# An Cala

> garden on Seil, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

**Wikidata**: [Q108744103](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108744103)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/an-cala

## Summary
An Cala is a 5-acre planned garden located on the island of Seil within Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Created in 1930 by Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank, and Faith Celli, it serves as a dedicated space for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants. The site is officially recognized as an Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape by Historic Environment Scotland.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** Situated on the B844 at the east end of Easdale Village on the Island of Seil, approximately 16 miles (25.5km) south-west of Oban in the United Kingdom.
- **Inception:** The garden was established in 1930.
- **Area:** It spans a total area of 5 acres.
- **Creators:** Designed and developed by Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank, and Faith Celli.
- **Heritage Designation:** Recognized as an Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape ( Historic Environment Scotland ID: GDL00013, designated starting July 1, 1987).
- **Historic County:** Located in the historic county of Argyll.
- **Council Area:** Situated within the Argyll and Bute council area.
- **Coordinates:** 56.295328 latitude, -5.641528 longitude.
- **Canmore ID:** 140938 (Grid reference: NM 7477 1740).
- **Associated Electoral District:** Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber (House of Commons constituency as of July 2024).

## FAQs
**Where exactly is An Cala located?**
An Cala is located in the settlement of Ellenabeich on the Island of Seil, Scotland. It lies on the B844 road at the east end of Easdale Village, positioned roughly 16 miles (25.5km) southwest of Oban.

**Who created An Cala and when?**
The garden was created in 1930 through the collaborative efforts of Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank, and Faith Celli. 

**What is the heritage status of An Cala?**
The site is officially designated as an Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape. It is registered with Historic Environment Scotland under the ID GDL00013, a status it has held since July 1987, and is recorded in the Parks & Gardens UK database under record ID 96.

**How is An Cala classified in mapping and architectural databases?**
As a garden, it is formally classified as a planned exterior space, an artificial geographic object, and an architectural structure primarily used for pleasure and plant cultivation. In technical mapping systems, gardens are typically tagged as `leisure=garden` in OpenStreetMap and use the Geonames feature code S.GDN.

## Why It Matters
An Cala represents a significant intersection of architectural planning and natural landscape within rural Scotland. Classified formally as a garden—an artificial geographic structure designed primarily for pleasure and the enjoyment of plants—it exemplifies human interaction with the natural environment to create curated outdoor spaces. Its official recognition as an Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape underscores its cultural and historical importance, preserving the 1930s design vision of Arthur Murray and Faith Celli. Furthermore, its extensive documentation across national databases like Historic Environment Scotland and Canmore highlights its value as a biotope and a site of landscape architectural heritage within the United Kingdom.

## Notable For
- Being a formally recognized Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape (GDL00013) by Historic Environment Scotland since July 1987.
- Spanning a precisely documented 5-acre area on the island of Seil.
- Its specific inception date of 1930, created by Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank, and Faith Celli.
- Having detailed mapping and heritage tracking across multiple registries, including a Canmore ID (140938) and a Parks & Gardens UK record ID (96).

## Body

### Geography and Administration
An Cala is an artificial geographic feature situated in the United Kingdom. Politically and administratively, it resides within the Argyll and Bute council area and the historic county of Argyll. For national elections, the garden falls within the Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber constituency of the House of Commons (as of July 2024). The physical feature it is located on is the Island of Seil, specifically within the settlement of Ellenabeich. Geographically, the site rests at coordinates 56.295328 latitude and -5.641528 longitude. Visitors can locate it by traveling on the B844 to the east end of Easdale Village, roughly 16 miles (25.5km) southwest of the town of Oban.

### History and Classification
The inception of An Cala took place in 1930. The architectural and horticultural planning of the space was executed by Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank, alongside Faith Celli. Formally, the entity is an instance of a "garden"—a planned space set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants. As an architectural and landscape structure, its primary use is categorized as pleasure. The entire planned space covers an area of exactly 5 acres. An image of the garden is publicly documented and hosted on Wikimedia Commons under the filename `An_Cala_Garden_(geograph_4510494).jpg`.

### Heritage and Institutional Records
An Cala holds a prestigious heritage designation as an "Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape." The Historic Environment Scotland ID for this designation is GDL00013, which was officially assigned on July 1, 1987, with the site name recorded as "An Cala" at grid reference NM 74771 17393. 

In addition to its primary heritage status, the garden is extensively cataloged in various national historical and environmental databases:
- **Parks & Gardens UK:** Record ID 96, mapped to grid reference NM 748 173 under the name "An Cala."
- **Canmore:** Assigned ID 140938, with the site titled "Seil, An Cala House And Gardens" at the grid reference NM 7477 1740.

Also known by the alias "An Cala garden," the location's historical and geographical data is deeply integrated into systems tracking Scottish architectural and landscape heritage.

## References

1. [Source](http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00013)
2. [Source](https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00013)