|---|
| Town | |
  Dunoon Location withinArgyll and Bute | |
| Population | 7,660 (2020)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NS173769 |
| • Edinburgh | 67 mi (108 km) |
| • London | 364 mi (586 km) |
| Council area |
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| Lieutenancy area |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DUNOON |
| Postcode district | PA23 |
| Dialling code | 01369 |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
| 55°57′03″N4°55′34″W / 55.9509°N 4.9262°W /55.9509; -4.9262 | |
Dunoon (/dʌˈnuːn/;[2]Scottish Gaelic:Dùn Omhain[t̪unˈo.ɪɲ]) is the main town on theCowal peninsula inArgyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upperFirth of Clyde, to the south of theHoly Loch and to the north ofInnellan.[3] As well as forming part of thecouncil area of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its owncommunity council.[4] It was aburgh until 1976.[5]
The early history of Dunoon often revolves around two feuding clans: theLamonts and theCampbells. The town was a popular destination when travel bysteamships was common around the Firth of Clyde; Glaswegians described this as goingdoon the watter.[6] This diminished, and many holidaymakers started to go elsewhere as roads and railways improved and the popularity of overseas travel increased.
In 1961, during the height of theCold War, Dunoon became agarrison town to theUnited States Navy. In 1992, shortly after thedissolution of the Soviet Union, they closed their Holy Loch base inSandbank, and neighbouring Dunoon suffered an economic downturn. Since the base's closure, the town and surrounding area are again turning to tourism, marketing to outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers, as well as promoting festivals and competitions. The largest annual event held in the town is theCowal Highland Gathering, which has been held since 1894.[7] TheRoyal National Mòd has also been held in the town.[8]
Dunoon Castle was built on a small, partly artificial, conical hill beside theFirth of Clyde in the 12th century, of which low walls remain.[9] It eventually became a royal castle with theEarls of Argyll (Campbells) as hereditary keepers, paying a nominal rent of a single red rose to the sovereign.Mary, Queen of Scots, visited Dunoon Castle on 26 July 1563 and granted several charters during her visit.[10] In 1646 theDunoon massacre of members ofClan Lamont by members of Clan Campbell took place.
In the early 19th century, the town's main street,Argyll Street, stopped at Moir Street. Instead of continuing toDunoon Pier, it turned right at today's Sinbad's Bar. BeforeDunoon Burgh Hall was built, beginning in 1873, the land was an open field, owned byJames MacArthur Moir, leading to an area known as the Gallowhill. There were no streets and houses between Argyll Street and Edward Street. Argyll Street, roughly as it is seen today, was completed by 1870. Moir donated some of his land for the building of the Burgh Hall, but he did not get to see its completion; he died by suicide in 1872.[5]
Dunoon in the 21st century is overlaid with the ghost of a town which, in 1885, possessed two banks, 21 insurance agencies, 10 hotels, a gas company, two bowling greens, three weekly papers, the West of Scotland Convalescent Sea-side Homes (complete with Romanesquehydropathic spa) and the lavishly appointed second homes of some of Scotland's most successful people.
— Saving the Hall (Jay Merrick, 2017)[11]
The two banks mentioned above were theUnion Bank of Scotland and theCity of Glasgow Bank.[12] The hydropathic spa, meanwhile, was "an elegant new baths building, named Ardvullin, erected a little to the north of the village as a hydropathic establishment, where baths - hot, cold, artificial salt, and Turkish — may be had at moderate charges."[13]
Many of the town's early villas had their own private bathing ground or boxes.
The best bathing place for ladies is the West Bay. Gentlemen's bathing places: Rocks, foot of Castle Hill, deep at all states of the tide. Sand: beyond Baugie Burn, beginning of Bullwood, shallow and sandy. Rocks: behindArgyll Hotel, available only at high water. Kirn Pier and Hunters Quay, deep water.
