Historical Timeline

Timeline below updated – November 2024 – More detail to come.

EventDate
622The Time of St Modan founder of the first church.
1199Rosneath Minister – Michaele Gilmodyne, parson of Renyt (Nevet or De Nevyd)
1225Amelec (Lennox) grants Rosneath Church (St Nicolas’) and Saltpan to the monks of Paisley
1225Rosneath Minister – Richard Small
1263Viking fort at Knockderry. (Vikings longships dragged across isthmus at Arrochar/Tarbert to claim the encompassed land. This included Rosneath. Raco defeated at Largs
1297Rosneath Castle burnt by William Wallace
1297The William Wallace’s Loup where ‘The Wallace’ leap from Rosneath cliff to escape the ‘Saxon’ army
1485Rosneath Minister – William – – Dumbarton Writs.
1489Property of Rosneath awarded to ‘Colin’ First Duke of Argyll
1489Estate awarded to Colin, first Earl of Argyll and Chancellor of Scotland. (Irving)
1501Between 16th and 17th Century – “What is known as the Kirkton of Rosneath, gave designation to a family of Campbells in the 16th century and McFarlane’s in the 17th. (Irving)
1509Saint Modan features in Aberdeen Breviary
1515Rosneath Minister – Sir John Clerk – Curate
1545Rosneath Minister – John Sclaiter – Dean of Vicarage, Parsonage, Glebe and House
1560Scottish Reformation. Paisley Abbey goes into decline.
1565Rosneath Minister – Malcolm Steinson – who had a stipend of 40 Lib (Scots pound)
1566Rosneath Minister – David Colquhoun, Dumbarton Writs.
1601Rosneath Minister – George McGleis.
1610Burgerhuis Bell cast
1618Rosneath Minister – George Lindsay
1630Rosneath Castle ‘fitted up’ by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
1645Ewan Cameron Pastor of Rosneath when the parish of Row (Rhu) was formed.
1646The great influence of Cardross and Rosneath was finally diminished by the splitting of the parish to form that of Rhu. This caused the resignation of the then Minister, Ewan Cameron.
1650Rosneath Minister – Ninian Campbell – died 1657.
1651Archibald, the 8th Earl of Argyll, supports the restoration of King Charles II and crowns Charles at Scone
1657Covenanters including Balfour of Burley find shelter in the parish under the protection of Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll/ 1st Duke of Argyll
1661Archibald, the 8th Earl of Argyll, executed in Edinburgh after alleged collaboration with Cromwell’s government
1663Rosneath Minister – A.Gattie – ejected on account of non-conformity to Episcopacy
1665Rosneath Minister – Alexander Cameron – removed to Balfron,
1682Rosneath Minister – James Gardiner, (or Gordon) was obviously a man of principle for he was libelled before Presytery and ejected for refusing to pray for King William and Queen Mary. Died in 1694
1689Rosneath Minister – Robert Campbell ejected from Rye, Ireland, but re-instated in 1690 and left.
1690Rosneath Minister – Duncan Campbell – died in 1707
1691The famous Silver Firs, Adam & Eve were planted by the first Duke of Argyll . (F. M. Crum.”H & G Times photo article of May 11, 1949)
1703Between 1703 -1743 – The famous Duke John also planted trees and 1756 was time of much planting of trees and building of dykes. (F.M. Crum. H & G Times photo article of May 11, 1949) On his acquisition of the Rosneath Estate the Honourable John Campbell, (presumably the 2nd Duke) he erected a family mansion here, and planted an avenue, the proportions of which are in the Dutch style of ornamentation.” – Yew trees in Howie Memorial Park believed to have been planted
1707Act of Union
1709Rosneath Minister – Neill Campbell from Kilmalie, Lochaber was appointed. He left for Renfrew in 1716 and became Principal of Glasgow University in 1728. He was only the first of many Rosneath ministers to achieve high academic distinction.
1715Jacobite Rebellion. – Burgerhuis bell rang to warn parishioners about possibility of an attack by the royalists
1716School – School Master, Robert Monro,was parish schoolmaster at Rosneath, before 1717
1717Robert Monro, first named schoolmaster at Rosneath
1719Rosneath Minister – Daniel Maclaurin also from Kilmalie . His name became familiar through his nephew Colin who was a celebrated Mathematician. There were 26 Gaelic families in the parish at this point.
1722Rosneath Minister – James Anderson. He was the father of John who was born in the Old Manse, now Heather Cottage situated opposite the old graveyard further up the Clacban from the present church. John Anderson, Professor of Natural Philosophy, was founder of the Anderson Institute which today is the oldest foundation of Strathclyde University.
