The Campbells and later Kintyre

the remains of tarbert castle

at unclear point before 1481, sheriffdom of kintyre became tarbertshire, based @ tarbert @ northern edge of kintyre; in year, tarbertshire expanded include knapdale. however, comital authority remained absent following quitclaim lord of isles; following law , order crisis in region, king james iv of scotland appointed archibald campbell, earl of argyll governor of tarbert castle, implied authority on nearby castles such skipness.

following scottish reformation, macdonalds (opponents) , campbells (supporters) came more direct dispute. in 1607, following series of hostile actions macdonalds, king james vi ordered lands landlorded in kintyre transferred archibald campbell, heir of earlier archibald. under pressure campbells, sheriff court moved inveraray @ extreme northeast of tarbertshire, near heart of campbell power; inevitably, in 1633 shrieval authority annexed sheriff of argyll.

archibald s son, dedicated supporter of religious reformers, developed plan establish large settlement, around village of kinlochkilkerran, @ south of kintyre, composed of loyal presbyterians lowland scotland, in order outnumber , undermine local catholic population, , reduce resistance state s religious reforms. under son, archibald, became campbeltown. actions had effect of diluting gaelic culture, gradually replacing lowlands one.

comital powers abolished heritable jurisdictions act, leaving shrieval unit. in 1899, counties formally created, on shrieval boundaries, scottish local government act; kintyre therefore became part of county of argyll. following late 20th century reforms, within wider region of argyll , bute.