There are two islands making up the Cumbraes, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae, today it is Great Cumbrae that has remained inhabitated. Cumbrae, along with Arran and Bute became part of Scotland in 1263. Alexander the III defeated the Norse King Haco at the Battle of Largs. Centuries of feuding over the islands ended three years later at the Treaty of Perth. Later in 1539 the island was divided into a number of small baronies whose names survive to the present day. By the 1850's the island's ownership was divided between the Earl of Glasgow in the east and the Marquis of Bute in the west. By the start of the twentieth century Bute estate had become the feudal landlord of almost the whole island. These feudal links persisted with the Marquess having final say over developments on most of the island till 1999. At this point the present Marquess, put the island up for sale allowing tenants to acquire land which had been held in feudal tenure by his family for 800 y ... < more >