Jura (from Norse 'dyr-ey' -'deer island' or `Doirad's island'). The fourth largest island in the Hebrides, Jura is one of the last great wildernesses in the British Isles, and is dominated by the rounded peaks of the Paps (`breasts') of Jura and the other mountains down the length of the island. It is 28 miles from north to south and eight miles wide, although at Tarbert it thins to only about one mile across. It is not nearly as fertile as Inlay, its southern neighbour - the western side of the island is rugged, while the southeast is more gentle. The other topographical feature associated with Jura is the famous whirlpool of Corryvreckan - Corrie Bhreacan: the 'cauldron of Breckan', off the north tip of Jura and south of the island of Scarba. It is best seen a westerly or southerly wind. Care should be taken if in a boat: George Orwell nearly drowned here.

Scattered archaeological remains show that Jura was inhabited in prehistoric times, starting with Mesolithic sites. There is a Neolithic burial cairn south of Strone farm, and there are seven sites with standing stones on the south-east of the island. There are several Iron age duns and forts, of which the most interesting is An Dunan on Lowlandman's Bay. There was a battle on Jura in 768 between the Scots from Ireland and the Britons, but the island was held by the Vikings until the 13th century. Like Inlay, Jura was held by the king of Man but Somerled drove out the Horsemen and claimed the area for himself. The island passed to Reginald, Somerled's son, then to Donald, his son: it is from him the MacDonalds were descended. The MacDonalds became the Lords of the isles, and along with the strongholds on Islay, had a castle and prison on the small island of Am Fraoch Eilean, just off the coast of Jura. It was from here that they were said to extort monies from shipping using the Sound. The Lords of the Isles were destroyed in a campaign by James N, but the MacDonalds of Dunyvaig retained the lands. The island, however along with Islay -later passed to the Campbells.

The north of the island was held by the MacLeans, based at Aros Castle, and in 1620 the Campbells complained to the government that they were being raided by the MacLeans. This came to battle in 1647 when a force of Campbells routed the MacLeans at Glen Garrisdale. The Campbells held most of the island except for Ardlussa, which was sold by the MacLeans to the MacNeils of Colonsay in 1737, but sold the lands in parts: by 1938 they had sold everything. Much of the island is now used for 'sporting' estates, when deer are shot, although they may not see it as being quite so spotting.

George Orwell wrote his novel 1984 at Barnhill at the northern end of Jura during the summer months from 1946-9. The house is not open to the public.

The population of Jura has dwindled over the last 150 years, from around 1300 in the middle of the 19th century to less than 200 today.