1726Dr John Anderson founder of the Anderson Institute, born in Rosneath Manse
1745Support for Charles Edward Stuart greatest in the Highlands because of the hatred for the Campbells. In Lowland Scotland where this was not a factor the support for the rebellion was not so great.
1745Rosneath Minister – Matthew Stewart. History knows him better as a university mathematician at Edinburgh University, who published severaJ well-known theorems. He is reputed to have taught Sir Walter Scott, the well-known novelist.
1748Rosneath Minister – Alexander Duncanson who was forced to resign in 1763 on the charge of misapplying the poor fund.
1750Between 1750 to 1790 – The local population declined, due chiefly “to one proprietor having taken into his own possession some farms upon which several families had formally lived. Not ascribed to the attractions of neighbouring manufacture. (First Statistical Account)
1764Rosneath Minister – John Kennedy who died in 1765 and is buried in the churchyard.
1766Rosneath Minister – Dr George Drummond.DD appointed
1770Old Manse rebuilt
1780Dr George Drummond rebuilds Rosneath Church
1791Old Statistical account by Dr Drummond
1794Camsail mill completed
1800School – School Master, John McNaughton, who became parochial schoolmaster on, or shortly before
1803Fire demolishes Rosneath Castle. New castle to be built
1803School – Schoolhouse at the end of the Clachan comprised the upper floor of a substantial building with gable end to the then church (Heather Cottage)
1806Rosneath Castle rebuilt
1808School – School Master, John Graham became parish schoolmaster at Rosneath, and probably remained there until about 1820
1815Robert Story appointed assistant to Dr Drummond
1818Sir Walter Scott publishes ‘The Heart of Midlothian’, writing of ‘Roseneath’
1819Dr Drummond died in in the 82nd year of his life and 53rd of his ministry
1819Rosneath Minister – Dr Robert Story appointed minister
1820Mr John Dodds becomes school master at Rosneath School until 1870
1820School – School Master John Dodds appointed at Rosneath, He was still Master at Rosneath at the time of his death in 1870
1827Isabella Campbell, “an exceptional and holy young woman” dies
1835Under John Dodd’s tenure, new school was built at the foot of the Clachan
1835School – During John Dodds’s tenure at Rosneath a new school was built atthe foot of the Clachan – Served as the Village School until 1967
1843Disruption of the Church of Scotland
1845First Pier built in Rosneath
1848Robert Story (African Slave) Dies
1853Sunday 11th Sept, Rosneath Parish Church opened to public worship
1859Robert Story dies
1860Rosneath Minister – Doctor Robert Herbert Story DD, LL.D, who was born in Rosneath, replaces his father as Minister
1862South Transept was added to Rosneath Parish Church
1867Rosneath’s First Boat yard opened by Archibald McKellar
1870School – School Master, William Stewart was appointed, a position he held until his retirement in 1905
1871The Marquis of Lorne MP, heir to the Duke of Argyll, marries HRH the Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria
1872School – Education (Scotland) Act , for the first time, education became compulsory for those aged between 5 and 13 years
1872School – Rosneath Parish School under the state, rather than church control. Rosneath Parish School now changed to that of Rosneath Public School
1873North Transept was added to Rosneath Parish Church
1880Gravestone of St Modan found
1880John McNaughton Parochial schoolmaster in Rosneath
1887Vacancy at Rosneath due to the departure of Dr Herbert Story. He had been translated to the Regius Chair of Ecclesiastical History at Glasgow University. Alfred Warr selected as the new minister against the wishes of Dr Story.
1887Rosneath Minister – Alfred Warr MA succeeded Dr Story. His Ministry lasted until 1916 during which time major changes were made to the church. The close proximity of HRH Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll at Rosneath Castle had a major influence on the church
1889Duke of Argyll ‘Fues’ part of the Rosneath estate extending eastwards towards Kilcreggan
1892Charles Laing Warr, born in Rosneath
1893Second Pier built in Rosneath
1894Robert Herbert Story becomes The Moderator of the General assembly of the Church of Scotland
1894New organ at Rosneath with Hydraulic blower (water power), extended and moved
1897Ferry Inn Rosneath extended with Edwin Lutyens’ design
1897Dr Herbert Story became the principle of Glasgow University .
1900George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll dies
1905School – Head teacher George Young apopointed, supported by Miss B. Stewart, who had served for some years previously under William Stewart. Miss Stewart described Headmistress, taught the girls
1907Robert Herbert Story dies
1908School – Education Act, through school attendance, medical and dental care, as well as food and clothing were to be available for the very needy
1909James Silver and John McCallum buy McKellar’s boatyard
1909Dr Robert Herbert Story’s daughters publish a memoir.
1910Boat building yard built at Hattonburn Clynder by Ewing McGruer
1914John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll dies
1914Death of 9th Duke. Followed by 10th Duke Niall Diarmid Campbell
1914School – The First World War, wrought terrible death and injury among former pupils who had served with the armed forces, were killed or injured.
