Six months after teetering on the brink of being lost forever, Auchindrain, the only genuine Highland township to survive the Scottish Clearances, is back in business. The historic 22-acre site in mid-Argyll is as important to Scottish history as Stirling Castle, the Stone Age village of Skara Brae or the battlefield of Bannockburn.
For almost 2,000 years people have lived off the land which lies just six miles from Inveraray. At one time there were around 5,000 such faming townships throughout the Highlands of Scotland – now there is just one. Improvements to farming techniques, changes in land use and the decimation of the infamous clearances destroyed all the other similar communities. Only Auchindrain, or Bail’ Ach’ an Droighinn as it’s known in Gaelic, survived intact. Incredibly, families still occupied the site up until the 1960s. They lived and worked in buildings largely unchanged since the 18th century. When the last person moved out the township was preserved for posterity by The Auchindrain Trust, a registered Scottish charity.
However, in December 2024 it was announced that due to cuts in funding the ancient township would be forced to shut its gates for good. Horrified at the loss of such a unique link to the history of ordinary Highlanders a number of local residents banded together to save the township. Now, with a whole new board of trustees and an army of volunteers committed to the cause, the fight to save Auchindrain is on!
The only genuine survivor of its type
In recognition of their efforts so far, and their detailed planning for the future of the township, officials from Museums Galleries Scotland have awarded the township the coveted status of Provisional Accreditation for the next 12 months. In a letter conferring the honour Victoria Hawkins, Museum Development Manager – Accreditation, acknowledged the work of the board, staff and volunteers battling to save the site. She said: “Congratulations on maintaining Provisional Accreditation for Bail’ Ach’ an Droighinn during difficult circumstances.”
The Accreditation Scheme is the UK industry standard for museums and galleries. It helps everyone involved with a museum to do the right things, helping people to access and engage with collections, and protect them for future generations. It is administered north of the border by Museums Galleries Scotland on behalf of Arts Council England.
As one of only 257 institutions in Scotland to hold the Accreditation Standard the charity will be able to call on advice from experts in a range of skills and disciplines to help make Auchindrain an internationally recognised museum.
“Being awarded Provisional Accreditation is a major step forward for us,” said Jan Brown, Chair of the Auchindrain Trust. “Just a few short months ago the future looked really bleak for the township. I am proud of the way local people, and many others from around the world, have rallied round to try and prevent the loss of such a historic site. As the only genuine survivor of its type, it is a living memorial to all those communities and families devastated by the Scottish Clearances. Getting this provisional accreditation is recognition that we mean business. Auchindrain is a physical link to how thousands of ordinary Scots lived before they were forced from the land. Like the eternal flame it is a symbol of remembrance that should never be extinguished.”
Main photo: Bell Pol’s House, Auchindrain. David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0.