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Rothesay

The largest community on Bute is Rothesay, an attractive small town which displays its legacy as a popular Victorian resort in its tall colour-washed houses, trim public gardens and pedestrianised esplanade. Long before paddle-steamers brought 19th century holiday-makers here, Rothesay was a favourite refuge for Scottish kings in need of rest and recuperation. They would lodge at Rothesay Castle (Historic Scotland), built in the early 1200s and generally regarded as one of the finest medieval castles in the country. A picturesque moat surrounds the huge circular walls which in turn enclose the well-preserved Great Hall built by James IV. The Argylls sacked the castle in 1685 but did a less thorough job than usual, leaving much of it intact. Some 200 years later, the castle’s hereditary guardians, the Marquesses of Bute, tidied the place up, opened it to the public and Rothesay Castle has been one of the region’s major attractions ever since.

In Stuart Street, close to the castle, is the Bute Museum, which has displays and artefacts about Rothesay, the Firth of Clyde and the island of Bute itself. The ruins of the Church of St Mary (Historic Scotland), on the southern outskirts of the town, stand close to the present High Kirk built in 1796. St Mary’s dates mainly from the 13th and 14th centuries and has two canopied  tombs. One contains the effigy of a woman and child, and the other the effigy of a man. There is also the grave slab of an unknown Norman knight on the floor. The church has been recently re-roofed to protect them.

At one time Rothesay attracted thousands of Glasgow tourists during the “Glasgow Fair”, which always takes place during the last two weeks in July. The town has a definite taste for festivals. On the last weekend in August it stages its own Highland Games at which the guest of honour may well be the Duke of Rothesay, a distinguished personage much better known as heir to the throne, Prince Charles. During the third weekend in July, the town hosts an International Folk Festival, and on May Day Bank Holiday the town resounds to the upbeat rhythms of a Jazz Festival.

Bute at one time was known by the nickname of “Scotland’s Madeira”, not just because it was an island, but also because palm trees flourish here due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. The gentleness of the climate can best be appreciated at Ardencraig Gardens in Ardencraig Lane, which were bought by Rothesay Town Council in 1970. They formed part of the original gardens designed by Percy Cane for the owners of Ardencraig House. Another popular spot is Canada Hill, to the south of the town, where there are spectacular views of the Firth of Clyde. From here, people used to watch ships sailing down the Clyde taking Scottish emigrants to a new life in North America, hence its name. On the sea front is a memorial to people who left Rothesay but never returned - the six hundred Bute bowmen who fought alongside William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

The Isle of Bute Discovery Centre is housed in the town’s Winter Garden (built in 1924), on the front. It contains an exhibition highlighting life on the island through interactive displays and plasma screens, as well as a cinema/theatre.

One of Rothesay’s more unusual attractions is the complex of Victorian Toilets at the end of the pier, which date from 1899. They still work perfectly, and are full of ornate design. They were recently voted the second best place in the world to spend a penny. If you want the best place, you’ll have to go to Hong Kong. Women can view the toilets at quiet times.

Scotland’s first long distance island footpath, the 30-mile long West Island Way, starts at Kilchattan Bay and finishes at Port Bannatyne. Full details of the trail are available from the Isle of Bute Discovery Centre in Rothesay.

Close to Kilchattan Bay, at Kingarth, is St Blane’s Chapel. The ruins of this Norman structure sit within what was a Celtic monastery, founded by St Blane in the sixth century (see also Dunblane). The whole area shows how such a monastery would have been laid out. The rath, or cashel, a low wall surrounding the monastery, can still be seen, as can the foundations of various beehive cells in which the monks lived. There are two old graveyards - one for men, and one for women. Close by is the Dunagoil Vitrified Fort, which dates from the Iron Age. Vitrified forts are so called because at one time they were exposed to great heat, turning the surface of the stone used in their construction to a glass-like substance.

There are many other religious sites on Bute, some dating from the Dark Ages. At Straad (a name which tells you that the island once belonged to the Vikings) there are the scant remains of St Ninian’s Chapel, which may go back at least 1500 years, and at Kilmichael there are the ruins of the old St Macaille Chapel.

Near Port Bannatyne, north of Rothesay, is Kames Castle, dating from the 14th century. Neither it nor its beautiful gardens are open to the public, but they can be viewed from the road. One place, which can be visited, however, is Ascog Hall Fernery and Garden, three miles south of Rothesay. It was built about 1870, and has a sunken fern house which houses more than 80 sub-tropical fern species. It was awarded the first ever Scottish prize by the Historic Gardens Foundation which promotes historic gardens and parks throughout the world.

Mount Stuart House, near the lovely village of Kerrycroy, is the ancestral home of the Marquis of Bute. In 1877 a fire destroyed most of the old house, built during the reign of Queen Anne, and the third Marquis employed Robert Rowand Anderson to design the present Victorian Gothic one. It is an immense house, full of treasures, and reflects the history and importance of the family who owned it. When built, it was full of technological wonders. It was the first house in Scotland to be lit by electricity, and the first private house to have a heated indoor swimming pool. Surrounding the house are 300 acres of delightful gardens. The house achieved international fame in 2003 when Stella McCartney, daughter of Paul, got married here.