— Colegate's Guide to Dunoon, Kirn, and Hunter's Quay (John Colegate, 1868)[13]
The population of the united parishes of Dunoon andKilmun in 1861 was 5,444; in 1866 the estimated population of Dunoon, from Baugie Burn toHunters Quay, was 3,000.[14]
During theWorld Wars, as the main part of the Firth of Clyde defences, the Cloch Point-to-Dunoonanti-submarine boom was anchored to the shore in Dunoon below Castle Hill.[15][16] APalmerston Fort and camp atArdhallow Battery in the south of the town provided one of the coastal defence gun emplacements that covered the anti-submarine boom and Firth of Clyde waters. There also was a gun emplacement atop Castle Hill.
In 1961, as theCold War intensified, theHoly Loch's importance grew when theU.S. Navy submarine tenderUSSProteus broughtPolaris ballistic missiles,nuclear submarines to the Firth of Clyde atSandbank.Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protesters drew this to the public's attention.[17] Holy Loch was, for thirty years, the home port of U.S. NavySubmarine Squadron 14 and Dunoon, therefore, became a garrison town.
In 1991, the Holy Loch base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of theSoviet Union and was subsequently withdrawn. The last submarine tender to be based there, theUSSSimon Lake, left Holy Loch in March 1992, leading to a major and continuing downturn in the local economy.[11]
In May 2012, Dunoon andCampbeltown were jointly named as the rural places in Scotland most vulnerable to a downturn in a report by theScottish Agricultural College looking at ninety places.[18][19]
Dunoon is represented in theScottish Parliament byJenni Minto, of theScottish National Party (SNP), who holds theArgyll and Bute seat.[20] Dunoon also lies within theHighlands and Islandselectoral region, from which a further sevenadditional members are elected to produce a form ofproportional representation for the region as a whole.
In theHouse of Commons, Dunoon is represented by the SNP'sBrendan O'Hara, who holds a seat also titledArgyll, Bute and South Lochaber,[21] although this seat has different boundaries from the one used for the Scottish Parliament.
Argyll and Bute Council is theLocal Authority for thecouncil area covering Dunoon. It is one of 32 such council areas across Scotland. Dunoon forms a single ward for elections to Argyll and Bute Council, electing three councillors via thesingle transferable vote system. At the last election, held in May 2017, oneindependent and one member from each of the SNP and theConservatives was elected to represent the town.[22]
Dunoon has acommunity council,[23] whose primary role is to represent the views of the community to the Local Authority and other public bodies.[24]
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There are a number of churches in Dunoon, including:
Church of Scotland:St John's Church
Roman Catholic: Our Lady and St Mun's Church[25]
Other churches:
There is evidence of anepiscopal seat at Dunoon from the latter part of the 15th century. No remains of the Bishop's Palace now exist, the site is now occupied by the playground ofDunoon Primary School, between Hillfoot Street and Kirk Street.[29]
Defunct religious buildings
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Dunoon'sVictorianpier was extended to the current structure between 1896 and 1898.[33] It was shortened to allow the building of abreakwater in 2005, just to the south of the pier. As well as protecting the pier and its architecture fromstorm surges, a newlink span was installed alongside the breakwater. This was to allow the berthing and loading ofroll-on/roll-off ferries instead of the side-loading ferries that used to serve the pier. A tender to serve the new link-span between two interested parties,Caledonian MacBrayne andWestern Ferries, came to nothing. Prior to June 2011, the pier was in daily use by Caledonian MacBrayne, who ran a regular foot passenger and car-ferry service toGourock. However, after June 2011, a renewed tendering process produced a passenger-only ferry service (Argyll Ferries, owned by Caledonian MacBrayne) using the breakwater for berthing. On 1 September 2004, during the construction of the breakwater, the cargo vessel Jackie Moon (82 metres in length) ran aground on the breakwater, with six people on board. Since the breakwater became operational in June 2011, Argyll Ferries operate from this docking facility. TheWaverley struck the breakwater on 26 June 2009, with some 700 people on board. The pier was partially refurbished byArgyll and Bute Council during 2015. Now containing meeting rooms, it is purely a tourist attraction.[34]
Dunoon Burgh Hall opened in 1874, the work of notable Glasgow architectRobert Alexander Bryden, who is buried inDunoon Cemetery, a mile to the north. It is aScottish baronial-style building that housed the municipal offices and had a hall accommodating 500 people.[35] TheCategory B listed building re-opened in June 2017, and is a fully accessible venue for exhibitions, performances and gatherings. Alongside a gallery and theatre, the venue offers creative workshop space, a garden and a café.[36][37][38]
On 20 August 2021, several Argyll Street buildings were destroyed in anarson attack.[39]
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Mary Campbell, also known as "Highland Mary" and "Bonny Mary O' Argyll", was born at Auchamore Farm in Dunoon. She had a relationship with the bardRobert Burns.[40] TheHighland Mary statue was erected in 1896; it is prominently sited on Castle Hill, overlooking the breakwater in Dunoon.[41][42][43][44][45] The statue is a scheduled monument (LB26437).[46]
The war memorial of Dunoon is located in the Castle Gardens, overlooking the pier.[47]
TheQueen's Hall is the town's major multi-function hall complex.[48] It is situated opposite the head of the Victorian pier and built in 1958. It was officially opened byQueen Elizabeth II on 11 August 1958.[49]
Riverside Swim and Health Centre, including an indoor pool (25m long) and associated facilities, located on Alexandra Parade.
