Pigots 1837 Scottish Directory |
| TOBERMORY WITH THE ISLANDS OF MULL, STAFFA, IONA, ULVA, TYREE, AND COLL, AND THE DISTRICTS OF ARDNAMURCHAN AND MORVEN. |
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TOBERMORY is a thriving seaport in the island of Mull; 171 miles W.N.W. of Edinburgh, 62 N.W. of Inverary, and 30 miles N.W. of Oban. It excircles the extremity of a fine sheltered bay, and is one of the safest harbours among the Western Isles, being protected from the sound of Mull by an island which stretches nearly across the entrance, but leaving ample room at its northern point for the largest vessels to enter the harbour - though none but small craft can effect this at the south-east point, even at high water. The town is between two and three miles from the mainland of Morven, and derives its name from a celebrated well or string, called Mary's well, to which the vulgar superstitiously ascribed many imaginary virtues. The Spanish ship Florida, when at anchor here in the 16th century, was destroyed by an emissary of Queen Elizabeth's government; part of the wood of the vessel was presented to his Majesty George IV., on his visit to Edinburgh, by Sir Walter Scott. On the west side of the town are the remains of an ancient chapel, dedicated to the Virgin and of a fortification, understood to be of Norwegian origin. Tobermory belongs to the British society for extending the fisheries and improving the sea-coast of the kingdom. The town was commenced about 1790, is well built, and possesses two good quays : the new quay was begun in 1835, by Colonel Campbell, of Knock, and when completed it will be about four feet deep at low water, being two feet deeper than the old quay; the former is a little to the north of the latter, and nearer to the entrance of the bay. The town has increased considerably in this direction of late years; and the harbour is much frequented, both by steamers and sailing vessels. The church, which was erected in 1827-8, at the expense of parliament, stands in a prominent situation, behind the principal part of the town and overlooking the bay; adjoining the church is a school connected with the general assembly, and completed in 1832. In the immediate neighbourhood is a beautiful loch, called Mary's lake, situate between two finely wooded hills, extremely precipitious in their descent: this pleasing spot belongs to Hugh Maclean, Esq., of Coll, who has improved it in a manner highly creditable to his taste, and created an elegant mansion on the banks of the lake. the tourist will be much gratified by visiting this picturesque scenery, including the three cascades, one of which is particularly grand. Tobermory is the only village in Mull, or the neighbouring islands , of any consequence; its trade is chiefly domestic, with a tolerably good herring fishery. The sheriff substitute holds a court here once a month; and it is the polling place, at the county elections, for all electors residing in the islands of Mull, Coll, Iona, Tyree, Ulva, and in Morven. By ascending a hill in the neighbourhood, a view may be had of the islands of Tyree, Coll, Eigg, Muck, Skye, and various others of smaller importance. The population of Tobermory is nearly 1,500. MULL, which is about 24 miles long, and in some places almost as broad, has been much improved of late. Beinmore, the highest mountain in the island, is said to approach 3,000 feet above level of the sea. The island contains many remains of ancient castles, &c., among which those of Duart and Aross, on the sound of Mull, are well deserving of a visit from the stranger. Fairs in Mull : at Fishnish, a large horse-fair is held on the first Friday after the 20th of August, and for cattle in May and October; at Ross, fairs are held a few days before those at Fishnish. The celebrated island of STAFFA is about 15 miles distant from Mull. To give a description of this most magnificent production of nature is, it must be confessed, extremely difficult : all who have seen Fingal's cave concur in opinion that, when it first burst upon the view, the effect is indescribable - awe and astonishment so completely fill the mind, that there is no room for minor emotions. The island is about mile long, and a quarter of a mile broad; and is almost entirely composed of hard dark-blue stone, called by geologists trap; it is not in large misshapen masses, however, or formed into layers, as rocks are in most other places; but stands in pillars, close to one another - most of them upright, some much bent, while others lie almost horizontally : they are not round, but have various numbers of faces - some having three, some four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and even ten, while others have one half circular, and another angular; they are from