Timeline below updated – November 2024 – More detail to come.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| 622 | The Time of St Modan founder of the first church. |
| 1199 | Rosneath Minister – Michaele Gilmodyne, parson of Renyt (Nevet or De Nevyd) |
| 1225 | Amelec (Lennox) grants Rosneath Church (St Nicolas’) and Saltpan to the monks of Paisley |
| 1225 | Rosneath Minister – Richard Small |
| 1263 | Viking fort at Knockderry. (Vikings longships dragged across isthmus at Arrochar/Tarbert to claim the encompassed land. This included Rosneath. Raco defeated at Largs |
| 1297 | Rosneath Castle burnt by William Wallace |
| 1297 | The William Wallace’s Loup where ‘The Wallace’ leap from Rosneath cliff to escape the ‘Saxon’ army |
| 1485 | Rosneath Minister – William – – Dumbarton Writs. |
| 1489 | Property of Rosneath awarded to ‘Colin’ First Duke of Argyll |
| 1489 | Estate awarded to Colin, first Earl of Argyll and Chancellor of Scotland. (Irving) |
| 1501 | Between 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) |
| 1509 | Saint Modan features in Aberdeen Breviary |
| 1515 | Rosneath Minister – Sir John Clerk – Curate |
| 1545 | Rosneath Minister – John Sclaiter – Dean of Vicarage, Parsonage, Glebe and House |
| 1560 | Scottish Reformation. Paisley Abbey goes into decline. |
| 1565 | Rosneath Minister – Malcolm Steinson – who had a stipend of 40 Lib (Scots pound) |
| 1566 | Rosneath Minister – David Colquhoun, Dumbarton Writs. |
| 1601 | Rosneath Minister – George McGleis. |
| 1610 | Burgerhuis Bell cast |
| 1618 | Rosneath Minister – George Lindsay |
| 1630 | Rosneath Castle ‘fitted up’ by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll |
| 1645 | Ewan Cameron Pastor of Rosneath when the parish of Row (Rhu) was formed. |
| 1646 | The 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. |
| 1650 | Rosneath Minister – Ninian Campbell – died 1657. |
| 1651 | Archibald, the 8th Earl of Argyll, supports the restoration of King Charles II and crowns Charles at Scone |
| 1657 | Covenanters including Balfour of Burley find shelter in the parish under the protection of Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl of Argyll/ 1st Duke of Argyll |
| 1661 | Archibald, the 8th Earl of Argyll, executed in Edinburgh after alleged collaboration with Cromwell’s government |
| 1663 | Rosneath Minister – A.Gattie – ejected on account of non-conformity to Episcopacy |
| 1665 | Rosneath Minister – Alexander Cameron – removed to Balfron, |
| 1682 | Rosneath 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 |
| 1689 | Rosneath Minister – Robert Campbell ejected from Rye, Ireland, but re-instated in 1690 and left. |
| 1690 | Rosneath Minister – Duncan Campbell – died in 1707 |
| 1691 | The 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) |
| 1703 | Between 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 |
| 1707 | Act of Union |
| 1709 | Rosneath 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. |
| 1715 | Jacobite Rebellion. – Burgerhuis bell rang to warn parishioners about possibility of an attack by the royalists |
| 1716 | School – School Master, Robert Monro,was parish schoolmaster at Rosneath, before 1717 |
| 1717 | Robert Monro, first named schoolmaster at Rosneath |
| 1719 | Rosneath 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. |
| 1722 | Rosneath 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. |
| 1726 | Dr John Anderson founder of the Anderson Institute, born in Rosneath Manse |
| 1745 | Support 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. |
| 1745 | Rosneath 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. |
| 1748 | Rosneath Minister – Alexander Duncanson who was forced to resign in 1763 on the charge of misapplying the poor fund. |
| 1750 | Between 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) |
| 1764 | Rosneath Minister – John Kennedy who died in 1765 and is buried in the churchyard. |
