The Campbells of South Hall

Colintraive was held by the Campbells of Eilean Greig except for the holdings around Couston, belonged to the Lamonts. Between 1710 and 1720 General Peter Campbell bought the lands of Achnabreck, Stronafian and Ardachuple and built the mansion house South Hall. His descendants extended the estate over the next two hundred years.

The family had a strong military tradition. General Peter Campbell served with the Duke of Marlborough in France. His nephew, the next laird, fought under the Duke of Cumberland during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745/6 and was a juror at the trial of James of the Glen. The fifth laird, Colonel Duncan Campbell, served in the Crimea and the last laird, Lieut. Colonel E.P. Campbell fought at the Battle of Tel-El-Kebir, the battle that brought British influence on Egypt until the Suez Crisis in 1956. His eldest son, Captain Duncan Campbell was killed in The First World War in Flanders in 1915 and a memorial to him lies in the Colintraive Church.

The Campbell’s and the Colintraive Community in the Early 1900’s

The family played their part in the local community.

“On Tuesday evening the school children and their parents were invited to Southall House by Colonel and Mrs Campbell. After tea, the children were brought to the library where a lovely tree, decked with all manner of pleasing and suitable presents, stood. After the tree was disrobed and each one had received a present, the children had games, in which Lieutenant Campbell, who had recently returned from the front and the Misses Campbell took active part. “

(Source:-1901 Dunoon Observer, January)

In the middle of the 19th century the estate and its farms remained the focus of the Colintraive economy. Sporting lets also provided income and the Southall moors provided, “As many as 1,600 brace of grouse killed on the estate in one season and 100 to150 brace of black game, mostly blackcock,” (Lumley, J. A.  and Dowell, 1913)

The Sale of South Hall and the Campbells Estate

By the last quarter of the19th century, many of the old estate owners in Argyll could no longer afford the upkeep of their lands. The last laird, Lieut. Colonel E. P. Campbell took the hard decision to sell South Hall Estate and the whole estate was put up for auction in July 1913.