Editing Strontian (section)

== Village life ==
[[File:Ardnastang and Strontian from Loch Aline road - geograph.org.uk - 99364.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Strontian and Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill viewed from the south shore of Loch Sunart|Strontian and Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill viewed from the south shore of Loch Sunart]]

=== Demographics ===
Strontian is a hamlet with a population of 200 recorded in 1991. This represented a decline from earlier recorded populations of 803 in 1871 and 691 in 1881.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title = Strontian
 | url = http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/towndetails1708.html
 | access-date = 2013-01-29
 }}
</ref>
The population has since rebounded to a 2013 estimate of ca. 350.<ref>
{{cite web
 |title       = School Catchment Area
 |url         = http://www.ardnamurchan.highland.sch.uk/prospectus/catchment.htm
 |access-date  = 2013-01-29
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20130423212517/http://www.ardnamurchan.highland.sch.uk/prospectus/catchment.htm
 |archive-date = 2013-04-23
}}
</ref>

=== 19th century ===
According to [[John MacCulloch]] in his descriptive letters to [[Sir Walter Scott]] during the 1820s, Strontian is described as "a wild and uninteresting country, though there is some grandeur in one scene, in a deep valley which is terminated by the fine form of [[Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill|Scuir Donald]]&nbsp;... Strontian possesses now an excellent inn."<ref>The highlands and western isles of Scotland:
containing descriptions of their scenery and antiquities, with an account of the political history and ancient manners, and of the origin, language, agriculture, economy, music, present condition of the people, &c. &c. &c. Founded on a series of annual journeys between the years 1811 and 1821, and forming an universal guide to that country, in letters to Sir Walter Scott, bart, Volume 2 (1824)</ref>

An 1830 source describes it: "The village of Strontian is very pleasantly situated, directly at the head of Loch Sunart, the hills adjoining to which are crowned with beautiful and very thriving plantations. The Loch itself is here extremely picturesque&nbsp;... [i]n a neighbourhood civilized and populous it would speedily become a favourite retreat."<ref>Walk through the Highlands, The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 148 p. 312 (1830)</ref>

In the 1830s, residents from Strontian and the surrounding area were among the first to use the "Bounty Scheme" to emigrate to Australia. The ''Brilliant'', a Canadian-built ship, sailed from Tobermory to New South Wales in 1837 with 322 passengers, 105 of whom were from Ardnamurchan and Strontian.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title = Full text of The History of the Highland Clearances
 | year = 1914
| publisher = Glasgow, P.J. O'Callaghan
| url = https://archive.org/stream/historyofhighlan00mackrich/historyofhighlan00mackrich_djvu.txt
}}
</ref>
The Bounty Scheme, which ran from 1835 to 1841, was proposed by [[Edward Gibbon Wakefield]] as a way for Australian settlers to subsidise the emigration of skilled tradespeople from Britain.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title = Australia's Early Immigration Schemes
 | url = https://www.angelfire.com/al/aslc/immigration.html
}}
</ref>

In the 1850s more emigrants left from the Strontian and Anaheilt area. The ''Allison'' sailed from Liverpool in 1851 for Melbourne with a number of Highlanders from the area aboard.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title = Highland and Island Emigration Society, "The ALLISON" Ship List information
 | url = https://www.angelfire.com/ns/bkeddy/HIES/all1.html
}}
</ref>

=== Strontian today ===
[[File:Strontian Village Shop - geograph.org.uk - 410661.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Shopping centre in Strontian|Shopping centre in Strontian]]

'Strontian House' was built for Sir Alexander [[Murray Baronets|Murray of Stanhope]] in the late 1720s and was named after Colonel Horsy, Governor of the York Buildings Company. Latterly known as the Loch Sunart Hotel, it was still referred to as 'Horsy Hall' and sometimes misspelt 'Horsley Hall'.<ref name="Lost Placenames">
{{cite web|title=Lost Placenames of Sunart |url=http://www.garbhcriochanadeas.co.uk/database/STRONTIAN%20TOWNSHIPS.pdf |access-date=2012-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102235836/http://www.garbhcriochanadeas.co.uk/database/STRONTIAN%20TOWNSHIPS.pdf |archive-date=January 2, 2014 }}
</ref>
The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1999.<ref>
{{cite web
 | title = Hogmanay guests flee as hotel is gutted by fire
 | date = 2 January 1999
 | url = http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/hogmanay-guests-flee-as-hotel-is-gutted-by-fire-1.311974
 | access-date = 2010-10-30
}}
</ref>
A hotel was later opened in an existing building in the village.

In 1968, Strontian was listed among 2000 "moribund" Highland villages and selected to receive government funding for regeneration. This resulted in the shopping centre, cafe, and information kiosk which are located in the centre of the village.<ref>"Strontian first of the dying Highland villages to be regenerated", The Glasgow Herald, 22 May 1968.</ref>

In 2002 a high school was built in Strontian to serve secondary students of the [[Ardnamurchan]] peninsula. Previously local students had to travel to [[Fort William, Scotland|Fort William]], [[Mallaig]], or [[Tobermory, Mull|Tobermory]] for high school, often staying in hostel accommodation and making journeys of up to 4 hours round-trip.<ref>
{{cite web
 |title       = Ardnamurchan High School
 |url         = http://www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/schools/schoollist/ardnamurchan/
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110921104930/http://www.highland.gov.uk/learninghere/schools/schoollist/ardnamurchan/
 |archive-date = 2011-09-21
}}
</ref>