| 1766 | Rosneath Minister – Dr George Drummond.DD appointed |
| 1770 | Old Manse rebuilt |
| 1780 | Dr George Drummond rebuilds Rosneath Church |
| 1791 | Old Statistical account by Dr Drummond |
| 1794 | Camsail mill completed |
| 1800 | School – School Master, John McNaughton, who became parochial schoolmaster on, or shortly before |
| 1803 | Fire demolishes Rosneath Castle. New castle to be built |
| 1803 | School – Schoolhouse at the end of the Clachan comprised the upper floor of a substantial building with gable end to the then church (Heather Cottage) |
| 1806 | Rosneath Castle rebuilt |
| 1808 | School – School Master, John Graham became parish schoolmaster at Rosneath, and probably remained there until about 1820 |
| 1815 | Robert Story appointed assistant to Dr Drummond |
| 1818 | Sir Walter Scott publishes ‘The Heart of Midlothian’, writing of ‘Roseneath’ |
| 1819 | Dr Drummond died in in the 82nd year of his life and 53rd of his ministry |
| 1819 | Rosneath Minister – Dr Robert Story appointed minister |
| 1820 | Mr John Dodds becomes school master at Rosneath School until 1870 |
| 1820 | School – School Master John Dodds appointed at Rosneath, He was still Master at Rosneath at the time of his death in 1870 |
| 1827 | Isabella Campbell, “an exceptional and holy young woman” dies |
| 1835 | Under John Dodd’s tenure, new school was built at the foot of the Clachan |
| 1835 | School – During John Dodds’s tenure at Rosneath a new school was built atthe foot of the Clachan – Served as the Village School until 1967 |
| 1843 | Disruption of the Church of Scotland |
| 1845 | First Pier built in Rosneath |
| 1848 | Robert Story (African Slave) Dies |
| 1853 | Sunday 11th Sept, Rosneath Parish Church opened to public worship |
| 1859 | Robert Story dies |
| 1860 | Rosneath Minister – Doctor Robert Herbert Story DD, LL.D, who was born in Rosneath, replaces his father as Minister |
| 1862 | South Transept was added to Rosneath Parish Church |
| 1867 | Rosneath’s First Boat yard opened by Archibald McKellar |
| 1870 | School – School Master, William Stewart was appointed, a position he held until his retirement in 1905 |
| 1871 | The Marquis of Lorne MP, heir to the Duke of Argyll, marries HRH the Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria |
| 1872 | School – Education (Scotland) Act , for the first time, education became compulsory for those aged between 5 and 13 years |
| 1872 | School – Rosneath Parish School under the state, rather than church control. Rosneath Parish School now changed to that of Rosneath Public School |
| 1873 | North Transept was added to Rosneath Parish Church |
| 1880 | Gravestone of St Modan found |
| 1880 | John McNaughton Parochial schoolmaster in Rosneath |
| 1887 | Vacancy 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. |
| 1887 | Rosneath 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 |
| 1889 | Duke of Argyll ‘Fues’ part of the Rosneath estate extending eastwards towards Kilcreggan |
| 1892 | Charles Laing Warr, born in Rosneath |
| 1893 | Second Pier built in Rosneath |
| 1894 | Robert Herbert Story becomes The Moderator of the General assembly of the Church of Scotland |
| 1894 | New organ at Rosneath with Hydraulic blower (water power), extended and moved |
| 1897 | Ferry Inn Rosneath extended with Edwin Lutyens’ design |
| 1897 | Dr Herbert Story became the principle of Glasgow University . |
| 1900 | George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll dies |
| 1905 | School – 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 |
| 1907 | Robert Herbert Story dies |
| 1908 | School – Education Act, through school attendance, medical and dental care, as well as food and clothing were to be available for the very needy |
| 1909 | James Silver and John McCallum buy McKellar’s boatyard |
| 1909 | Dr Robert Herbert Story’s daughters publish a memoir. |
