Pirnmill

Pirnmill

Village store/post office and restaurant in the centre of Pirnmill
Pirnmill
Pirnmill shown within North Ayrshire
Population 110 
OS grid reference NR871442
Civil parish
  • Kilmory
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ISLE OF ARRAN
Postcode district KA27
Dialling code 01770
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Pirnmill (Scottish Gaelic: Muileann nam Piùirneachan) is a small village on the north-west coast of the Isle of Arran, Scotland. Pirnmill is within the parish of Kilmory.[1]

Pirnmill is flanked by several clachans, including Whitefarland to the south, Thunderguy to the north, and the original settlement of Penrioch (Scottish Gaelic: Peighinn Riabhach) above the village.

Etymology

Unlike many of the other villages on the island, Pirnmill's etymology is not rooted in the Gaelic or Norse heritage of Arran; rather Pirnmill takes its name from a mill that historically stood there until 1840, which produced pirns (wooden rods used in weaving) for Clarks (latterly Coats) of Paisley, which was operational from 1780 to 1840.

History

Early inhabitants of Pirnmill made a living through seasonal herring fishing or crofting, but later the village became a tourist destination, with many Clyde steamers plying between Glasgow and Campbeltown. The village was served by a small ferry boats that would be rowed out to the steamers and visitors would have to decant into the small ferry to be rowed ashore. The lasts of these local ferry men was Archibald Currie (Sunnyside) who eventually fitted a small engine to one of his boats. The steamers were stopped during the Second World War and never really reinstated. Visitors now come to the village by road.

The jetty below the shop was built in the 1930s to make it easier for visitors (and cargo) to disembark from the small ferries. Prior to this there were only duckboards.

Economy

Pirnmill has a church, village shop, restaurant and a B&B. Two miles north of the village, halfway between Pirnmill and Catacol, there is an ancient burial ground close to the shore at Rhubha Airigh Bheirg.

Ancient burial ground on the coast, just north of Pirnmill. Kintyre is in the background.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Details of Pirnmill". Scottish Places. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
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