Prehistory Arran has a particular concentration of early
Neolithic Clyde Cairns, a form of
Gallery grave. The typical style of these is a rectangular or trapezoidal stone and earth mound that encloses a chamber lined with larger stone slabs. Pottery and bone fragments found inside them suggest they were used for interment and some have forecourts, which may have been an area for public display or ritual. There are two good examples in Monamore Glen west of the village of Lamlash, and similar structures called the
Giants' Graves above Whiting Bay. There are numerous standing stones dating from prehistoric times, including six stone circles on
Machrie Moor (Gaelic:
Am Machaire).
Pitchstone deposits on the island were used locally to make various items in the
Mesolithic era. It is thought to be the source of most, it not all, pitchstone artefacts found in the United Kingdom. There are more than 100 document sources of the material on the island that prehistoric people could have collected/mined from. Torr a' Chaisteal Dun in the south west near Sliddery is the ruin of an Iron Age fortified structure dating from about AD 200. The original walls would have been or more thick and enclosed a circular area about in diameter. In 2019, a
Lidar survey revealed 1,000 ancient sites in Arran including a
cursus near Drumadoon. Excavation began in 2023. This is believed to be the only complete example in Britain.
Gaels, Vikings and Middle Ages , 16th century An ancient Irish poem called
Agalllamh na Senorach, first recorded in the 13th century, describes the attractions of the island. The monastery of
Aileach founded by
St. Brendan in the 6th century may have been on Arran, with Holy Isle being a centre of Brendan's activities. The caves below Keil Point (
Gaelic:
Rubha na Cille) contain a slab which may have been an ancient altar. This stone has two
petrosomatoglyphs on it, the prints of two right feet, said to be of Saint Columba. In the 11th century Arran became part of the Sodor (Old Norse: 'Suðr-eyjar'), or South Isles of the
Kingdom of Mann and the Isles, but on the death of
Godred Crovan in 1095 all the isles came under the direct rule of
Magnus III of Norway.
Lagman (1103–1104) restored local rule. After the death of
Somerled in 1164, Arran and Bute were ruled by his son Angus. In 1237, the Scottish isles broke away completely from the
Isle of Man and became an independent kingdom. After the indecisive
Battle of Largs between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland in 1263,
Haakon Haakonsson, King of Norway reclaimed Norwegian lordship over the "provinces" of the west. Arriving at
Mull, he rewarded a number of his Norse-Gaelic vassals with grants of lands. Bute was given to
Ruadhri and Arran to Murchad MacSween. Following Haakon's death later that year Norway ceded the islands of western Scotland to the Scottish crown in 1266 by the
Treaty of Perth. A substantial Viking grave has been discovered near King's Cross south of Lamlash, containing whalebone, iron rivets and nails, fragments of
bronze and a 9th-century bronze coin, and another grave of similar date nearby yielded a sword and shield. Arran was part of the medieval
Bishopric of Sodor and Man. On the opposite side of the island near Blackwaterfoot is the King's Cave where
Robert the Bruce is said to have taken shelter in the 14th century. Bruce returned to the island in 1326, having earlier granted lands to Fergus MacLouis for assistance rendered during his time of concealment there. Brodick Castle played a prominent part in the island's medieval history. Probably dating from the 13th century, it was captured by English forces during the
Wars of Independence before being taken back by Scottish troops in 1307. It was badly damaged by action from English ships in 1406 and sustained an attack by
John of Islay, the
Lord of the Isles in 1455. Originally a seat of the
Clan Stewart of Menteith it passed to the
Boyd family in the 15th century. For a short time during the reign of
King James V in the 16th century, the Isle of Arran was under the regency of
Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell.
Modern era At the commencement of the
Early modern period James, 2nd Lord Hamilton became a
privy counsellor to his first cousin,
James IV of Scotland and helped to arrange his marriage to Princess
Margaret Tudor of England. As a reward he was created Earl of Arran in 1503. The local economy for much of this period was based on the
run rig system, the basic crops being oats, barley and potatoes. The population slowly grew to about 6,500. In the early 19th century
Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767–1852) embarked on a programme of
clearances that had a devastating effect on the island's population. These "improvements" typically led to land that had been rented out to as many as 27 families being converted into a single farm. In some cases, land was promised in Canada for each adult emigrant male. In April 1829, for example, 86 islanders boarded the brig
Caledonia for the two-month journey, half their fares being paid for by the Duke. However, on arrival in
Quebec only was made available to the heads of extended families. Whole villages were removed and the Gaelic culture of the island devastated. The writer
James Hogg wrote, "Ah! Wae's [Woe is] me. I hear the Duke of Hamilton's crofters are a'gaun away, man and mother's son, frae the Isle o' Arran. Pity on us!". A memorial to this has been constructed on the shore at Lamlash, paid for by a Canadian descendant of the emigrants.
Goatfell was the scene of the death of English tourist Edwin Rose who was allegedly murdered by John Watson Laurie in 1889 on the mountain. Laurie was sentenced to death, later commuted to a life sentence and spent the rest of his life in prison. On 10 August 1941 a RAF
Consolidated B-24 Liberator LB-30A AM261 was flying from
RAF Heathfield in Ayrshire to
Gander International Airport in Newfoundland. However, the B-24 crashed into the hillside of Mullach Buidhe north of Goat Fell, killing all 22 passengers and crew. ==Geography==