OS Map of Torr Righ Mor

Monument to Archibald Nicol

OSGB36: geotagged! NR 9015 3004 [10m precision] WGS84: 55:31.1328N 5:19.5405W "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVEREND ARCHIBALD NICOL, MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SHISKINE. BORN 1797, DIED 1875." "ERECTED BY HIS CONGREGATION AND FRIENDS AS A TESTIMONY OF THEIR ESTEEM AND AFFECTION" Historical Context: After 1843, the Shiskine congregation, like many on Arran, moved to support the Free Church, rejecting the established Church of Scotland due to its ties to landowners like the Duke of Hamilton, who were involved in the Clearances. This shift is reflected in the monument’s significance and Nicol’s role as a leader during this turbulent period. The monument, located near Shiskine on the Isle of Arran, commemorates Reverend Archibald Nicol, who was the minister of the Free Church of Shiskine. Historical records and online sources, such as Arran Online, confirm the following details: he was born in 1797 and died in 1875. The inscription on the monument, as documented in web resources, reads: "ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVEREND ARCHIBALD NICOL, MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SHISKINE. BORN 1797, DIED 1875." Reverend Archibald Nicol Life and Ministry: Reverend Archibald Nicol (born 1797, died 1875) was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in Shiskine, Isle of Arran. He served the Free Church of Shiskine, which was part of the movement following the Disruption of 1843, when many Scottish Presbyterians left the established Church of Scotland to form the Free Church due to disagreements over state control of the church. Nicol was known for his dedication to his congregation during a time of significant social change on Arran, including the impact of the Highland Clearances, which affected many island communities. The Monument in Torbeg, Arran Location and Description: The monument is located in Torbeg, near Shiskine, on the Isle of Arran, and is a tall stone cross or obelisk enclosed by a metal fence, as seen in your images. It stands in a rural area with open fields and hills, typical of Arran’s landscape. Purpose and History: The monument was erected by Nicol’s congregation and friends as a tribute to his service. It serves as a historical marker of the Free Church’s presence and influence in Shiskine, particularly after the Disruption of 1843, when many Arran residents, affected by the Clearances, aligned with the Free Church. The monument’s design and location reflect the religious and social history of the area. Current Status: The Free Church of Scotland continues to have a presence in Shiskine, with a current minister, Benjamin van Rensburg, listed at the Free Church Manse in Shiskine (address: 6 Torbeg, Shiskine, Isle of Arran KA27 8HE). However, this pertains to the modern congregation, not directly to Nicol’s era. Historical Context: After 1843, the Shiskine congregation, like many on Arran, moved to support the Free Church, rejecting the established Church of Scotland due to its ties to landowners like the Duke of Hamilton, who were involved in the Clearances. This shift is reflected in the monument’s significance and Nicol’s role as a leader during this turbulent period. Additional Notes SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REV Archibald Nicol MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH SHISKINE Born at benecarrigan in 1797 dies at the manse SHISKINE on the December 1876 ages 79 years. Was posted ? a missionary for some time in Saltcoats and Perth Was minister of the fc congregation on the island of Coll for 16 years when he was unanimously chosen by the congregation of the fc Shiskine to which he was inducted on the 18th September 1832. HE WAS A MAN OF STERLING WORTH He preached the gospel on a sound…. He was ever willing and ready to help those in trouble and distress IN BODY OR MIND By giving practical of sound advice probably in full : "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REV. ARCHIBALD NICOL, MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH SHISKINE. BORN AT BENECARRIGAN IN 1797, DIED AT THE MANSE, SHISKINE, ON THE 11TH DECEMBER 1876, AGED 79 YEARS. HE LABOURED AS A MISSIONARY FOR SOME TIME IN SALTCOATS AND PERTH, WAS MINISTER OF THE FREE CHURCH CONGREGATION ON THE ISLAND OF COLL FOR 16 YEARS, WHEN HE WAS UNANIMOUSLY CHOSEN BY THE CONGREGATION OF THE FREE CHURCH, SHISKINE, TO WHICH HE WAS INDUCTED ON THE 18TH SEPTEMBER 1852. HE WAS A MAN OF STERLING WORTH, PREACHED THE GOSPEL ON A SOUND BROAD BASIS, AND WAS EVER WILLING AND READY TO HELP THOSE IN TROUBLE AND DISTRESS OF BODY OR MIND BY GIVING PRACTICAL AID OR SOUND ADVICE. THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY FRIENDS AS A TOKEN OF THE HIGH ESTEEM IN WHICH HE WAS HELD WHILE LIVING AND OF THEIR DEEP REGRET AT HIS DEATH. HITHERTO HAS THE LORD HELPED US. 1 SAM. 7:12." 1 Samuel 7:12 21st Century King James Version 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer [that is, The stone of help], saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”

