The hamlet of King’s Cross has a historical association as the spot from which King Robert Buce embarked from Arran to return to the mainland of Scotland and begin his campaign to free the country from the English. Whether the tale is true or not, there has long been a cairn to commemorate the event, not far from the remains of an early fortification last occupied during the Viking era. As the closest spot on Arran to Holy Isle, it has had a ferry from early times and subsequent to the extension of the Ardrossan steamboat service from Ardrossan to Whiting Bay, the ferry at King’s Cross became a port of call for steamers between Lamlash and Whiting Bay. It was never a busy call in its own right, but before the introduction of Whiting Bay Pier, when the weather prevented the call at Whiting Bay ferry, passengers used the more sheltered King’s Cross ferry. Service was maintained till after the Great War until just after the amalgamation of the Caledonian and Glasgow & South-Western fleets in 1923.

Colourized postcard of Duchess of Argyll at King’s Cross

There is not much that I can report from the contemporary newspapers on King’s Cross or its ferry. There was however a controversy in the summer of 1868 regarding the “Cross” of King’s Cross. I relay it here and have added a few postcard views of the village and the steamers and other craft at the ferry.

“Vandalism in Arran.—To the Editor of the Glasgow Herald.—Sir, —Having come here for a few days’ recreation, I naturally made one of my earliest visits to the romantic point of King’s Cross, whence King Robert the Bruce and his gallant followers left Arran to enter on that career which so gloriously terminated in securing the freedom of Scotland. The spot has for centuries been marked by a cross (hence the name of this part of the island), but latterly the shaft alone remained—a time-worn, venerable stone. You may guess my surprise when I found that this stone has disappeared. It turns out that some Vandal in the neighbourhood who was putting up a dry-stone dyke as a fence to his park carried off the shaft and used it to aid his purpose. I am quite satisfied this course never was or would be sanctioned by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton, and has been done entirely without the knowledge of his esteemed factor, Mr Paterson.

“Some efforts should now be made to recover and replace this relic, and also to erect a fitting memorial of the present day. A simple granite cross, of fair height, surmounted by a regal crown, with a few commemorative words, will be sufficient, and a sum of about £100 will suffice for this. I feel assured that the consent of his Grace to the erection of such a monument will be at once granted, and that once this sum is subscribed, the rest is easy.

“I may add that the same native—although his park is pretty well stocked with loose boulders suitable for his purpose—has gone the length of tearing out stones from the old British fort a few yards distant from the site of the cross, and hitherto in good preservation—leaving what he could have as easily got to cumber his ground.

“I shall be obliged by your giving this letter a place in your paper, and allowing me to add that I will gladly attend to any communication on the subject.—I am, &c., James D. Kirkwood. King’s Cross, 4th June, 1868,”—Glasgow Herald, June 5, 1868

The response was swift.

“Alleged vandalism in Arran.—To the Editor of the Glasgow Herald.—Sir,—Mr Kirkwood must have drawn largely on his imagination for the materials of his letter headed “Vandalism in Arran.” Had he inquired at any of the small farmers in the neighbourhood for information he would have learned that King’s Cross derived its name from being the point or headland from which King Robert the Bruce and his followers crossed over to the Carrick shore. No cross such as Mr Kirkwood describes ever existed at King’s Cross. The stone in question is a simple unhewn slab or monolith, such as is frequently to be met with in Arran, and I am told it will be—if it has not already been-—restored to its former site. I have more respect for the good taste of the factor—Mr Paterson—than to believe that he would give any countenance to Mr Kirkwood’s project of erecting a granite cross and regal crown amid the wild rocky scenery of King’s Cross. Even the simple Vandals of Arran would laugh at such an incongruity. Mr Kirkwood will find fitter objects for his donations in the poor of Arran, or in a fund for the building of a new church at Whiting Bay, in place of the rude wooden tent in which villagers and visitors at present meet.

“As I have a tender regard for the old fort at King’s Cross, I was glad to observe in visiting it this week that none of its stones have been removed, the wall referred to having been built of rude boulders, so abundant in its neighbourhood. Mr Kirkwood should be more guarded in hie accusations of native “Vandalism;” no people can have more reverence for the hoary monument of their early ancestors than the natives of Arran.—I am, &c., John M‘Arthur. King’s Cross, 8th June, 1868.”—Glasgow Herald, June 10, 1868

Mr Kirkwood persisted though the Herald did not print his letter.

