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Campbeltown is a Ferry Port and
Fishing Town in Argyll / Scotland, on the
Kintyre Peninsula, 140 miles southwest of
Glasgow by road, 34 miles by
Ferry
from Ardrossan.
Campbeltown is popular for its
Heritage Centre, Museum with Linda
MacCartney Garden, 3 Whisky Distilleries
in the town centre, Golf 5 miles west,
and the amazing Westport Beach 5 miles
northwest.
For Images on Mobile swipe right
Click on Map for Area
Attractions
The image top right is from the road
around the Bay or Campbeltown Loch, where
there are many parking spaces.
The second image is of the War
Memorial built in 1923, and vast Park
next to the Bay.
The Royal
Hotel is next to the Bay with the
Main Street starting at the Hotel, built
in 1907.
Campbeltown Cross is at the Market
Square in front of the Royal Hotel. The
Cross has Celtic markings, claimed to be
from around 1380. It was taken from
Kilkivan Church by Machrihanish in 1960
to serve as a Market Cross in
Campbeltown.
The Main Street runs east to west with
the most notable building being the white
Town Hall built from 1760.
Lorne Church is about 200 yards off
Main Street along Longrow, built from
1869.
Springbank Whisky
Distillery is on the next narrow
street past the Church, founded in 1828,
with a bar, shop and tours.
Glengyle
Whisky Distillery is a short walk
northwest of the Springbank Distillery on
Gelngyle Road, also with a shop and
tours, founded in 1872.
Campbeltown
Heritage Centre is a real short walk
off the Main Street by Lorne Street, on
Big Kiln Street, in the former Lorne
Street Church from 1868.
Campbeltown
Picturehouse is by the Harbour, just
along from the Royal Hotel, built in
1913.
The Library /
Museum is next to the Picturehouse,
built in 1898.
Behind the Library / Museum is the
Linda
MacCartney Memorial Garden, opened in
2002. You have to go through the Library
to get into the Garden, or you can view
it through railings at the rear. The
sculpture is by her cousin, Jane
Robbins.
Linda Married Paul MacCartney in 1969,
with them at times living at High Park
Farm 4 miles northwest of
Campbeltown, mainly in the 1970s, Linda
died in 1998.
The Ferry
Terminal is at the south side of the
Harbour, mainly for Calmac Ferries
between Campbeltown and Ardrossan.
The small, fast, 12 seat Kintyre Express
runs between Campbeltown and Ayrshire
towns, also to Ireland, popular for golf
and whisky tours.
Next to the Ferry Terminal is a Park
with Jocks Adventure Playground and large
Whisky Barrel Hoops known as the Rings of
Kintyre.
A short walk east of the War Memorial,
on High Street, is the Glen Scotia Whisky Distillery
with a shop and tours, founded in
1832.
Machrihanish Golf Courses are 5
miles west of Campbeltown, The Machrihanish Golf
Club and Machrihanish
Dunes, with real big dunes.
Campbeltown
Airport is 3 miles northwest, mainly
for small passenger aircraft and large
military aircraft with a real long runway
at 3,049 meters, longest in Scotland.
The Airport used to be RAF
Machrihanish 1918 - 2012, joint used
by the UK and US, with it storing nuclear
weapons for some time.
Westport Beach is 5 miles
northwest of Campbeltown with a large car
park next to the main road, popular for
Surfing. Ireland is about 20 miles
southwest of the beach across the North
Channel.
Campbeltown History
The town originated as
Kinlochkilkerran in Gaelic meaning head
of the loch, probably around farming and
fishing, with a strong Irish connection
as it is only about 20 miles from the
north coast of Ireland.
1500s - Whisky production began in the
area, said to be encouraged by Irish
travelers.
1609 - Lochend Castle was built in
Campbeltown for Archibald Campbell, 7th
Earl of Argyll, on Castlehill, west end
of the Main Street, with this Castle
destroyed in 1647 during the Wars of the
Three Kingdoms.
The Campbell's main residence was
Inveraray Castle 75 miles north
of Campbeltown.
1667 - the Town was renamed Campbell's
Town after the Campbell's.
1760 - the Town Hall was built.
1800s late - there were about 30
Whisky Distilleries around
Campbeltown.
1800s late - Herring Fishing was a
large industry at Campbeltown.
1800s late - passenger steamers
traveled regular between Campbeltown and
Glasgow, also cargo steamers throughout
the UK and Europe exporting fish, whisky,
potatoes and live-stock, importing timber
and grain.
1828 - the Springburn Whisky
Distillery became the first licensed
distillery in the area.
1861 - the Lifeboat Station
opened.
1869 - Lorne Church was built in the
town centre with a tall tower that can be
seen from all around.
1923 - the War Memorial was built.
1927 - the last passenger steamers
stopped operating between Campbeltown and
Glasgow.
1963 - the song Campbeltown Loch was
released by Andy Stewart, about the Loch
being full of Whisky. Song
Video
1966 - Paul MacCartney of The Beatles
band bought High Park Farm, 4 miles
northwest of Campbeltown as a property
investment.
1969 - Paul MacCartney married Linda
Eastman with them often living at High
Park Farm in the 1970s.
1970 - The Beatles released the song,
The Long and Winding Road, about the west
coast road down to Campbeltown, the year
they broke up.
1978 - the song Mull of Kintyre was
released by Paul
MacCartney and the band named Wings,
that included his wife Linda on keyboards
and guitarist Denny
Laine.
The video for the song was shot at the
scenic Saddell Bay 10 miles
north of Campbeltown. Song
Video
1998 - Linda MacCartney died of breast
cancer in Arizona / US, aged 56.
2002 - the Linda MacCartney Memorial
Garden was created behind the Library /
Museum in Campbeltown.
2013 - a Calmac Ferry service began
between Campbeltown and Ardrossan.
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