Argyll
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Argyll
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(Click on the picture to see a larger one) Argyll was Scotland's second biggest county and one of the nation's most spectacularly beautiful. It incorporated over 90 islands, several of which appear on our kit of the county - we also do separate kits of four of the county's islands, Mull, Islay, Tiree and Iona. Argyll is rich in the early Christian tradition as it was in Iona that St Columba was based in the 6th century while St Moluag established himself on Lismore. Iona became an important place of pilgrimage and 48 Scottish, 8 Norwegian and 4 Irish kings are said to be buried there. Politically, the Isle of Islay was the administrative capital of the Lords of the Isles (the ancestors of Clan Donald) between the 12th and 15th centuries, but the county mainland was dominated by Clan Campbell and Inveraray Castle remains the seat of the Cambell Dukes of Argyll. The town of Inveraray was possibly Scotland's first "new town" in that the old town was demolished by the 3rd Duke of Argyll so that his new castle would be afforded more privacy. Happily, the elegant and picturesque new town was a great improvement on the old. The many other family names associated with the county include Stewart of Appin, MacDougall, Scrymgeour, MacEarcher, Lamont, MacArthur, McLachlan and MacGregor, while the MacDonalds are of course tragically associated with their erstwhile stronghold at Glencoe. Away from the mainland, Mull (and much of the mainland area of Morvern) was dominated by Clan MacLean. Argyll is the largest Mearnscraft county kit. When stitched on the recommended Linda 27-count evenweave, it measures 15¾ x 18¼ inches (400 x 460 mm) with a stitch count of 213 x 245. It includes 29 buildings, ferries, puffers, fishing and sailing boats, a lighthouse, standing stones, place names, compass and crest, as well as the islands of Mull, Iona, Ulva, Coll, Tiree, Lismore, Seil, Luing, Scarba, Jura, Islay, Colonsay and Gigha.
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