one to three feet in diameter, and from 12 to 90 feet in height. Staffa is visited five or six times a week by the steam-boat from Oban; the visiters are generally landed at Fingal's cave, stay about an hour on the island to examine its wonders, and proceed to view, for a similar length of time - The far famed island of IONA, the earth of which may be termed royal. It was once the luminary of Caledonian region, "whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and blessings of religion". It is separated from Mull by a channel of about a mile in width; and is historian, the tourist, and even the fashionable, who crowd numerously, some to explore or examine, and others to behold and admire, the sacred ruins that on landing arrest the attention of every stranger; these are pointed out by the venerable schoolmaster, who appears to have applied much research to ascertain the correct history of the infinite number of objects which here present themselves for inspection and curiosity. Here the visiter finds himself surrounded by the graves of those who were royal, and noble, and holy in Caledonia and Hibernia a thousand years ago; while the thick walls, the massive arches, and finely wrought pillars of the many sacred edifies which, in remote ages, flourished in this sacred isle, supply the deepest reflections, and awaken the most solemn feelings in the contemplative mind. A parliamentary church was erected here in 1828; and there is a society's school which was built in 1766; the present master, Allan M'Lean, has been the conductor of this seminary since the year 1790. The inhabitants have lately made a profitable traffic by disposing of the channel pebbles to the visiters, who now frequent the island. They assert, that the pebbles of a certain appearance are endowed with many secret virtues, given to them by their tutelar saint, Columba. The island of ULVA, separated from Mull by a channel about 100 yards broad, is said to produce the best kelp in the Western Highlands. There is a great number of basaltic columns on the shore. It is now the property of Francis Clark, Esq., who resides on the island. TYREE, westward of Mull, is a very fertile island; it also abounds in marble, of which, it is said, the rocks on its shore are entirely composed; but from some unexplained cause, the quarries cannot be profitable worked. A new harbour is being formed at Heynish : the quay commenced in 1836, under the able superintendence of Mr. George Stevenson, civil engineer. A lighthouse, likewise, is proposed to be erected on the dangerous rocks called Sciravore, which lie about 16 miles south west of Tyree. COLL, to the north of Tyree, is rather sterile and mountainous island. On it are the ruins of castle, which appear to advantage from the sea. ARDNAMURCHAN, chiefly known from the dangers frequently encountered in the navigation around its projecting point; particularly in boisterous weather, when the tremendous billows on the North Atlantic break against it with awful fury, is a district of considerable length; having Loch Sunart to the south, the Atlantic to the west, the same ocean and Loch Sheil to the north, and Ardgour to the east. It is sterile, but feeds large flocks of sheep, and some cattle; and the hills are stated to be rich in minerals. MORVEN is an extensive district; bounded on the south-west by the sound of Mull, on the north by Loch Sunart, and on the east and south-east by Loch Linnhe. The country is hilly, and its shores are partially wooded. It is principally occupied in grazing farms, and contains several respectable gentlemen's seats, but no village of sufficient consequence to command attention. In concluding our sketch of these interesting and not wholly unimportant islands, and the parallel districts on the mainland, we may observe that the scenery connected with them is of a description not easily to be forgotten, by those who have once visited them, and is justly portrayed by the incomparable Scott in his 'Lord of the Isles'. Ardtornish castle, in Morven, so often alluded to by the bard, is well worth the tourist's notice; as are the interesting remains of Aross castle, the ancient residence of the kings or Lords of the Isles - and Castle Duart, formerly the residence of the M'Leans, in Mull, with Castle Doonan, in the district of Lismore. |
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Post Office, Tobermory. Nobility, Gentry, And Clergy Agents Boot And Shoe Makers Distiller Fire And Office Agents Graziers Grocers Innkeepers And Vintners Joiners Linen And Woollen Drapers Merchants And General Dealers Nursery And Seedsman Shopkeepers And Dealers In Sundries Surgeons Tailors Writers Miscellaneous Schools Conveyance By Water End of List
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