Millport, Cumbrae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Millport
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 Millport town with Little Cumbrae in the background |
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 Millport
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| Population | 1,170 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NS162549 |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MILLPORT |
| Postcode district | KA28 |
| Dialling code | 01475 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Millport (Scottish Gaelic: Port a' Mhuilinn) is the only town on the island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde off the coast of mainland Britain, in the council area of North Ayrshire. The town is 4 miles (6 km) south of the ferry terminal that links the island to the Scottish mainland.
Due to its small size, the island and its town are often linked in the minds of visitors and residents and Cumbrae is often referred to as Millport. The island offers views across to the Isle of Arran as well as of its smaller neighbour which lies barely a kilometre away, called Little Cumbrae. The Cumbraes are referred to as the Kumreyiar in the medieval Norse Saga of Haakon Haakonarson.
The Cathedral of The Isles in Millport is the smallest extant cathedral in the British Isles.
Contents
Etymology
The Gaelic name Cumaradh means "place of the Cymric people", referring to the Brittonic-speaking inhabitants of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Alternatively, the name Cumbrae may derive from Kil Maura meaning "cell or church of a female saint".
History
The Garrison House in the centre of town, constructed in 1745, was formerly the barracks/Captain's mansion, then the home of the Earl of Glasgow, and is now in community ownership (see "Current Developments" below).
During the development of the River Clyde as a main thoroughfare for goods, shipbuilding and smuggling, Millport was a strategic base for Customs and Excise. Several of the streets in Millport are named after crew members of the Revenue cutter Royal George.
The Victorian era was a period of rapid growth, both in terms of population, governance, amenities and property. To the west and east of the old harbour, many fine Victorian and Edwardian villas were built, along with new tenements. These still form the backbone of the housing stock.
The Cathedral of the Isles of the Scottish Episcopal Church, completed in 1851 and which seats only 100 people, is the smallest cathedral in Great Britain. There are also claims that it is the smallest cathedral in Europe.
Recent developments
The Garrison House was badly damaged after an arson attack in 2001. Cumbrae Community Development Company, the local development trust, made a successful bid to the National Lottery and other funders to enable the building to be re-constructed for community benefit. After several years of work renovation of the property was completed in 2008 at a total cost of £5 million. It now houses the Museum of the Cumbraes, a library, council offices, a GP surgery and the Garrison Cafe. The Garrison Model Rail Club, located in cabins on the grounds at Garrison House, welcomes visits to its model railway layouts each week.
Currently a large development of around 40 family sized homes is underway between the Millport Bowling Club and Penmachrie Farm. It is notable that the houses are being built primarily by private individuals - with the land having been sold off in the form of single plots.
Tourism
Millport, along with Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, is famous with generations of daytrippers from Glasgow as one of the resorts visited going "doon the watter" (down the water), meaning taking a trip aboard a River Clyde paddle steamer. At one time it was common for visitors to stay for several weeks over the summer, however nowadays the primary tourist trade comes in the form of daytrippers. This is mostly due to the growth of package holidays to Spain and the Balearics in the 1960s. It is still possible to experience a traditional day out courtesy of PS Waverley which calls at Millport twice a week during the summer, once originating at Ayr and once at Glasgow.
One of the best known landmarks in Millport is the Crocodile Rock on the foreshore. It has been a feature since at least 1913, as it was that year that Robert Brown was acknowledged by the council for the work.
The town hosts the annual Millport Country and Western Festival during the first week in September, and a fireworks display is held during September Weekend. Millport has the world's narrowest house, The Wedge which at its front, measures just 47 inches or 1.19 metres. The house is 22 feet long by 11 feet wide at its widest point.
Millport Bay contains a number of free-to-use visitor moorings, and is a popular destination for sailors in the summer. There is a small boat yard at the western end of the town. There are wide sandy beaches close to the centre of town for paddling and swimming. A live webcam of Kames Bay can be seen here.
Recreation
Millport has an 18-hole golf course, with spectacular views over the Arran hills and the Firth of Clyde. Other recreational facilities include a crazy golf course and two football pitches, one at either end of the town and a children's play area near the boat yard. For fishing, there are two fresh water reservoirs beside the golf course where fly fishing is available and excellent sea fishing, primarily for mackerel, is available. The best place for this is from the rocks at Farland Point, just inside the town limits. Many people take advantage of the level perimeter road around the island to walk and cycle the circuit of just over 10 miles.
Transport links
In spite of its relatively remote feel, Millport is only one hour's travel from major transport hubs of Glasgow Airport and Glasgow Central railway station. Millport is accessible by public transport via the train at Largs, with a ferry journey of seven minutes. A bus to Millport meets each ferry.
Education
Schools
Primary-aged children on the island attend Cumbrae Primary School. Older children attend Largs Academy on the mainland.
FSC Millport
FSC Millport is a biological teaching and research centre operated by the Field Studies Council. The centre's origins can be traced back to 1885, when the oceanographer Sir John Murray set up a floating laboratory in a lighter which he called 'The Ark'. This led to the establishment of the Millport Marine Biological Station in 1997 by the naturalist David Robertson, also known as the 'Cumbrae Naturalist'.
In 1970 the station became the University Marine Biological Station Millport of the University of London. In 2014 ownership transferred to the Field Studies Council, which built new classrooms and accommodation for school and university visitors as well as providing holiday accommodation.
National Watersports Training Centre Cumbrae
The National Watersports Training Centre was a Sportscotland facility that taught a wide range of courses including sailing, windsurfing, paddlesports, cruising and yachting. The centre closed in 2020, and a local group is planning to reopen the site for community use.
Images for kids
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The Eileans, two small islands in Newton Bay
See also
In Spanish: Millport (North Ayrshire) para niños
