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Argyll Estates Archives hold the records of the Campbell family, earls and dukes of Argyll. The archive is a rich source information on the roles played by the family in major historical events, as well as offering a window into their private lives and interests, and the management of their lands in Argyllshire and Central Scotland.
The archive does not only tell the story of earls and dukes, it also records the lives of the ‘ordinary’ folk who lived and worked on the vast Argyll estate, providing unique and invaluable evidence for family and local history.
The archive is rightly described as one of the most important private collections in Britain. We invite you to help us preserve this amazing resource and enable access now and for future generations.
The History of the Archive
From the 14th century onwards the earls and, later, dukes of Argyll were closely allied to the Scottish Crown and parliament, acquiring a host of official roles and responsibilities which were sustained and expanded after the union of the parliaments in 1707. Extensive personal papers, correspondence, and accounts document the activities of the extended family in all of its endeavours, offering potential for many important historical themes and events to be explored.
Until the mid-20th century, the Argyll estates covered most of Argyllshire, parts of Inverness-shire, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, and East Lothian, and the family owned additional properties in Edinburgh, London, and abroad. Many of their lands were acquired during the West Highland clan wars of the 16th and 17th centuries, whilst acting as Crown mediator and overseer for confiscated estates. In the 18th and 19th centuries, successive dukes invested heavily in agricultural, industrial, and urban development, and the records of these endeavours provide an unparalleled insight into our landscape history and built heritage.
Large areas of the estate lie in some of Scotland’s most marginal and fragile island environments (e.g. Tiree, Iona and Mull), which endured some of the worst periods of famine, emigration, and land agitation in the 19th century. The history of all of these places and events, and of the people within them, is documented in detail in the archive.
Records in the archive date from the 13th to the 21st centuries, forming an unbroken account of nearly 800 years of the family’s fortunes, which closely reflects all of the key events in Scotland’s history. This depth of chronology is very rare for a Scottish family archive.
We are currently developing an online catalogue of the contents of the archive. Visit www.argyll-papers.com to see our progress so far.
For a more detailed description of the content of the archive, please read the Argyll Papers Collection Description.
Archivist
Alison Diamond
Assistant Archivist
Donald MacDougall