The '12 Apostles' of Old Catacol

On Arran, the Clearances had already broken up Old Catacol Village near Lochranza into twelve houses and crofts, when all the land between the Golach and Alt na Mara burns was given as dowry to the daughter of Lord Douglas Hamilton.

Deer hunting was now fashionable, and those houses were found to be inconveniently situated in the way of his shooting parties by her husband, Lord Rossmore.

One evening, the crofters were invited to a party, but on their return, they found their houses burning down, their way blocked by Lord Rossmore’s servants. A row of twelve brand new houses were built for them in a position which suited Lord Rossmore better, all fitted out with a different shaped window on the upper floor.

As tenants were expected to engage in fishing on the Firth of Clyde, this was designed for the new ‘crofter-fishers’ wives to signal to their husbands by lighting a candle in that window. They would then be able to identify which cottage was signalling by the shape of the window. But the angry crofters were no fishermen and many of the dispossessed moved away in protest.

The new ‘12 apostles’ houses remained empty for many years. They are now private houses.

More information on visiting the area can be found here.