25-Feb-25 • Seoirse • flickr

monument archibald nicol arran torbeg 54350631773

The Path Of Kings

The path to the King's Caves at Blackwaterfoot, Isle of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

arran isleofarran island clyde firthofclyde bricheno blackwaterfoot kingscaves scotland escocia schottland écosse scozia escòcia szkocja scoția 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία 53904713004

Drumadoon

Drumadoon Point on the island of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

beach arran isleofarran basalt island clyde firthofclyde bricheno blackwaterfoot drumadoon doon drumadoonpoint kilbrannansound rocks scotland escocia schottland écosse scozia escòcia szkocja scoția 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία 53904797830

Ragwort & Ferns

Drumadoon Point on the island of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

beach arran isleofarran basalt island clyde firthofclyde bricheno blackwaterfoot drumadoon doon drumadoonpoint kilbrannansound rocks scotland escocia schottland écosse scozia escòcia szkocja scoția 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία 53904797745

Ferns Again

Drumadoon Point on the island of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

beach arran isleofarran basalt island clyde firthofclyde bricheno blackwaterfoot drumadoon doon drumadoonpoint kilbrannansound rocks scotland escocia schottland écosse scozia escòcia szkocja scoția 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία 53904361081

Mull Of Kintyre

From above the KIngs Caves on Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

arran isleofarran island clyde firthofclyde bricheno blackwaterfoot kingscaves ayrshirecoast scotland escocia schottland écosse scozia escòcia szkocja scoția 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία 53904613478

Machrie

Beinn Bharrain (Mullach Buidhe), Casteal Na H-Iolaire, Sail Chalmadale and other assorted Gaelic shite as seen from Machrie(ish) on Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

arran bricheno blackwaterfoot machrie mountains scotland heather isleofarran island clyde szkocja scozia schottland scoția escocia escòcia écosse 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία pirnmill beinnbharrain mullachbuidhe castealnahiolaire sailchalmadale beinnbhreac 53903463027

More Machrie

Machrie Bay, isle of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

arran bricheno blackwaterfoot machrie mountains scotland heather isleofarran island clyde szkocja scozia schottland scoția escocia escòcia écosse 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία pirnmill beinnbharrain mullachbuidhe castealnahiolaire sailchalmadale beinnbhreac 53904712304

Even More Machrie

Machrie Bay, isle of Arran.

31-Jul-24 • Bricheno • flickr

arran bricheno blackwaterfoot machrie mountains scotland heather isleofarran island clyde szkocja scozia schottland scoția escocia escòcia écosse 蘇格蘭 स्कॉटलैंड σκωτία pirnmill beinnbharrain mullachbuidhe castealnahiolaire sailchalmadale beinnbhreac 53903462852

Chirotherium sp.