1916Rev Alfred Warr dies
1916Rosneath Minister – Alexander Brown Grant MA,BD appointed. The long ministry taking the congregation through the years of the First World War. Its aftermath and decline in industrial Glasgow decrease in river traffic and hence the influence of Rosneath
1917HMS K13 sinks in Gareloch
1918Apr., Ferry Inn License refused
1918School – Education (Scotland) Act, the old School Boards were abolished and replaced by Education Authorities
1920School – Head Master Matthew Cross appointed early 1920’s at Rosneath. His assistant was still Miss B. Stewart, who had now served under three different Head teachers
1922Dec., Fire at Home Farm
1923July, End of the Empress
1924Feb. 6, Departure of Empress for disposal
1925School – Head Master George Glennie who was still in post at the onset of the Second World War.
1926Apr., License for Ferry Inn refused
1926Sept., Death of Mrs Story. Service at Hillhead Parish Church. Buried at Rosneath
1927Apr., Licence for Ferry Inn pending
1929Apr.3, Barremman Pier handed over to Rosneath Parish Council
1929June, Barremman Bowling Green gifted to Rosneath Parish Council
1930May. Union of Campsail & Rosneath Churches agreed. Camsail Manse to be sold or let
1930June. Last Service in Campsail Church
1930June, First united service in Rosneath Church
1931Oct., Reredos at Rosneath Church
1932May. Development of facilities at Silvers. Sawmill, crane, Jetty and lounge for yacht owners
1932June, Princess Louise having 2 apartments in The Clachan fitted out as bicycle shed
1935July Water scheme proposed for Rosneath
1937Between 1937 and 1938 – The Police house and tenements at Clachan Bridge Rosneath, designed by Joseph weeks, County Architect
1938Houses at ‘Clachan Bridge’ Rosneath built
1938Moses McNeil (co-founder of Glasgow Rangers Football Club) dies
1939Princess Louise Dies
1939Mar., 15, New telephone kiosk at Rosneath
1939Sept., Death of Princess Louise
1939Sept., 17 Sale of Rosneath estate. Description but no mention of the new owner.
1939Dec.,20 Funeral of Princess Louise at St George Chapel Windsor Castle. #
1939Rosneath Minister – Cameron Dinwoodie Ph.D. ministered from 1939 until 1956. Dr Dinwoodie, Mathamatician ‘Computer’ and Astronomer, took the congregation through the years of the Second World War.
1939School – This conflict had an enormous impact in the area, not so much from direct death and destruction, but rather through the setting up of a vast military infrastructure. School Life had to go on, with the usual routines of school, albeit along with black-out and gas-mask training, coupled with the presence of child evacuees from the big towns and cities.
1941Royal Engineers and American Contractors arrive in Rosneath
1941Sept.,17 Forthcoming sale ofRosneath Estate. 6,830 acres
1942Faslane Military Port One opened
1942Pier in Rosneath closed for the last time
1942July, Rosneath Ferry declaired unsatisfactory.
1942Rosneath schoolmistress Mrs Kinloch retires
1942Aug, Death of Helen Story
1943United States Naval Base two
1943Feb., Achnashie (formally the Chateau) burned down-Page 14-The Glimmering Landscape
1943Apr., 28 Repairs to Rosneath Estate. Sale of sawmill. Question in House of Commons
1943Aug., Opening of WVS canteen at Achnashie
1944July, Opening of Rosneath Road through Rosneath
1945United States Base two reverts to HMS Rosneath
1945School – Education (Scotland) Act, the school leaving age was finally raised to 15, coupled with an 11+ exam, and the creation of separate schools for nursery, primary and secondary education. Rosneath Public School now became Rosneath Primary School, where after 7 years of primary education, pupils to proceeded to secondary education in Helensburgh or Dumbarton.
1946Aug., Metal Industries opened. Iron Duke scrapped
1946Sept, WVS canteen at Achnashie closed
1947Rosneath Castle, gutted by fire
1947Dec, Street lamps lit by electricity for the first time
1947Feb., HMS Rosneath closed. H & G Times give write up on wartime importance
1948Rosneath Clachan Trust, (Later Anvil Trust). Neil Rutherford, George McGruer, Malcolm McGreggor, Rev. Dinwoodie, – Trust formed to allow residents of the Clachan to buy their houses
1948Sept., Major F.M. Crum publishes new book – The Isle of Rosneath
1949Aug., 10, Rosneath Castle for sale by Noel Woodward but failed to reach reserved
1950School – Head Teacher, Mrs Annie Slorach appointed in the 1950’s,
1950School – In the Third Statistical Account of Scotland the Rev Dr Cameron Dinwoodie wrote: “Rosneath is a three-teacher school with a roll just under 80.