Dunoon Library is situated in the rebuilt Queens Hall at the Castle Gardens.[50]
A small group of rocks, known asthe Gantocks, lie off the coast at Dunoon. The navigation beacon on the Gantocks in the Firth of Clyde is close to the coast at Dunoon. It was built in 1886.[51]
The Clan Lamont Memorial, also known as the Dunoon Massacre Memorial, is on Tom-A-Mhoid Road close to Castle Hill. It was dedicated in 1906 and commemorates theDunoon massacre of 1646, when the Campbell Clan attacked the Lamont Clan, killing over 200 people.[52][53]
Local wildlife includesseals,otters,dolphins,basking sharks,roe deer,red deer,red squirrels, and many species of birds.[54]
TheCastle House Museum opens during the summer season. It holds historical information and displays for Dunoon and the Cowal peninsula.[55]
TheCowal Highland Gathering, established in 1894, attracts contestants and spectators from all over the world.[56] It is held annually over the final weekend in August atDunoon Stadium.[57]
Cowal Open Studios, held over a fortnight in September, gives the opportunity to visit the studios of artists around Dunoon and Cowal.
Cowalfest celebrates the outdoors activities like rambling around Dunoon for ten days in October.
Since the 1930s Dunoon has hosted theRoyal National Mòd a number of times – 1930, 1950, 1968, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018.[58]
In 2013, the first Dunoon Film Festival was held over three days and opened with first public screening ofYour Cheatin' Heart, a series made by theBBC that had last been shown on television in 1990.[59]
Dunoon is accessible by direct land and sea routes and indirectly by rail atGourock.
Dunoon lies towards the southern end of theA815 road. At its northernmost point, nearCairndow, this road joins theA83 and provides access to the town by road fromLoch Lomond / Glasgow in the east, fromInveraray /Oban in the north and fromCampbeltown in the west.
Two ferry operators provide services to Dunoon from Gourock:
Caledonian MacBrayne
Thepublic service route provided by theScottish Government owned Caledonian MacBrayne, which is a foot-passenger-only service between Dunoon Breakwater andGourock pier, giving easy access to theNational Rail Network.[60]
| Preceding station | Ferry | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry | Gourock |
Western Ferries
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Local company Western Ferries (Clyde) LTD, carries motor vehicles and foot passengers betweenHunters Quay near Dunoon andMcInroy's Point on theA770, (Cloch Road).[61]
| Preceding station | Ferry | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Western Ferries Ferry | McInroy's Point |
Travel connections
For foot passengers at Gourock Pier, aScotRail train service provides access to theNational Rail network atGlasgow Central, via the local serviceInverclyde Line.[62]
Public transport within Dunoon and the surrounding area is provided under government subsidy by bus and coach operatorWest Coast Motors.
