Unique, authentic, thought-provoking
Step back in time and discover Scotland’s rural history at Auchindrain, the most complete and well-preserved example of a Scottish Highland farm township. Vividly imagine life in the old Highlands as you walk through the settlement and see how ordinary people lived and worked. Step into the restored longhouses, see the objects of everyday life and learn about the past inhabitants. Explore the byres, stables and fields to understand how groups of families worked the land in common. Uncover a fascinating, long-vanished Scottish way of life deep in the hills of Argyll.
Auchindrain is six miles south of Inveraray, just an hour and a half from Glasgow.
All contributions are very gratefully received and contribute to the valuable work we do here at Auchindrain.
Explore Auchindrain
Click the button below for an online interactive tour of Auchindrain
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The name of the place is Achadh an Droighinn in Gaelic, and Auchindrain in the Scots language although until the 1950s the spelling was often Achindrain. In the past, the name was sometimes translated into English as Thornfield. Achadh is the Gaelic for “field”, and droighinn for the blackthorn or sloe tree – Prunus Spinosa. The correct pronunciation is Achan-DRYan, with a soft “ch”. Say the “a” and the “i” in the Scots language spelling as two separate letters, and you won’t be far wrong
OPENING TIMES
We are open from 1st April to 31st October, 10 am to 5 pm daily.
From November to March we are open 10 am-4 pm most weekdays, except over Christmas and New Year. When planning a winter visit, please email us at info@auchindrain.org.uk to check that we will be open when you want to come. You do not need to book in advance, but please don’t hold us responsible if you turn up without warning and the gates are closed. In the winter the Visitor Centre is closed and you take us as you find us.
In the winter the Visitor Centre is closed and you take us as you find us, but admission is at reduced rates.
ADMISSION PRICES
Adult: £8.00
Concession: £7.00
Child 5-17: £5.50
Local Residents, Friends of Auchindrain and everyone November-March: £1.00 adult, 50p concessions and children.
A 20% discount is available to up to two adults where a group includes more than one child, and to pre-booked groups of more than 20 people.
School and other educational visits must be booked and arranged in advance, so that we can provide the type and quality of service you have the right to expect.
Children under 5, carers supporting visitors with disabilities, guides and drivers, and professional members of the Museums Association, the Association of Independent Museums and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions are admitted free.
Unfortunately, we do not recognise membership cards for Historic Environment Scotland or the National Trust for Scotland.
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Now that the Scouts have departed the next step is to wash and sort all of our finds. The amount of pottery and glass that was found within ruin P confirms that the building became a midden, or dumping ground, after it was used to house animals. As always at Auchindrain we have found a large amount of Spongewear and decorated pottery as well as shoe leathers.
Thanks to the brilliant efforts of the Bonnyrigg Scouts this weekend we have transformed the floor within building P, removing the topsoil to reveal a manuring channel running down the middle of the floor towards the door. We had previously thought that this building was used for storage so this evidence that it housed livestock is completely new and very exciting news for us.
At some point the building was left to ruin and became a midden, or dumping ground, for the Township. Stay tuned as over the next few days we'll be posting pictures of some of the objects found during our dig down to this level.
Yesterday's star find was this piece of a spongewear bowl, its colours still glowing almost as brightly as when it was whole and new.
China like this, usually made in the workshops of central Scotland, graced the tables of the people of the township in the 19th century. When new it was cheap and intended for everyday use: try buying an undamaged example of a piece like this now and the price would shock you!
The Bonnyrigg Scouts found this, and other items, in the bed of the burn that runs through Auchindrain.
Today the 14th Midlothian Bonnyrigg Scout Group have been busy excavating and digging to expose the original road along with cleaning all the finds they have made despite the the rain and the army of midgies!
14th Midlothian Bonnyrigg Scout Group arrived on friday evening to set up camp. They are here for the weekend to help us with excavating a ruin, digging the original cobbled road and looking for findsin the burn!.
We will be posting regularly over the weekend so stay tuned!