INFAMY AT INVERARAY: A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL

 During the 1960s, the world of the British aristocracy was rocked by the very public breakdown of the marriage between the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.  The newspapers of the time were full of stories of drunkenness, drug-taking, violence, in fact the full range of horrors of a highly dysfunctional marriage.  The Duchess, Margaret Campbell, was dragged through the mud by the press, who labelled her the “Dirty Duchess”.  This was the subject of one of the most heralded series from this last Christmas, A Very British Scandal, starring Claire Foy as Margaret and Paul Bettany as the Duke, Ian Campbell.  The other star of the series was InverarayCastle, the real-life seat of the Dukes of Argyll since the 18^th century.  By all accounts, the current occupants of the castle were extremely welcoming to the production team and stars.

 

Inverary Castle, Argyll and Bute, Scotland-31May2010. Photo by Son of Groucho, via Wikimedia Commons.

Inveraray Castle started out as the stronghold of the Campbell chiefs, who later became the Dukes of Argyll.  The original settlement of Inveraray consisted of a small group of cottages watched over by the original castle, but in the mid-18^th century the third Duke had a new castle built, and also a new town further away from the castle than the original settlement, with the castle and town lying on the shore of Loch Fyne.  The new version of the castle is a Gothic-style turreted wonder with interiors including the Armoury Hall and the Tapestry Drawing Room.  Both the castle and the surrounding parkland and woodland are open to visitors.  In 1975 there was a bad fire at the castle, and there were reports of local people forming a human chain in order to save some of its treasures. 

 

Inveraray from Dun na Cuaiche - geograph.org.uk - 1883808. Photo by David Hawgood, via Wikimedia Commons.

Think you’ve seen Inveraray Castle before on the small screen?  If you’re a Downton Abbey fan that will be because the castle featured in the 2012 Christmas special in which the Grantham family head north to the home of their cousins, ‘Duneagle Castle’, with the latter filmed at Inveraray.

Map of the area.

OTTER PARADISE: RING OF BRIGHT WATER/ISLAND OF SEIL

Ring of Bright Water, based on a true story which was the subject of a book by Gavin Maxwell, was made in 1969, but the story it is based on has a timeless appeal, as do the locations used in the film.  The story begins in London, where an office worker called Graham Merill is drawn to an otter in a pet shop (Did they really sell otters in pet shops?).  He takes it home and names it Mij, but quickly realises that a flat in London is no place for an otter, so he buys a ramshackle old house in the wilds of West Scotland and sets up home there with his new friend.

As Merill makes his way to his new home by train we get a glimpse of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter films and one of the key points along the Jacobite Steam Train route.  On arrival, the village nearest to the house is a typical little Scottish fishing hamlet, with rows of simple one-storey houses.  In real life the village is Ellenabeich on the Island of Seil, not entirely an island, being connected to the ‘mainland’ by the Atlantic Bridge, or the “Bridge Over the Atlantic”.  One of the most prominent businesses in the village is The Oyster Bar; this was the M. A. Cameron General Stores in the film.  

The Oyster Brewery, Ellenabeich. - geograph.org.uk - 457322 Photo by Steve Partridge, via Wikimedia Commons

Oban, which lies 10 miles to the north, also plays a role in the film, when Mij’s owner goes to buy fish for the otter.  The Railway Pier in Oban is the location of the fishing port where the fish sale takes place.  Another location featured in the film is the Firth of Lorne, where the scene depicting the hunt for the Basking Shark was filmed.  The Firth occupies an area of sea off the south-east edge of the island of Mull.

And what of the real story of Gavin Maxwell and his otters?   The writer named the place where he brought them up Camusfearna in the book, in order to hide the true location, which was in fact Sandaig near Glenelg on the mainland opposite Skye.

Beach at Sandaig - geograph.org.uk - 916465. Photo by Peter Jones, via Wikimedia Commons

The Island of Seil is the northernmost of the Slate Islands.  Finding your way here from the A816 from Oban can be confusing – you need to follow the sign pointing to Easdale.  Easdale is another island just offshore, but this whole area is often referred to as Easdale.  As well as sampling the delights of The Oyster Bar, visitors can take a boat trip with Seafari Adventures, who have a base in the village.  There is also a large gift shop called Highland Arts next to the car and coach park.

Map of Easdale.