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| Lochgilphead | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Loch Gilb | |
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  Lochgilphead shown within Scotland |
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| Population | 3,000 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Lieutenancy area | Argyll and Bute |
| Constituent country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LOCHGILPHEAD |
| Postcode district | PA30 - 31 |
| Dialling code | 01546 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| European Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Argyll and Bute |
| Scottish Parliament | Argyll and Bute |
| List of places: UK • Scotland | |
Lochgilphead (Scottish Gaelic Ceann Loch Gilb, pronounced [kʲan̴̪ ɫ̪ɔx ˈg̊ilib̥]) is a town and former burgh in Scotland, with a population of around 3,000 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The town lies at the end of Loch Gilp (itself a branch of Loch Fyne) and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal.
The council is based at Kilmory Castle, around which is located a woodland park and an Iron Age fort. The Forestry Commission also have an office there.
Lochgilphead's facilities include a swimming pool, sports centre, three banks, supermarket, Renault dealership, a community hospital run by the local GPs, psychiatric hospital, 9-hole golf course, a hydrotherapy pool, a regional landfill site at Dunchologan and Lochgilphead High School.
The town is home to shinty team Kilmory Camanachd and football team, Lochgilphead Red Star.
History
As a planned settlement, Lochgilphead was created in 1790 shortly after the completion of a road from Inveraray to Campbeltown. After the completion of the Crinan Canal in 1801 the town became more important as a link across the Kintyre peninsula.
Claims to fame
- In July 1982, Lochgilphead competed against teams from Perth and Oban in the then highly popular BBC Television children's series It's a Knockout, presented by Stuart Hall. The town's team won their round and later competed in the international version of the series, 'Jeux Sans Frontieres', which was recorded in Switzerland.
- In the World War Two movie, 633 Squadron (1964, directed Walter Grauman), Lochgilphead's main street features for a brief second in an aerial shot, as the bombers of 633 Squadron fly over the "unnamed" town en route to the bombing target in Norway.
- The Argyll Turbo GT sportscar was built by Bob Henderson in Manse Brae.
- The singer Sydney MacEwan had built, and was for a time parish priest of, the R.C. church in the town.
External links
- http://www.argyllshireadvertiser.co.uk - The Argyllshire Advertiser for Lochgilphead and Mid Argyll news
- http://www.jsfnet.co.uk/series_1982.htm - It's A Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières 1982 history
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