Age: 252-237Ma Induan-Ladinian Early-Middle Triassic Epochs Triassic Period - Following the Permian-Triassic extinction, the biggest ever. Pangaea continent fully formed so many places arid. First dinosaurs evolve. Cenozoic Era - Dinosaur times Location: Drumadoon Blackwaterfoot Isle of Arran Scotland Rock Type: Auchenhew Mudstone Formation Species: Chirotherium is actually known only as an ichnogenus, as we only have evidence from its footprints. All we have gauged about its morphology and ecology comes from its footprint morphology and other features. These look, by coincidence, remarkably like the hands of apes and bears, with the outermost toe having evolved to extend out to the side like a thumb, although probably only functioning to provide a firmer grip in mud, hence the name 'Cheirotherium' - 'Hand-beast'. In many cases, however, only the three largest foreward-facing toes are seen. We gauge that these land-based crocodile-like reptiles were probaby from the Pseudosuchia clade, likely the Prestosuchidae or Rauisuchidae groupings. Chirotherium belongs to the group Archosauria, which includes a diverse array of reptiles such as crocodiles, birds, and their extinct relatives, including the dinosaurs. Within Archosauria, Chirotherium is thought to be related to early archosauriforms, a group of archosaurian reptiles that predates the split between the lineage leading to modern crocodiles and the one leading to dinosaurs and birds. These early archosaurs were often crocodile-like, though many evolved to be more terrestrial, with longer legs and a more upright stance. Chirotherium would have occupied a terrestrial habitat with a diet and ecological role that reflected its size and locomotive capabilities. It was a relatively large predator or scavenger, potentially competing with other large reptiles of its time. The evolutionary history of archosaurs is marked by significant diversification during the Triassic period. Early archosaurs like Chirotherium were precursors to the more specialised forms that would later evolve into the diverse groups seen in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, including the dinosaurs and modern crocodilians. The split between the archosaurian lineages leading to dinosaurs and crocodiles marks a key evolutionary divergence, with Chirotherium representing an early branch of this complex evolutionary tree. Reptiles, as traditionally defined, are a group of tetrapods that typically have ectothermic (cold-blooded) metabolisms and develop through amniotic eggs. However, modern taxonomy, based on genetic and paleontological evidence, considers reptiles a paraphyletic group. This is because birds (class Aves), which evolved from dinosaurs, are more closely related to crocodilians than to other reptiles. Therefore, birds are often included within the reptilian group in many cladistic systems, redefining Reptilia as a monophyletic clade that includes both birds and reptiles. The exact definition of this clade varies among scientists, with some preferring the term Sauropsida to encompass all amniotes more closely related to reptiles than to mammals. The earliest proto-reptiles appeared in the Carboniferous period, evolving from reptiliomorph tetrapods that were increasingly adapted to life on land. In addition to modern reptiles, there were many now-extinct groups, some of which disappeared during mass extinction events, such as the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction. This event wiped out pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, and all non-avian dinosaurs, along with many species of crocodilians and squamates like mosasaurs. Reptiles are tetrapod vertebrates, meaning they either have four limbs or descended from ancestors that did. Unlike amphibians, reptiles do not undergo an aquatic larval stage. Most are oviparous (egg-laying), but some squamates are viviparous, with embryos developing inside the mother, nourished by a placenta rather than enclosed in eggshells. As amniotes, reptile eggs are protected by membranes, enabling reproduction on dry land. Some viviparous reptiles have placentas analogous to those of mammals and provide initial care to their young. The earliest amniotes, including stem-reptiles, were relatively small and inconspicuous compared to larger tetrapods like Cochleosaurus. However, during the Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse, primitive tetrapods were devastated, while stem-reptiles thrived in the drier conditions. Unlike amphibians, which required water for reproduction, early reptiles could lay their shelled eggs on land, giving them an advantage in the new environment. As a result, amniotes rapidly diversified, adopting new feeding strategies, including herbivory and carnivory, and outcompeting primitive tetrapods. The dominance of reptiles in terrestrial ecosystems set the stage for the Mesozoic era, also known as the "Age of Reptiles." A 2021 study of reptile diversity during the Carboniferous and Permian periods revealed a higher level of diversity than previously thought, comparable to or even exceeding that of synapsids. This period has been proposed as the "First Age of Reptiles." The Permian–Triassic extinction event, the most significant mass extinction in Earth's history, caused a prolonged die-off, eliminating most of the earlier parareptile and synapsid megafauna. True reptiles, particularly archosauromorphs, survived and thrived, characterized by elongated hind legs and an upright posture. These early archosaurs eventually gave rise to the dinosaurs and pterosaurs, as well as the ancestors of modern crocodiles. During the Triassic period, archosaurs became the dominant group, evolving into the dinosaurs and smaller theropods, which later gave rise to birds. The sister group to archosaurs is Lepidosauromorpha, which includes lizards, tuataras, and their fossil relatives. Mosasaurs, one of the major groups of Mesozoic marine reptiles, belong to this clade. Other marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and sauropterygians, evolved during the early Triassic, but their exact phylogenetic placement remains debated. Some researchers link them to lepidosauromorphs, while others associate them with archosauromorphs or classify them as diapsids outside these two groups. The close of the Cretaceous period saw the extinction of many Mesozoic reptilian megafauna during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Large marine reptiles, except for sea turtles, perished, and only semi-aquatic crocodiles and the lizard-like choristoderes, which later became extinct in the Miocene, survived. Of the dinosaurs, only small beaked birds survived this mass extinction, which marked the end of the Mesozoic and the rise of the Cenozoic era. In the aftermath, mammals and birds rapidly diversified, filling the ecological niches left by extinct reptiles. While reptile diversification slowed, they remained key components of the megafauna, especially in the form of large tortoises. Though mammals and birds came to dominate most terrestrial ecosystems, reptiles continued to play significant ecological roles.

23-Jul-23 • calum'sfossils • flickr

ichnospecies ichnogenus archosauriformes reptilia chordata animalia chirotherium crocodilian reptile extinct footprint foot print •footprints ichnofossil ichnofossils arran isleofarran scotland britain fossils fossil early triassic ladinian age mesozoic drumadoon blackwaterfoot auchenhew mudstone formation sandstone limestone 54020993354

4879 Torr Righ Mor

Sunny walk from car park with Smudge. Parked at caves car park and went up left path till gate and then steep up fence line to trig returned the same way. Name:Torr Righ Mor Hill number:4879 Height:137m / 449ft Parent (Ma):1480 A'Chruach Section:20C: Arran and Holy Island County/UA:North Ayrshire (UA) Island:Arran Maritime Area:Firth of Clyde to Mull of Kintyre Class:Hump, Tump (100-199m) Grid ref:NR 88858 31004 Summit feature:trig point Drop:110m Col:27m NR905316

16-Nov-17 • Dugswell2 • flickr

isleofarran trigpoint torrrighmor p110 hump tump torrrighmortrigpoint s8732 24668141618

4879 Torr Righ Mor a

16-Nov-17 • Dugswell2 • flickr

isleofarran trigpoint torrrighmor p110 hump tump torrrighmortrigpoint s8732 37824600474