Coulport

by Andrew reid — last modified Aug 28, 2010 06:01 PM @2010 Andrew Reid

Coulport 1 Coulport (Scottish Gaelic: An Cùl Phort) is on the east side of Loch Long, 5 miles north of Cove. It marks the end of the B833 shore road, although the village can also be reached by the military road, which is open for public use and comes across from Whistlefield above Garelochhead. The hamlet looks across to Ardentinny on the Cowal peninsula and the west shore of Loch Long. Ardpeaton sits on the shore of Loch Long near to Coulport, and just south of Peaton Hill, over which Peaton Road crosses from one side of a peninsula to the other. On the west side of this road is found Cove Park, and artists’ centre.

Coulport 2 Coulport was the original location of the giant conservatory known as the Kibble Palace (now in Glasgow's Botanic Garden). John Kibble was one of several wealthy Glasgow merchants who had large villas built at Coulport in the nineteenth century either as permanent residences or summer retreats. Several still survive, some now converted toflats.

Coulport 3 Coulport also became a centre for concerts. On the Braes of Coulport on Friday 2 July 1886 an open-air performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ was held. Five steamers turned up: the Adela – Victoria – Marquis Of Bute – Waverley and Ivanhoe.
The last known call was in 1900 when the Ivanhoe landed members of the Glasgow Orpheus Choir who gave a concert ashore as a special evening attraction.

Since the 1960s Coulport has been most associated with the Trident missile storage and the nearby Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD Coulport) situated there as part of HMNB Clyde.

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