| Scottish Gaelic name | Saoil[1] |
|---|---|
 Cottages at Ellenabeich under the cliffs of Dùn Mòr | |
| Location | |
  Seil Seil shown within Argyll and Bute | |
| OS grid reference | NM742172 |
| Coordinates | 56°18′N 5°37′W / 56.30°N 5.62°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Slate Islands |
| Area | 1,329 ha (5+1⁄8 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 42 [2] |
| Highest elevation | Meall Chaise, 146 m (479 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 551[3] |
| Population rank | 21 [2] |
| Population density | 41.4/km2 (107/sq mi)[3] |
| Largest settlement | Balvicar |
 | |
| References | [4][5] |
Seil (/ˈsiːl/; Scottish Gaelic: Saoil, Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [ˈs̪ɯːl]) is one of the Slate Islands, located on the east side of the Firth of Lorn, 7 miles (11 kilometres) southwest of Oban, in Scotland. Seil has been linked to the mainland by bridge since the late 18th century.
The origins of the island's name are unclear and probably pre-Gaelic. It was a part of the kingdom of Dalriada in the 7th century but by the 16th century, Seil seemed to have been primarily agricultural in nature. It became part of the estates of the Breadalbane family and in the early 18th century they began to exploit the rich potential of the Neoproterozoic slate beds. The excavations from the island's quarries were exported all over the world during the course of the next two centuries. Today, the economy is largely dependent on agriculture and tourism.
The "dangerous seas"[6] of the Firth of Lorn have claimed many lives and there are several shipwrecks in the vicinity of Seil. Kilbrandon Church has fine examples of stained glass windows and an association with St Brendan.
- ^ Mac an Tàilleir (2003), p. 104.
- ^ a b Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
- ^ a b National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Haswell-Smith (2004), pp. 76–78.
- ^ Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
- ^ Murray (1966), p. 76.