Editing Great Cumbrae (section)

==History==
The island has been inhabited since the end of the [[Last glacial period|last ice age]].

Legend has it that [[St Mirin]], on his return to Scotland from Ireland around AD 710, arrived in Cumbrae and, following the example of [[St Patrick]], rid the island of snakes. The Cathedral of the Isles is reputed to have been built on the site where St Mirin preached. Cumbrae to this day remains snake-free. St Mirin then founded a community in [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]].

In 1263, [[Haakon IV of Norway|Haakon IV, King of Norway]], may have used the eastern coast of the island as an anchorage for his fleet, before the inconclusive [[Battle of Largs]]. [[Ballochmartin Bay]] and [[Portrye]] (derived from Gaelic elements meaning "king's harbour") are suggested locations for the Norwegian-anchorage.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Alexander |first1=Derek |last2=Neighbour |first2=Tim |last3=Oram |first3=Richard D. |author3-link=Richard Oram |title=Glorious Victory? The Battle of Largs, 2 October 1263 |magazine=History Scotland |year=2000 |issue=2 |volume=2 |pages=17–22}}</ref>

Cumbrae has long been linked to [[Christianity]] in Scotland. At one time the island had many [[standing stone]]s. The [[Aberdeen Breviary]] of 1509, printed in [[Edinburgh]], tells of two of the island's early female missionaries, Saints Baya and Maura. In 1549 [[Donald Monro (priest)|Dean Monro]] wrote of "Cumbra" that it was "inhabit and manurit, three myle in lenth and ane myle in breadthe, with ane kirk callit Sanct Colmis kirke".<ref>Monro (1549) No. 8</ref>

For many centuries the island was under shared ownership, with the [[Marquess of Bute]] in the west and the [[Earl of Glasgow]] in the east. In 1999 the final [[feudal]] landowner, [[Le Mans]] winner [[John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute|Johnny Dumfries]], now Bute, of [[Mount Stuart House]], put the island up for general sale, with first refusal given to his farmer tenants.

Tourism grew in the 20th century, and Millport became a popular stop for Clyde steamers and families going 'Doon the Watter for the Fair' ([[Glasgow Fair]] holidays). It is possible to experience a traditional day out on the [[PS Waverley]] which operates from both [[Glasgow]] and [[Ayr]] during the summer.

The [[University Marine Biological Station Millport]] (UMBSM) was run by the [[University of Glasgow|Universities of Glasgow]] and [[University of London|London]]. Founded in 1885 by Sir [[John Murray (oceanographer)|John Murray]] and [[David Robertson (naturalist)|David Robertson]] and originally called Millport Marine Biological Station, its buildings near Keppel Pier were opened in 1897. It attracted UK and foreign students throughout the academic year. In May 2003, in the presence of Princess Anne, the station took delivery of the [[Macduff, Aberdeenshire|Macduff]]-built, {{convert|22|m|ft|adj=on|abbr=off}} marine Research Vessel ''Aora''. UMBSM also functioned as a [[Met Office]] Weather Station and [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] Tide Monitor.<ref name="1898 Calendar">{{cite book | author=University of Glasgow | title=Glasgow University Calendar for the Year 1898–99 | publisher=The University | year=1898 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v1pDAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA151 | access-date=18 February 2024 | page=151}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/marinestation/about_frame.html| title=About UMBSM| publisher=University of Glasgow| access-date=11 September 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705022436/http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/marinestation/index.php?url=about_UMBSM.php| archive-date=5 July 2013}}</ref> The station closed in October 2013 and the site, just outside town, has been refurbished and run by the [[Field Studies Council]] since 2014.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.field-studies-council.org/locations/millport/| title=FSC Millport| publisher=[[Field Studies Council]]| access-date=30 September 2020}}</ref>

The island was home to the National Watersports Centre which closed in 2020.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-51767588| title=National sailing centre on Cumbrae to close this year| publisher=BBC News| date=6 March 2020| access-date=30 September 2020}}</ref>