Lochgilphead, a small town in Kilmichael-Glassary parish, Argyllshire, round the northern end of Loch Gilp, which opens from Loch Fyne, 125 miles W by N of Edinburgh, 80 WNW of Glasgow, 51 N by E of Campbeltown, 24½ SSW of Inveraray, 13½ N of Tarbert, and 2 NNE of Ardrishaig. By its nearness to the Crinan Canal, which passes within ¼ mile of the town, and to Ardrishaig where the canal joins Loch Fyne, Lochgilphead shares in the growing trade of the West Highlands, to which it owes its rise from a small fishing village to a prosperous well built town, lighted with gas and plentifully supplied with water. In the summer it may be easily reached by the `swift' steamers, and in winter there is regular communication, daily with Glasgow and twice a week with Inverness, Skye, Oban, etc. The main road from Campbeltown to Oban passes through it, and it is also on the route of the Loch Awe and Kilmartin coaches. Lochgilphead has a post office, with money order, savings' bank, insurance, and telegraph departments, branches of the Clydesdale and Union Banks, offices or agencies of 13 insurance companies, and five good inns. The weaving of woollen cloth is carried on in two factories, and dyeing is also engaged in. There is a considerable fishing population. Horse markets are held on the third Thursday of March, and on the second Thursday after the fourth Thursday in November. A cattle market is held on the Wednesday fourteen days after the Kilmichael fair on the last Wednesday in May. Lochgilphead contains the Argyll and Bute District Asylum for the Insane, and the Combination poorhouse for the parishes of Glassary, Kilmartin, Kilcalmonell, and North and South Knapdale. The former was erected in 1862-64. In 1883, the Lunacy Board for the counties of Argyll and Bute decided to obtain more accommodation by erecting a building apart from the Asylum, to be occupied mainly by industrial patients. The new building vs 202 feet long and three stories high. It has accommodation for 120, and its cost was £11,000. The fittings are of the most complete description, and the arrangement of rooms, dormitories, bath-rooms, etc., excellent. The poorhouse has accommodation for 72 paupers. Places of worship are Lochgilphead parish church (1827-28), a Free church (1843), a Baptist church (1815), and Episcopal Christ Church, the last a Middle Pointed edifice, containing some fine stained glass. The government of Lochgilphead is carried on by a senior and 2 junior magistrates, and 9 commissioners of police. It is a police burgh. A sheriff court is held four times in the year, and justice of the peace courts each Wednesday after the first Sunday of every month. There is a good-sized court-house. Connected with the town may be mentioned the public reading-room, mutual improvement association, a division of the Argyll and Bute Volunteers, Artillery. The quoad sacra parish of Lochgilphead included at one time Ardrishaig, which is now a separate quoad sacra parish. It is in the presbytery of Inveraray and synod of Argyll. The following schools are in Lochgilphead: Aird public, Ardrishaig public, Lochgilphead public, and Ardrishaig Episcopal, which, with respective accommodation for 50, 170, 325, and 114 scholars, had (1883) an average attendance of 24, 126, 203, and 66, and grants of £38, 5s., £111, 3s., £185, 17s., and £56, 10s. Pop. of town (1861) 1674, (1871) 1642, (1881) 1489, of whom 711 were males; of quoad parish (1881) 2381, of whom 2271 were in Kilmichael-Glassary parish, and 110 in South Knapdale.—Ord. Sur., sh. 29, 1873.
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