Arran: A History

by Thorbjørn Campbell

Arran is an archaeological and geological treasure trove of stunning scenic beauty. Its history stretches back to the great stone circles, more than 5,000 years old, whose remnants still decorate the plains of Machrie. Runic inscriptions tell of a Viking occupation lasting centuries. Later, in 1307, King Robert the Bruce began his triumphant comeback from Arran. Subsequently, the island was repeatedly caught up and devastated in the savage dynastic struggles of medieval Scotland.

After the 1707 Parliamentary Union, came a new and strange upheaval – unwarlike but equally unsettling: Arran became a test-bed for the new theories of the ideologists of the Industrial Revolution. The ancient 'runrig' style of farming gave way to enclosed fields and labor-saving methods, which eventually lead to the socially disastrous Highland Clearances to Arran, and the misfortune of the times was culminated by the Great Irish Potato Famine of 1845. At last, the area began to settle down through an increasingly stable mixture of agriculture and tourism in the 19th and 20th centuries. In this book, Thorbjorn Campbell gives an original, fascinating and comprehensive account of Arran's long and eventful history.

Genres: History, Scotland

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Thorbjørn Campbell (aka K.T.S. Campbell) was educated at Ayr Academy, Glasgow University (where he studied Greek, English and aesthetic philosophy) and at Jordanhill Teacher Training College, he then worked as a civil servant and a school teacher and is now retired.

Reviews

[Kristi Hovington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up a few days after I arrived in Arran and was delighted - as in giddy - to discover within its pages that Arran is considered to be the site of Avalon, where two of my childhood heroes, Morgaine le Fey and Viviane, lived; where Excalibur was forged. After hiking to see the numerous ancient stone circles at Machrie - it is undeniably a powerful place - as well as just the magic of the island itself- I was convinced, singing Cyndi Lauper’s “Sisters of Avalon” during every hike, every day, much to the annoyance of my companions.

This is a really valuable guide to the history of the island dating back 4,000 years ago, to Arthurian times, to the days of Robert the Bruce and king James, to the present day. I found it a very handy reference to illuminate the stories of the different areas around the island.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and written, albeit with a dry-as-toast sensibility at times. The sheer amount of information crammed into a relatively short book made for some slogging at times. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it and discovering many strange, exciting, and at times, sad things about Arran, an island we dearly love.

[Hugh Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

One sided history - of the East side of the island

Not big enough - compresses the history and skips too much . E.g. History of the fishing industry over simplified and inaccurate

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting if a little dry at times.

[Kevin McAvoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the book had more to say. Enjoyed what little there was. It's a double edged sword when tourism becomes both the life and death of a pristine island. Enjoyed the fairie tales at the end too.