McPhun's Cairn

McPhun's Cairn is depicted on old maps, lying on the eastern shore of Loch Fyne and just over half a mile north of the old jetty at Creggans Point. The cairn has been seen on maps dating from 1870, up to the 1960s, but seems to be omitted on later editions.

The spelling is uncertain, as there is a gravestone at Creggans which carries the inscription "THE BURYING PLACE OF THE MACPHUNN'S OF DRIPP", and this form is echoed in most period accounts, while maps usually show McPhun's Cairn.

The continued existence of the cairn is also in doubt, its absence from later mapping suggesting it may have been lost during past road widening schemes on the A815.

Half Hung Archie

MacPhunn
Gravestone

The story of Half Hung Archie, Archibald MacPhunn of Dripp, dates from the 17th century, possibly 1608, with various versions being reported. Rather than favour any one account, these have been summarised below.

Archibald MacPhunn has been described as a local laird who fell on hard times, and survived with his wife by running a small ferry between Strachur and Inveraray across Loch Fyne. This route seems unlikely as the journey would have involved rowing almost five miles along the length of the loch. The trip from St Catherine's, which as almost across the loch from Inveraray, is about 1½ miles, would have been more realistic. The five mile walk would have been quicker and easier than rowing, even more so if undertaken by horse. That said, there is a reference to Lady Macphunn on the label of The Machphunn whisky, and the title would be expected to have come from her husband, if the story on the label is accurate.

Alternatively, he has been described as the blackguard of the MacPhunn family, who came to be known in the area as a notorious sheep stealer. His career came to an end when he was arrested, tried, found guilty and sentenced to hang by the neck at Inveraray Jail. On completion of the sentence, his body was cut down from from the gallows and returned to his wife for burial.

MacPhunn may have been lucky, although one account suggests the passing of a bribe, but while his wife (described as nursing a young baby at the time) was rowing his body home across the loch, she is said to seen it twitch. Tearing the shroud open, she mixed some of her own milk with some whisky (some accounts say brandy) and forced the mixture between his lips, causing him to revive by the time they reached shore.

Under Scottish Law, Archibald MacPhunn could not be hanged a second time for the same crime, and he lived on with his wife, to be buried with the rest of the MacPhunns of Dripp in the cemetery of Strachur Parish Church.

Those who have carried out more detailed research of the story report that MacPhunn was tried and hanged at Inveraray for murder, rather than sheep stealing, and that his burial in the church cemetery confirms the story of his revival, and that his eventual death was unrelated to criminal activity.

Today, the Creggans Inn stands near the spot where Archie MacPhunn reportedly reached shore, and where the bar and restaurant are named after him, and the cairn marks, or marked, the place where the MacPhunns landed, a few hundred yards north of the inn.

The MacPhunn whisky

Front label
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The MacPhunn is described as an exceptional whisky, produced from a selected single cask of an 18 year old sherry matured Speyside single malt, with a yield of under 300 bottles. A second bottling was produced in 2008, retailing for �65.90 from Loch Fyne Whiskies, Inveraray, or online,

Loch Fyne Whiskies romanticised version of the tale (note the two spellings of Drip/Dripp, and the lower case p in Macphunn, as taken from the rear label).

Rear label
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THE WATER OF LIFE

Some centuries ago, Archibald Macphunn of Drip was caught stealing sheep, taken to Inveraray and hanged. His grieving widow came by boat to collect the corpse and on her way home, half way across Loch Fyne, saw her husband's body move. A nursing mother. Lady Macphunn hastily mixed some of her own milk with whisky and, cradling Archie's head, forced it between his pale cold lips. They twitched, his eyes opened and he breathed the words 'uisge beathe' - the water of life.

By the time the boat landed at Creggans, Macphunn of Dripp was fully revived. Unable by law to be hung twice for the same crime, he lived to a ripe old age, albeit with his head listing to one side, and was know in Argyll and further afield as 'Half-hanged Archie' He now lies buried in Strachur churchyard and gives his name to the legendary whisky, The Macphunn.

STRACHUR, ARGYLL PA27 8BX

- Loch Fyne Whiskies. ^[1]

Archibald MacPhun's forfeitures and fines rescinded in 1690

Archibald MacPhun's name appeared in a list of names given in an Act rescinding the forfeitures and fines since the year 1665 recorded in the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707:

Our sovereign lord and lady the king and queen's majesties and three estates of parliament, in prosecution of the Claim of Right, and for relief of their majesties' good subjects and the better settlement of the peace, quiet and tranquillity of this kingdom, by the tenor hereof, declare, statute and ordain that the decreets and dooms of forfeiture pronounced against the persons after-named: namely, ... Archibald MacPhun of Drip (Perhaps 'Dripps', Lanarkshire. ), ... ; and generally all and whatsoever decreets and dooms of forfeitures, given and pronounced against any of the subjects of this kingdom, either by the high court of parliament or ordinary or circuit courts of justiciary, or any other court or commission from 1 January 1665 to 5 November 1688, with all escheats fallen upon the grounds of the said forfeitures since the said day, are and shall be void and of no value, force, strength nor effect in all time coming, rescinding and reducing the same forever, ...

- RPS, 1690/4/80. Date accessed: December 17, 2008.^[2]