“The King’s Cross in Arran.— The following letter appears in The Morning Journal:—Sir,—All readers who take an interest in Scottish national relics will be gratified to learn that this venerable and interesting monument is to be replaced. Although removed it has not been broken or injured, and of course its restoration is easy. The explanation given for the removal by the person who removed it is, that he did not think that any special value was attached to the stone. As to the proposals to erect and new and complete Cross in modern form, I am glad to say that I have received many promises of susbscriptions; in particular, one gentleman, well known in the West of Scotland for his patriotic liberality, has offered to subscribe £5 to this end. As the amount required is not large, I hope that some influential gentlemen who take an interest in matters of this kind may take the subject up, and, after obtaining the sanction of the Duke of Hamilton, get the Cross completed and erected.—I am, &c., James D. Kirkwood, King’s Cross, Lamlash, June 8, 1868.”—Evening Post, June 11, 1868

The Herald did print the reply to end the matter.

“The alleged vandalism in Arran.—To the Editor of the Glasgow Herald.Sir,—Mr Kirkwood is quite in error in supposing that I had the slightest influence in preventing the removal of the stone at King’s Cross, and equally false in: asserting that I ‘Was ever a, tenant of the per’ son who removed it. Indeed, I had never seen the man before to my knowledge, until he was lately pointed out to me as the person who had warned Mr Kirkwood against trespassing on his-grounds.

“That no stones have been removed from the old fort I can also vouch, both from information and recent personal observation.

“The “memorial stone” has no more title to the name of “The King’s Cross” than any of the stones or boulders in its neighbourhood, and neither in Arran nor elsewhere has it been known as anything more than the stone which was erected to commemorate the crossing over of Bruce and his followers to the Carrick shore. Mr Kirkwood seems so cross-grained that he cannot dissociate in his mind the idea of King’s Cross from a cross—a cross which never existed either in form or name, save in his own imagination.

“Had this been Mr Kirkwood’s only mistake, how. ever, I should not have thought it necessary to take notice of his letter, but when he appeals for funds “for developing his hallucination into a modern cross, surmounted by a Regal Crown,” it is surely time he was put right.

“Mr Kirk wood now informs us that his “object is attained when the relic is replaced.” Every man of good taste, I believe, will commend this decision. I have a letter this morning from a friend in Arran, stating that the stone has been replaced, so that I hope we shall hear no more of Mr Kirkwood’s project, in which case both our objects shall have been attained.—I am, &c., John M‘Arthur, Glasgow, 12th June, 1868.”—Glasgow Herald, June 13, 1868

The Cairn at King’s Cross with Holy Isle in the background.

Messrs Burns’ Belfast steamer, Adder, passing inwards through Lamlash Bay

Post Office, King’s Cross

The Wishing Bridge at King’s Cross

Seaview and Woodhill, King’s Cross

The smack Duchess at the landing place for King’s Cross Ferry

Caledonian steamer Duchess of Hamilton leaving King’s Cross

Glasgow & South-Western steamer Glen Sannox at King’s Cross ferry

With some added colour

Other frequent callers from the Glasgow & South-Wester fleet were the Jupiter on the Arran by way of Kyles sailing, and the Juno, cruising out of Ayr and Troon and frequently collecting passengers from the east Arran ports.

Jupiter at the ferry

Juno at the ferry

After the sharing arrangements on the Ardrossan and Arran route between the Caledonian and Glasgow & South Western Companies in 1910, the Caledonian turbine, Duchess of Argyll, was the steamer on the sailings in the years when it was that company’s responsibility.

Duchess of Argyll at King’s Cross

Duchess of Argyll leaving King’s Cross for Lamlash

With some added colour

The Caledonian and Glasgow & South Western Companies merged in 1923. For two years, Glen Sannox was placed on the Ardrossan to Arran service.

Glen Sannox in her last year of service, 1924, at King’s Cross (Valentine colouring)

Lamlash Bay from the Norwegian Fort at King’s Cross

The narrow, twisting lane to King’s Cross from the Lamlash road.