West Coast Motors' route 486 provides a regular return journey from Dunoon town centre toInveraray, where it connects with aScottish Citylink service 926 and 976 onward to Campbeltown,Oban, Glasgow and points in-between.[63]Route 478 runs from Dunoon Pier toPortavadie six days a week.[64]
Modern Dunoon owes its existence to steam power; as late as 1822 there were only three or four slated houses, the rest of the residences being traditional Highland cottages.[65] In theNew Statistical Account, the MP James Ewing from Glasgow is named as beginning the expansion of the village when he built Castle House close to Dunoon Castle.[66] The growth of the village increased from that time, paralleling the engineering-led growth of the steamers.[67] Other infrastructural advances also helped like the construction of a 130-yard-long (120-metre) jetty in 1835.[68] From 1812 to the late 1960s, thousands of holiday-makers travelleddoon the watter fromGlasgow and industrialLanarkshire to Dunoon and to numerous other town piers on the Firth of Clyde.
In 1868, the following summer excursions by water could be had from Dunoon (going and returning the same day):[69]
Only oneClyde steamer, theWaverley, satisfies demand for this business today. It berths at the breakwater when visiting Dunoon during its summer season.[70]
Dunoon is served by three primary schools.Dunoon Primary School is on Hillfoot Street; this building was the original 1641 location ofDunoon Grammar School. St Muns Primary School[71] is on Pilot Street and Kirn Primary School is on Park Road.[72]
Dunoon Grammar School is located on Ardenslate Road in Kirn.
TheUniversity of the Highlands and Islands' Argyll College has a campus in Dunoon, located in the West Bay, near the breakwater and Castle Hill.[73]
Dunoon is on the NCR75 a route fromEdinburgh toTarbert on theKintyre peninsula.[74] The National Cycle Network is maintained bysustrans.[75]
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The town's sporting arena is Dunoon Stadium, which is located in the north of the town on Argyll Street. When it hostedfootball matches, it had the largest capacity of any amateur ground in Scotland.[citation needed] It later became the focal point of the Cowal Highland Gathering. Motorcycle dirt track racing (or speedway) was staged at the stadium on 18 June 1932 as part of the annual Dunoon and Cowal Agricultural Show. A demonstration event had been staged in May 1932.
The Dunoon Youth Football League (DYFL), founded in 1981, is a voluntary organisation that teaches football skills to all interested children with ages between 4 and 17. The DYFL have their own clubhouse and changing facilities at Dunoon Stadium. All coaches are parents who have received coaching certification through the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA), and the club has a PGA officer and coaches with Sports Injuries First Aid certification.
Cowal Rugby Club was formed in 1976. In 2008 it scored its first league victory in theScottish Hydro Electric Western Regional League West Division 2.
Dunoon Amateurs F.C. was founded in 1975 and play football at Dunoon Stadium and Dunoon Grammar School.
Dunoon Camanachd was established in 2015; the shinty team started competing in South Division 2, in 2016.
Cowal Golf Club is situated on the hillside aboveKirn. Founded in October 1891, initially as a nine-hole course designed by Willie Campbell fromBridge of Weir.[76] It was formerly an eighteen-hole course, reconstructed byJames Braid between 1924 and 1928.[citation needed] The current clubhouse was built in 1996. Due to financial issues, club assets were sold off in 2020.[77] The golf club is still trading, although as a result of a land sale the course is now only a twelve-hole course. The club is now owned by "Cowal Golf and Lodge Resort Ltd.[78]
The twobowling clubs in Dunoon are Dunoon–Argyll Bowling Club, on Mary Street, and Bogleha' Bowling Club, on Argyll Street. They are two of the 21 members ofBowls Scotland's District 26.[79]
In 2006 and 2007, the town hosted a six-a-sideswamp football tournament that attracted around 500 players and 1,000 spectators.[80][81]
Castle Tennis Club is situated in the town's Castle Garden. The club has two concrete and two all-weather courts, all lighted.
Every year in June, the town hosts the Argyll Rally, a motorsport event that takes place on closed public roads around the local area. The rally counts as a round of theScottish Rally Championship and brings competitors from all over United Kingdom.[82]
Trails (walks, running and mountain biking) thread through the hills surrounding Dunoon. Corlarach Hill haswaymarked routes for walkers, mountain biking and horse riders.[83][84] These trails are located next to theBishop's Glen.
