Cowal Heritage Society

31/05/2026

14/05/2026

📢 🚨Calling all of those interested in Medieval Cowal!

Earlier in the year, we posted a call to help to locate Cowal's ancient northern frontier. This was to try to identify some possible routes into Cowal that may have been taken by our rivals up north, who were up to no good!

Thank you for your help and all the useful comments in the discussion. As the next stage of this project, we've spent the last few months delving into the archives to build up a map of what 'Cowal' may have looked like around the year 700. You'll see our findings posted here, along with (a lot) of explanation on how we built this map.

Back in 700, Cowal was known as 'Cenel Comgaill', populated by Gaelic speaking Scots. It's moved around a bit over the years, as you'll see. Around 712, Cowal's fortunes took a dive and we likely lost our lands out west. Our question to you is, 'if Cowal's western lands retracted east to Lochgilphead, and our eastern frontier matched the attached map, where was Cowal's replacement royal centre?' Each of Dalriada's Cenels (tribal areas) had a sub-king, so where was ours?

This research is part of a talk planned for our next season, that will delve into a series of battles and royal murders in the 8th century that shaped Cowal's early history.

04/05/2026

The Colourful Characters of Cowal...four talks on consecutive Sundays from 24th May (6-8pm) at the Oakbank Community Inn Sandbank ...free to attend / donations towards the Oakbank Inn welcomed!

01/05/2026

So much to history to learn about on this fascinating walk around on Saturday 16th May...

24/04/2026

It's great weather for a trip out to explore some of Cowal's more obscure historical sites!

The fort of Barr an Taolain (NR820913) overlooks the Cowal shore on the road between Otter Ferry and Kilfinan, part of a network of ancient forts in the area. Easily accessible via a forestry track, the fort occupies a narrow rocky ridge about 400m east of the shore of Loch Fyne. A sheer drop down to the shore defends the western approach whilst the perimeter of the summit was protected by a circuit wall of massive stone blocks, surviving to three courses high in places, and enclosing an area of 40x22m. The dip of a well trodden entranceway can be easily found to the east, allowing explorers to walk in the footsteps of Cowal's ancient settlers.
Forts like these were built and occupied from the Iron Age through to the Early Medieval periods (800BC through to roughly 1000AD). The site of the fort doesn't appear very imposing to visitors approaching from the road to the east, but from the top the views westward on a sunny day over Loch Fyne and Loch Gilp are spectacular, affording glimpses of distant Ben Cruachan and the paps of Jura. A stirring vista for one of Cowal's local chieftains more than a millennia ago.
Worth a walk and a picnic on the top whilst the sun is shining before the ferns come back up! Please park sensitively if visiting and take care not to obstruct anyone's access.

21/04/2026

The ever popular Dunoon Film Festival comes to the Oakbank on Friday 1st May with a showing of this wonderful Ken Loach film.... from 7pm / Tickets £10 pp ...includes supper. Email [email protected] to book your spot!

21/04/2026

Another chance to catch four talks about the Colourful Characters of ...at the Oakbank Community Inn Sandbank ...Sunday evenings from 6pm to 8pm starting on the 24th May with a presentation about the "world's greatest diplomat" and running until the 14th June - free entry/donations towards the Oakbank Community Inn welcomed East Cowal Heritage Outdoors - ECHO Project What's On Dunoon What's On in Dunoon Dunoon Community Radio Sandbank Community Sandbank Village Hall Inveraray Castle Historic Kilmun Cowalfest 2026 Cowal Open Studios

19/04/2026

A 'brilliant success' ....thank you to everyone who attended yesterday...over 800 folks (we stopped counting at 1pm!) made their way to this inaugural celebration event of all things 'steamers'! Should we make this an annual event? Huge thanks to former Harbourmaster Robert Reid and Peter Welsh of A&BCouncil
Waverley Excursions What's On Dunoon What's On in Dunoon Argyll & Bute Museums & Heritage Forum Argyll and Bute Council Castle House Museum

18/04/2026

Iain Quinn, Quartermaster on the Waverley Excursions holds court at Pier's "Steamers of the Clyde" event

18/04/2026

Setting up at Dunoon Pier Waverley Excursions