| 1910 | Boat building yard built at Hattonburn Clynder by Ewing McGruer |
| 1914 | John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll dies |
| 1914 | Death of 9th Duke. Followed by 10th Duke Niall Diarmid Campbell |
| 1914 | School – The First World War, wrought terrible death and injury among former pupils who had served with the armed forces, were killed or injured. |
| 1916 | Rev Alfred Warr dies |
| 1916 | Rosneath 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 |
| 1917 | HMS K13 sinks in Gareloch |
| 1918 | Apr., Ferry Inn License refused |
| 1918 | School – Education (Scotland) Act, the old School Boards were abolished and replaced by Education Authorities |
| 1920 | School – 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 |
| 1922 | Dec., Fire at Home Farm |
| 1923 | July, End of the Empress |
| 1924 | Feb. 6, Departure of Empress for disposal |
| 1925 | School – Head Master George Glennie who was still in post at the onset of the Second World War. |
| 1926 | Apr., License for Ferry Inn refused |
| 1926 | Sept., Death of Mrs Story. Service at Hillhead Parish Church. Buried at Rosneath |
| 1927 | Apr., Licence for Ferry Inn pending |
| 1929 | Apr.3, Barremman Pier handed over to Rosneath Parish Council |
| 1929 | June, Barremman Bowling Green gifted to Rosneath Parish Council |
| 1930 | May. Union of Campsail & Rosneath Churches agreed. Camsail Manse to be sold or let |
| 1930 | June. Last Service in Campsail Church |
| 1930 | June, First united service in Rosneath Church |
| 1931 | Oct., Reredos at Rosneath Church |
| 1932 | May. Development of facilities at Silvers. Sawmill, crane, Jetty and lounge for yacht owners |
| 1932 | June, Princess Louise having 2 apartments in The Clachan fitted out as bicycle shed |
| 1935 | July Water scheme proposed for Rosneath |
| 1937 | Between 1937 and 1938 – The Police house and tenements at Clachan Bridge Rosneath, designed by Joseph weeks, County Architect |
| 1938 | Houses at ‘Clachan Bridge’ Rosneath built |
| 1938 | Moses McNeil (co-founder of Glasgow Rangers Football Club) dies |
| 1939 | Princess Louise Dies |
| 1939 | Mar., 15, New telephone kiosk at Rosneath |
| 1939 | Sept., Death of Princess Louise |
| 1939 | Sept., 17 Sale of Rosneath estate. Description but no mention of the new owner. |
| 1939 | Dec.,20 Funeral of Princess Louise at St George Chapel Windsor Castle. # |
| 1939 | Rosneath 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. |
| 1939 | School – 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. |
| 1941 | Royal Engineers and American Contractors arrive in Rosneath |
| 1941 | Sept.,17 Forthcoming sale ofRosneath Estate. 6,830 acres |
| 1942 | Faslane Military Port One opened |
| 1942 | Pier in Rosneath closed for the last time |
| 1942 | July, Rosneath Ferry declaired unsatisfactory. |
| 1942 | Rosneath schoolmistress Mrs Kinloch retires |
| 1942 | Aug, Death of Helen Story |
| 1943 | United States Naval Base two |
| 1943 | Feb., Achnashie (formally the Chateau) burned down-Page 14-The Glimmering Landscape |
| 1943 | Apr., 28 Repairs to Rosneath Estate. Sale of sawmill. Question in House of Commons |
| 1943 | Aug., Opening of WVS canteen at Achnashie |
| 1944 | July, Opening of Rosneath Road through Rosneath |
| 1945 | United States Base two reverts to HMS Rosneath |
| 1945 | School – 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. |
| 1946 | Aug., Metal Industries opened. Iron Duke scrapped |
| 1946 | Sept, WVS canteen at Achnashie closed |
| 1947 | Rosneath Castle, gutted by fire |
| 1947 | Dec, Street lamps lit by electricity for the first time |
| 1947 | Feb., HMS Rosneath closed. H & G Times give write up on wartime importance |
| 1948 | Rosneath 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 |
| 1948 | Sept., Major F.M. Crum publishes new book – The Isle of Rosneath |
| 1949 | Aug., 10, Rosneath Castle for sale by Noel Woodward but failed to reach reserved |