Puck's Glen is a popular short walk set in the hills close toBenmore Botanic Garden. (The arboretum at Benmore Botanic Garden, formerly a private garden for the Younger family,[85] is now open to the public. It comprises 60 hectares (150 acres) and features some of the tallest trees inBritain, including the avenue ofGiant Redwoods (Sequoia), some of which are over 37 metres (120 ft) high.[86] One ofDunoon's listed buildings is the Grade 2Victorianfernery, which was reopened in 2009 after an 18-month restoration.)[87] Part of theRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the Garden is 7 miles (11 kilometres) north of the town, just beforeLoch Eck. A tumbling burn, criss-crossed by bridges, is enclosed by rocky walls heavily hung withmosses and overshadowed by dense trees. The walk has clear, waymarked paths. The glen is named afterPuck, fromA Midsummer Night's Dream.[88]
Morag's Fairy Glen is a short gorge walk, with trails alongside the Berry Burn, located on the hill behind the West Bay area of Dunoon.[89][90][91]
TheBishop's Glen Reservoir trail follows the shore of the remaining one of three reservoirs in the glen, that used to supply fresh water to Dunoon.[92] The reservoir is damming the Balgaidgh Burn (Balgie) and is now a freshwaterfly fishing location.[93] Access to the hills behind Dunoon, including Corlarach Hill, is available from the Bishop's Glen Reservoir trail.
Dunoon's local weekly newspaper is theDunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard, which was founded in 1871 in Sandbank by editor and proprietor William Inglis Sr.[94][95] (The town once had three other newspapers, namely theCowal Watchman (1876),[96]Dunoon Herald and Cowal Advertiser[97] and theDunoon Telegraph.)[98]
Dunoon Community Radio was launched in 2009.[99] Broadcasting on 97.4 FM from theDunoon Observer building, it is an independent social business entirely staffed by volunteers.
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Dunoon is on the west coast of the upperFirth of Clyde,[118] and on the east coast of the claw-shapedCowalpeninsula.
Much of the Cowal peninsula is covered with forest, particularly in the northern stretches and to the west and south with small patches in the south-east and east. To the north and north-west is theArgyll Forest Park that was established in 1935.[119]
As with the rest of theBritish Isles, Dunoon has amaritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. It is an exceptionally wet part of the country, particularly so for a place near sea-level, with annual average rainfall totals nearing 2,400 mm (94 in).
Recorded temperature extremes since 1960 range from 29.6 °C (85.3 °F) during July 1983[120] to as low as −13.9 °C (7.0 °F) during January 1982.[121]
| Climate data for Benmore Botanic Gardens 12m asl, 1971–2000, extremes 1960– (Weather station 7 mi (11 km) to the North of Dunoon) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.2 (63.0) | 23.6 (74.5) | 27.0 (80.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 29.6 (85.3) | 29.0 (84.2) | 25.1 (77.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 14.2 (57.6) | 29.6 (85.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) | 6.8 (44.2) | 8.6 (47.5) | 11.4 (52.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 16.8 (62.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 12.2 (54.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 7.2 (45.0) | 12.1 (53.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) | 1.3 (34.3) | 2.2 (36.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 5.8 (42.4) | 8.5 (47.3) | 10.7 (51.3) | 10.4 (50.7) | 8.6 (47.5) | 6.1 (43.0) | 2.9 (37.2) | 1.7 (35.1) | 5.2 (41.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.9 (7.0) | −11.1 (12.0) | −11.1 (12.0) | −4.4 (24.1) | −2.5 (27.5) | −0.6 (30.9) | 2.2 (36.0) | 2.6 (36.7) | −0.9 (30.4) | −4.1 (24.6) | −6.8 (19.8) | −11.5 (11.3) | −13.9 (7.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 298.76 (11.76) | 214.43 (8.44) | 233.63 (9.20) | 119.48 (4.70) | 105.12 (4.14) | 108.54 (4.27) | 127.66 (5.03) | 160.85 (6.33) | 220.49 (8.68) | 257.6 (10.14) | 257.82 (10.15) | 282.98 (11.14) | 2,387.36 (93.98) |
| Source:Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute[122] | |||||||||||||
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