Lady's Rock

Lady's Rock is an uninhabited[3] skerry to the south west of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides. It is submerged at high tide and carries a navigation beacon.[4] Eilean Musdile is to the north east, next to Lismore.

Not to be confused with Lady Isle.

Lady's Rock Lighthouse

Lady's Rock with Isle of Mull in the background.
Argyll and Bute
Location	Lady's Rock Argyll and Bute Scotland United Kingdom
Coordinates	56.448515°N 5.617230°W / 56.448515; -5.617230
Year first constructed	1907 (first)
Year first lit	2001 (current)
Automated	2001
Construction	lower stone tower and upper skeletal tower covered by aluminium panels with light on the top
Tower shape	square frustum tower
Markings / pattern	white tower, red aluminium panels on the top
Tower height	12 m (39 ft)
Focal height	12 m (39 ft)
Light source	solar power
Range	5 nmi (9 km)[1]
Characteristic	Fl W 6 s
Admiralty number	A4172
NGA number	4068
ARLHS number	SCO-118
Managing agent	Northern Lighthouse Board[2]

History

In 1527, Lachlan Maclean of Duart decided to murder his wife, Lady Catherine Campbell, a sister of Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll. He rowed out to the rock one night at low tide and left his wife stranded on the rock to die.[5][6] Looking out the next day from Duart Castle he observed the rock was devoid of life, so he sent a message of condolence to the earl at Inveraray Castle, indicating that he intended to bring his wife's body there for burial. Maclean duly arrived at Inveraray with an entourage of men and the coffin. He was immediately taken to the dining hall of the castle for refreshment only to discover Lady Catherine waiting for him at the head of the table. She had been rescued during the night by boat from Tayvallich[7] (or possibly Lismore[5]) that had passed by the rock.

No word was said of the incident by Argyll or his sister during the meal and Maclean was allowed to make his escape. He was murdered in his bed in Edinburgh some time later by Sir John Campbell of Calder, Lady Catherine's brother.[7]

See also

• List of lighthouses in Scotland
• List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses

Footnotes

1. Lady’s Rock Light Mull Historical & Archaeological Society. Retrieved 23 May 2016
2. Lady's Rock The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 23 May 2016
3. "Lady's Rock". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
4. Murray (1977) pp. 157-58
5. "The Lady's Rock - Lismore in Alba". Clan MacLea. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
6. Murray (1977) p. 158 states the incident took place in 1523.
7. Murray (1977) p. 158

References

• Murray, W.H. (1977) The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland. London. Collins.

External links

• Northern Lighthouse Board