| 1950 | School – Head Teacher, Mrs Annie Slorach appointed in the 1950’s, |
| 1950 | School – 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. |
| 1952 | Oct., 8 , F. M . Crum Dies |
| 1953 | Parish Church named after Modan at the centenary |
| 1953 | Mar., 19, Rosneath cherry trees planted as preparations for coronation |
| 1954 | Dec., Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert scrapped at Metal industries |
| 1955 | Major Frederick Maurice Crum, Dies |
| 1956 | May, Proposed Minesweeper base at Rosneath |
| 1956 | Oct, Demolition of American Jetties at Rosneath |
| 1956 | Rosneath Minister – George M Stevenson MA |
| 1957 | Shandon Hydro demolished. |
| 1958 | 3rd Submarine Squadron and HMS Adamant move to Faslane |
| 1958 | June, 11, New Post Office opened in blacksmith’s shop, Rosneath |
| 1958 | Rosneath Pier demolished |
| 1958 | Rosneath Castle demolished |
| 1958 | Oct., HMS Duke of York aground at Rhu Narrows en route to Metal Industries |
| 1959 | July 17, Peter Boyle of Timbercraft applies to demolish the old part of Ferry Inn |
| 1959 | July 31, Work starts on building of NATO oil jetty Rosneath |
| 1960 | Oct., 9 HMS Vanguard scrapped at Metal Industries |
| 1960 | Feb Work on Nato Jetty Rosneath. |
| 1960 | Sept., Land around Yew Tree Ave and Clachan House to be reopened |
| 1960 | School – 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. |
| 1962 | HMS Maidstone arrived at Faslane |
| 1962 | Rosneath Castle demolished |
| 1962 | Dec., Clachan House fire – demolition |
| 1963 | First Naval Nuclear Attack Submarine HMS Dreadnought arrives at Faslane |
| 1963 | Major works for Polaris introduction started at Faslane |
| 1963 | Rosneath Minister – Dr Merricks Arnott. |
| 1964 | Armaments Depot at Coulport announced |
| 1964 | Sept., 11, McGruers loose IMS contract. Work to cease in 1966 |
| 1966 | RN Polaris School opens at Faslane |
| 1967 | New School built in Rosneath |
| 1967 | Feb. Plans for residential development Rosneath |
| 1967 | School – Oct.,6 1967, New Rosneath Primary designed by the Glasgow-based Archtechs Ross and Lindsay |
| 1967 | School – 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 |
| 1967 | School – Former Rosneath School in th Clachan now being used as a Communiuty Centre |
| 1968 | First Polaris Submarine patrol |
| 1968 | HMS Rosneath closed. Fences removed. |
| 1968 | Rosneath School built |
| 1968 | St Gildas Church built Architect -Peter Borthwick of the Glasgow Architects Thomas Gardiner, Cunningham and Partners |
| 1971 | 200 new MoD Houses in Rosneath completed |
| 1972 | Rosneath Minister – William Meiklejohn. MA |
| 1975 | School – 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. |
| 1977 | Rosneath Ferry Cottage Fire |
| 1979 | Rosneath Minister – T.Forrest Smitb |
| 1980 | New Houses built in St Modan’s way |
| 1982 | June, 14, Parish Church It received its present name, Rosneath St.Modan’s Parish Church, by decree of the Session |
| 1983 | McGruer’s Clynder boatyard closes |
| 1984 | The presbytery service held to mark Parish of Rosneath was linked with its daughter congregation, Craigrownie (Cove and Kilcreggan) |
| 1984 | Malcolm Wright, L.T.H served the linked Charge until his retirement in June 2003 |
| 1986 | Clynder Hotel destroyed by Fire |
| 1986 | School – 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. |
| 1986 | School – Miss McKay was still the Head Teacher at Rosneath, with pupil numbers peaking at one stage to 259 with 191 children on the roll. |
| 1988 | Trident Project Contract awarded |
| 1990 | School – 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. |
| 1994 | First Trident Submarine patrol |
| 1998 | July, Neil Rutherford dies |
| 2000 | Massive restoration of St Modan’s Parish Church, Completed in 2004 |
| 2016 | Co-Op built on the site of the old Rosneath School |
| 2017 | School – 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. |