1952Oct., 8 , F. M . Crum Dies
1953Parish Church named after Modan at the centenary
1953Mar., 19, Rosneath cherry trees planted as preparations for coronation
1954Dec., Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert scrapped at Metal industries
1955Major Frederick Maurice Crum, Dies
1956May, Proposed Minesweeper base at Rosneath
1956Oct, Demolition of American Jetties at Rosneath
1956Rosneath Minister – George M Stevenson MA
1957Shandon Hydro demolished.
19583rd Submarine Squadron and HMS Adamant move to Faslane
1958June, 11, New Post Office opened in blacksmith’s shop, Rosneath
1958Rosneath Pier demolished
1958Rosneath Castle demolished
1958Oct., HMS Duke of York aground at Rhu Narrows en route to Metal Industries
1959July 17, Peter Boyle of Timbercraft applies to demolish the old part of Ferry Inn
1959July 31, Work starts on building of NATO oil jetty Rosneath
1960Oct., 9 HMS Vanguard scrapped at Metal Industries
1960Feb Work on Nato Jetty Rosneath.
1960Sept., Land around Yew Tree Ave and Clachan House to be reopened
1960School – Mrs Slorach, was a key member of the community, where in association with five other like-minded people, became the driving force behind the formation of a charitable body called the ‘Roseneath Anvil Trust’, taking over the Rev Dinwoodie’s earlier ‘Rosneath Clachan Trust, activity founded in the wake of the break-up of Rosneath Estate in the 1940’s.
1962HMS Maidstone arrived at Faslane
1962Rosneath Castle demolished
1962Dec., Clachan House fire – demolition
1963First Naval Nuclear Attack Submarine HMS Dreadnought arrives at Faslane
1963Major works for Polaris introduction started at Faslane
1963Rosneath Minister – Dr Merricks Arnott.
1964Armaments Depot at Coulport announced
1964Sept., 11, McGruers loose IMS contract. Work to cease in 1966
1966RN Polaris School opens at Faslane
1967New School built in Rosneath
1967Feb. Plans for residential development Rosneath
1967School – Oct.,6 1967, New Rosneath Primary designed by the Glasgow-based Archtechs Ross and Lindsay
1967School – Head Teacher, Miss Elizabeth McKay, a native of Rosneath. The new school had seven teachers a Public Library, could facilitate village functions and had growing number of 106 pupils
1967School – Former Rosneath School in th Clachan now being used as a Communiuty Centre
1968First Polaris Submarine patrol
1968HMS Rosneath closed. Fences removed.
1968Rosneath School built
1968St Gildas Church built Architect -Peter Borthwick of the Glasgow Architects Thomas Gardiner, Cunningham and Partners
1971200 new MoD Houses in Rosneath completed
1972Rosneath Minister – William Meiklejohn. MA
1975School – Abolition of County Councils came under Strathclyde Regional Council. The district council for the area, Dumbarton District Council, did not have education as a core function.
1977Rosneath Ferry Cottage Fire
1979Rosneath Minister – T.Forrest Smitb
1980New Houses built in St Modan’s way
1982June, 14, Parish Church It received its present name, Rosneath St.Modan’s Parish Church, by decree of the Session
1983McGruer’s Clynder boatyard closes
1984The presbytery service held to mark Parish of Rosneath was linked with its daughter congregation, Craigrownie (Cove and Kilcreggan)
1984Malcolm Wright, L.T.H served the linked Charge until his retirement in June 2003
1986Clynder Hotel destroyed by Fire
1986School – A ground-breaking application of the new technology in schools, with the BBC Domesday Project. Schools from all over the country were encouraged to submit information, and the result has provided an invaluable historical record., with Rosneath School being among those participating.
1986School – Miss McKay was still the Head Teacher at Rosneath, with pupil numbers peaking at one stage to 259 with 191 children on the roll.
1988Trident Project Contract awarded
1990School – The school roll at Rosneath in the 1990s was somewhat lower than had been the case in the 70s and 80s — 1992, 170; 1993, 148; 1994, 152. This reduction was also seen in other schools in the area, and probably reflected a national trend of smaller families.
1994First Trident Submarine patrol
1998July, Neil Rutherford dies
2000Massive restoration of St Modan’s Parish Church, Completed in 2004
2016Co-Op built on the site of the old Rosneath School
2017School – June 26, an article, carried the headline “Rosneath Primary goes from strength to strength” described how the school had benefited from the Government’s Attainment Scotland Fund launched 18 months before. Rosneath Primary School was one of 57 schools across the country taking part, and the scheme had led to significant improvements in the learning process, including reading and literacy.