Coordinates: 55°50′N 5°04′W / 55.83°N 5.07°W
| Rothesay | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhòid | |
  Rothesay
 Rothesay shown within Scotland |
|
| Population | 4,850 [1] |
|---|---|
| - London | 453 miles |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Lieutenancy area | Argyll and Bute |
| Constituent country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF BUTE |
| Postcode district | PA20 |
| Dialling code | 01700 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| European Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Argyll and Bute |
| Scottish Parliament | Argyll and Bute |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
The town of Rothesay (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhòid) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow. At the centre of the town is Rothesay Castle, a ruined castle which dates back to the 13th century, and which is unique in Scotland for its circular plan.
Contents |
History
Rothesay is the county town of the former county of Buteshire, which included the islands of Great Cumbrae, Little Cumbrae and Arran. The former county buildings, now partially closed down, overlook the castle.
During the Victorian era, Rothesay developed as a popular tourist destination. It became hugely popular with Glaswegians going "doon the watter" (lit: down the water, where the 'water' in question is the Firth of Clyde), and its wooden pier was once much busier with steamer traffic than it is today. The town also had an electric tramway - the Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway - which stretched across the island to one of its largest beaches. However, this closed in the mid 1930s. The centre of activities was the Winter Gardens building (built 1923) which played host to some of the best known music hall entertainers of the day.
The impressive bauhaus-inspired pavilion of 1938, stands-out on the seafront.
From the 1960s onwards, with the advent of foreign package holidays, Rothesay's heyday was largely over. The Winter Gardens closed and lay derelict for many years. However in the 1990s, it was redeveloped and is now a tourist information and exhibition centre.
Duke of Rothesay
The heir to the British throne is known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland. This practice was begun by Robert III, who regularly resided at Rothesay Castle, and first granted the title to his son David in 1398. The title was given to the heir of the Scottish throne until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Unlike the equivalent English title of Duke of Cornwall, there is no land attached in the form of a Duchy. The main landowner on the island is the Marquess of Bute, whose principal seat, Mount Stuart, is located a few miles to the south.
Rothesay today
Sport
The most successful sporting club on the island is Bute Shinty Club who play at the highest level of the sport (the Marine Harvest Premier League). In 2006 Bute won promotion to the Premier League by winning the South Division One. Bute also won the Ballimore Cup and were runners up in the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup in 2006.
The town has a senior amateur football club called Rothesay Brandane F.C. who play in the Caledonian Amateur Football League, and an under 15 youth team called Rothesay Brandane Rovers who compete in the Paisley & District Youth League.
The island has three golf courses, one of which is situated on the outskirts of the town, the 18-hole Rothesay Golf Club, another, the 9 hole Bute Golf Course, near the sands of Stravannan Bay on the west coast of the island, and the other, the rather unusual, 13 hole Port Bannatyne Golf Club, situated on the hills behind the village.
The town hosts the High School of Glasgow rugby camp every summer.
Education
There are currently three primary schools; St Andrews Primary, Rothesay Primary School, North Bute Primary and one secondary school, Rothesay Academy, in the town. In 2007 a joint campus school was opened merging Rothesay Primary with Rothesay Academy.
Famous people
- George Hunter, the colourist painter
- Johnny Dumfries, former Formula One racing driver and current Marquess of Bute
- Lena Zavaroni, singer and child star
- Sir William MacEwen, pioneer of brain surgery
- Jim McAlister, midfield player with Greenock Morton F.C.
- Ashley Lilley, actress, played the role of Ali in the 2008 film adaptation of "Mamma Mia":
- Billy McIsaac, keyboardist in Slik, PVC2 and The Zones.
References
- ^ "Mid-2006 Population Estimates". General Register Office. http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files1/stats/06mye-localities-table3.csv. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
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