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Salen is a small Village on the centre of
the Isle of Mull. The largest town on the
Island, Tobermory, is 10 miles north, and the
Ferry Port village of Craignure 11 miles south.
Salen is popular as a base for exploring the
Island, bike hire, the mysterious Pennygown
Chapel 2 miles south, and the ruin of
Aros Castle 2
miles north.
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The image top right is looking north along
Salen Main Street in the direction of
Tobermory. The road left leads to the scenic
West Coast of Mull. The building on
the left is a Restaurant.
The second image is of On Yer Bike
where you can hire Bikes to explore the scenic
West Coast.
The third image is of the Cafe named the
Coffee Pot.
Salen Church is across the road from On Yer
Bike
Salen Hotel is
also in the Village centre, an ideal base for
exploring Mull with Ben More
mountain only 4 miles southwest.
Salen History
500s - Saint Columba visited Salen then
preached from rocks behind where the Salen
Hotel is today. He is said to have been
disappointed by the number of locals that
attended.
1200s - Aros Castle was
built 2 miles north of Salen to help control
the Sound of Mull. This Castle was built for
the MacDougalls, awarded to the MacDonald's in
the 1300s for supporting Robert the Bruce,
awarded to the MacLean's in 1493 after the
MacDonald's fell out with the King, then the
Campbell's took control in 1674 after battles
with the MacLean's. The Castle has been a ruin
since the 1690s.
1200s - Pennygown
Chapel was built 2 miles south of Salen
where you can find old Graves of Knights. The
Chapel may have the Graves of prominent
MacLean's.
The Salen area was mainly populated with
Maclean, also some MacKinnon, MacQuarie, and
MacDonald.
1725 - the first Church was built in Salen,
said to be by the MacLean's.
1777 - a second Church was built to replace
the original Church.
1808 - the Laird of Gruline and Ulva,
Lachlan MacQuarie, laid out Salen
Village and Harbour so as to connect his
Estates to Shipping in the Sound of Mull,
mainly to transport livestock and goods to the
mainland.
1881 - a regular Mail Boat service began
between Oban and Tobermory, calling at Salen
Pier, running mail and carrying passengers.
1824 - A Thomas Telford Church was built in
Salen to replace the earlier Church. This was a
Time Telford was building roads around
Mull.
1899 - the present Salen Church was built to
replace the Telford Church.
1964 - new larger Ferries began using
Craignure, 11 miles south of Salen, as the main
Ferry Terminal on the Island, leading to the
end of Salen as a Mail Boat destination.
1965 - the Glenforsa Grass
Airfield was built by the owners of the
Glenforsa Hotel just over one mile south of
Salen. The website states: Livestock may be on
the Airstrip weekdays from October 1st to April
30th.
The Airfield was built for the small Cottage
Hospital in Salen to serve as
Mull's only fixed-wing air
ambulance evacuation facility.The Glenforsa
Airfield used to have a regular service to
Glasgow, a 30 minute trip. Airfield
History.
1968 - the Glenforsa Hotel burned down,
leading to the present day Hotel being built as
a Norwegian Lodge style Hotel.
1975 - Christmas Eve, a visiting 55 year old
Pilot named Peter Gibbs had dinner with his
girlfriend at the Hotel before going for a
Night Flight in his Cessna Plane around the
area, never to return.
1976 April - Gibbs body was found on a hill
about two miles from the Hotel. His Plane was
found a few years later in the Sound of Mull,
east of the Airfield. How his Body and Plane
were found so far apart, has never been
explained. Full Story.
1984 - the Psychiatrist Angus MacNiven was
buried in Salen Churchyard. He served as the
Physician Superintendent of Gartnavel Royal
Hospital in Glasgow for 33 years, 1932 - 1965,
a Mental Health Hospital.
This was a time Mental Health Hospitals were
experimenting with Electric Shock treatment,
new types of Drugs, and at times Brain
Operations.
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