monuments,
barrows, cairns and cists are numerous, as well as the remains of ancient
chapels. In virtue of a charter granted by James IV. in 1506, the numerous
small proprietors took the title of "baron," which became hereditary in
their families. Now the title is practically extinct, the lands conferring
it having with very few exceptions passed [v.04 p.0879] by purchase into
the possession of the marquess of Bute, the proprietor of nearly the whole
island. His seat, Mount Stuart, about 41/2 m. from Rothesay by the shore
road, is finely situated on the eastern coast. Port Bannatyne (pop. 1165),
2 m. north by west of Rothesay, is a flourishing watering-place, named
after Lord Bannatyne (1743-1833), a judge of the court of session, one of
the founders of the Highland and Agricultural Society in 1784. Near to it
is Kames Castle, where John Sterling, famous for Carlyle's biography, was
born in 1806. Kilchattan, in the south-east of the island, is a favourite
summer resort. Another object of interest is St Blane's Chapel,
picturesquely situated about 1/2 m. from Dunagoil Bay. Off the western shore
of Bute, 3/4 m. from St Ninian's Point, lies the island of Inchmarnock, 2 m.
in length and about 3/4 m. in width.

See J. Wilson, _Account of Rothesay and Bute_ (Rothesay, 1848); and J.K.
Hewison, _History of Bute_ (1894-1895).

BUTE, or BUTESHIRE, an insular county in the S.W. of Scotland, consisting
of the islands of Bute, from which the county takes its name, Inchmarnock,
Great Cumbrae, Little Cumbrae, Arran, Holy Island and Pladda, all lying in
the Firth of Clyde, between Ayrshire on the E. and Argyllshire on the W.
and N. The area of the county is 140,307 acres, or rather more than 219 sq.
m. Pop. (1891) 18,404; (1901) 18,787 (or 86 to the sq. m.). In 1901 the
number of persons who spoke Gaelic alone was 20, of those speaking Gaelic
and English 2764. Before the Reform Bill of 1832, Buteshire, alternately
with Caithness-shire, sent one member to parliament--Rothesay at the same
time sharing a representative with Ayr, Campbeltown, Inveraray and Irvine.
Rothesay was then merged in the county, which since then has had a member
to itself. Buteshire and Renfrewshire form one sheriffdom, with a
sheriff-substitute resident in Rothesay who also sits periodically at
Brodick and Millport. The circuit courts are held at Inveraray. The county
is under school-board jurisdiction, and there is a secondary school at
Rothesay. The county coun