Innellan
Encyclopedia
Innellan is a village
that lies on the east shore of the Cowal
peninsula, on the Firth of Clyde
, 4 miles south of the town of Dunoon
in Scotland
, United Kingdom
.
With a resident population of around 1,000, growing to many more in summer, Innellan found prosperity as one of many seaside resorts along the banks of the River Clyde
serving tourist traffic primarily coming from the city of Glasgow
further upriver.
This prosperity started to fade in the 1960s with the increasing availability of foreign holidays to the general public. Competing against resorts in Europe that enjoyed Mediterranean climates, the popularity of all the Clyde seaside resorts fell.
It was around this time that an American naval base in the nearby Holy Loch
was established, providing some aid to the local economy, although being controversial. The base was withdrawn in the 1990s.
The village's most striking landmark from its heyday as a seaside resort - the large Royal Hotel that overlooked the pier - was destroyed by fire in 1981 and the site has yet to be redeveloped. The entrance gates to its former site on Pier Road still show the sign for the hotel.
Innellan's pier, which passenger steamers regularly called at whilst the area was booming, was extended in 1901 but finally closed in 1972 in response to reduced usage. After falling into increasing disrepair, it was fully dismantled in the mid-1990s.
Innellan Primary School, established in 1868, has a distinguished history. Its headmaster from 1938 to 1972 was the notable Latin scholar Thomas Muir, who was also an accomplished amateur geologist. He revelled in the fact that Innellan was the southwestern extremity of the Highland Boundary Fault
, and would regularly send his pupils on field excursions along the shore – but not in the school’s time. The headmaster's name was Thomas B Muir. Taking his initials T B his pupils affectionately called him Teddy Bear Muir. On learning this he glared at his class (his spectacles had that effect) and then gave a great big grin thus establishing his nickname for evermore.
Innellan once had four churches; two Church of Scotland, one Free Church and one Episcopal. Two of them still stand; the former West Church is now converted to a house, and the remaining (and still functioning) church was the charge of the Reverend Dr George Matheson, the blind minister who wrote the hymn “Oh Love that wilt not let me go.” He wrote this hymn after he had been jilted by his fiancee when he became blind and wrote it in his study at the manse.
The only history of Innellan ever printed was written by the Rev John Hill, minister of the West Church, in 1950. It is now out of print, and was somewhat preoccupied with religious affairs.
During the second world war an enemy German U-boat penetrated the 'Tail of the Bank'. It was chased south from Dunoon close to the shore and was eventually depth-charged and lies about half a mile off the old Innellan pier.
, has in recent years attempted to reclaim a role as a tourist destination. Nowadays its appeal lies more in being a pleasant and tranquil place to retreat to or as a potential location to commute to Glasgow or Dunoon from.
Innellan boasts very impressive views across the Firth of Clyde
; stretching from Kilcreggan and Loch Long
(looking north) to Cumbrae Head and Ailsa Craig
(looking south). There is a local 9-hole golf club, with its course on the hill, which has no shortage of applicants for membership.
The village’s strip of shops (which once numbered fourteen) has now been reduced to just the Post Office, but other services are provided by the nearby town of Dunoon, which is linked by a bus service.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
that lies on the east shore of the Cowal
Cowal
thumb|Cowal shown within ArgyllCowal is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands.-Description:The northern part of Cowal is mostly the mountainous Argyll Forest Park. Cowal is separated from the Kintyre peninsula to the west by Loch Fyne, and from Inverclyde and North Ayrshire to...
peninsula, on the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, 4 miles south of the town of Dunoon
Dunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
The origin of the name "Innellan" is obscure. The village was developed as a holiday destination in Victorian times on the site of a smaller and older farming settlement, and the first steamboat pier was built in 1851.With a resident population of around 1,000, growing to many more in summer, Innellan found prosperity as one of many seaside resorts along the banks of the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
serving tourist traffic primarily coming from the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
further upriver.
This prosperity started to fade in the 1960s with the increasing availability of foreign holidays to the general public. Competing against resorts in Europe that enjoyed Mediterranean climates, the popularity of all the Clyde seaside resorts fell.
It was around this time that an American naval base in the nearby Holy Loch
Holy Loch
The Holy Loch is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
was established, providing some aid to the local economy, although being controversial. The base was withdrawn in the 1990s.
The village's most striking landmark from its heyday as a seaside resort - the large Royal Hotel that overlooked the pier - was destroyed by fire in 1981 and the site has yet to be redeveloped. The entrance gates to its former site on Pier Road still show the sign for the hotel.
Innellan's pier, which passenger steamers regularly called at whilst the area was booming, was extended in 1901 but finally closed in 1972 in response to reduced usage. After falling into increasing disrepair, it was fully dismantled in the mid-1990s.
Innellan Primary School, established in 1868, has a distinguished history. Its headmaster from 1938 to 1972 was the notable Latin scholar Thomas Muir, who was also an accomplished amateur geologist. He revelled in the fact that Innellan was the southwestern extremity of the Highland Boundary Fault
Highland Boundary Fault
The Highland Boundary Fault is a geological fault that traverses Scotland from Arran and Helensburgh on the west coast to Stonehaven in the east...
, and would regularly send his pupils on field excursions along the shore – but not in the school’s time. The headmaster's name was Thomas B Muir. Taking his initials T B his pupils affectionately called him Teddy Bear Muir. On learning this he glared at his class (his spectacles had that effect) and then gave a great big grin thus establishing his nickname for evermore.
Innellan once had four churches; two Church of Scotland, one Free Church and one Episcopal. Two of them still stand; the former West Church is now converted to a house, and the remaining (and still functioning) church was the charge of the Reverend Dr George Matheson, the blind minister who wrote the hymn “Oh Love that wilt not let me go.” He wrote this hymn after he had been jilted by his fiancee when he became blind and wrote it in his study at the manse.
The only history of Innellan ever printed was written by the Rev John Hill, minister of the West Church, in 1950. It is now out of print, and was somewhat preoccupied with religious affairs.
During the second world war an enemy German U-boat penetrated the 'Tail of the Bank'. It was chased south from Dunoon close to the shore and was eventually depth-charged and lies about half a mile off the old Innellan pier.
Innellan today
Innellan, along with nearby DunoonDunoon
Dunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
, has in recent years attempted to reclaim a role as a tourist destination. Nowadays its appeal lies more in being a pleasant and tranquil place to retreat to or as a potential location to commute to Glasgow or Dunoon from.
Innellan boasts very impressive views across the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
; stretching from Kilcreggan and Loch Long
Loch Long
Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles in length, with a width of between one and two miles...
(looking north) to Cumbrae Head and Ailsa Craig
Ailsa Craig
Ailsa Craig is an island of 219.69 acres in the outer Firth of Clyde, Scotland where blue hone granite was quarried to make curling stones. "Ailsa" is pronounced "ale-sa", with the first syllable stressed...
(looking south). There is a local 9-hole golf club, with its course on the hill, which has no shortage of applicants for membership.
The village’s strip of shops (which once numbered fourteen) has now been reduced to just the Post Office, but other services are provided by the nearby town of Dunoon, which is linked by a bus service.