Argyll Street is the main street of the Scottish town of Dunoon, on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute.[1] It runs for about 0.9 miles (1.4 km), from Pier Esplanade (the A815) in the south to Bencorum Brae in the north. The road, which is one-way northbound from Pier Esplanade to John Street, forms part of the A885 from John Street to Bencorum Brae, at which point the A885 becomes the Sandbank Road. The road crosses Milton Burn between McArthur Street and Queen Street.
History
In the early 19th century, Argyll Street stopped at Moir Street. Instead of continuing to Dunoon Pier, it turned right at today's Sinbad's Bar. Before Dunoon Burgh Hall was built, beginning in 1873, the land was an open field, owned by James McArthur Moir, leading to an area known as the Gallowhill. There were no streets and houses between Argyll Street and Edward Street. Argyll Street, roughly as it is seen today, was completed by 1870. Moir donated some of his land for the building of the Burgh Hall, but he did not get to see its completion; he died by suicide in 1872.[2]
Dunoon was the inspiration behind Damon Albarn's song "The Selfish Giant" on his 2014 solo album Everyday Robots. It includes the line "Walking down Argyll Street when the evening colours call".[4] Albarn revealed that the inspiration for the song came from Blur's visit to Dunoon in 1995 and a view he had of the Holy Loch. "It was a beautiful misty evening. There was a single submarine in the loch – why it was there I don't know. I had a very strong image of the loch and submarines and walking down the main drag in Dunoon after the gig, going to someone's house for a party, and a song came out of it."[5] Albarn also stated: "Now every time I sing 'The Selfish Giant' I go back to that night in Dunoon, which was a really great night, a fantastic night." When asked if he would consider playing solo in Scotland, he replied: "I’d love to. Maybe Dunoon? Then I can walk down Argyll Street again."[5]
