Kerrera

Kerrera is a Scottish island. It is part of the group of islands of the Inner Hebrides and belongs administratively to the Unitary Authority Argyll and Bute. At the local level include the entire island to the Community Council District Oban. Kerrera is separated only by a few hundred meters wide Kerrera Sound of the Scottish coast. The elongated island has a maximum length of 7.2 km and a width of 2.3 m. It shields the bay of Oban Bay, on which the town of Oban is located on the lakeside. The highest point of the island is the hill of Carn Breugach with a height of 189 m. Kerrera is linked by ferry to the mainland.

History

The story Kerreras associated with the Clan MacDougall, who took possession in the 12th century. The Scottish king Alexander II gathered in the course of preparations for the invasion of the Hebrides its fleet in the Horeshoe Bay on the south coast of the island. Before completion of the action but he was feverish and died on July 8, 1249 on Kerrera. In 1263 the Norwegian king Haakon IV held a meeting with the captains of the Hebrides from clans on Kerrera. In the 16th century, the MacDougall established there with Gylen Castle headquartered. In 1647 it came to the siege of the castle, in consequence of which the Covenanter burned down the building under General Leslie and the inhabitants killed. Gylen Castle was then inhabited at no time more and fell into disrepair. The preserved ruins today are classified in the Scottish lists of monuments in the highest monument category A. At the beginning of the 19th century lived around 200 people on Kerrera. After the population had dropped to 1971 at 27, lived in 2001 there again 42 people.