Region: Argyll & The Isles

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© Copyright David Hawgood and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Description:

Auchindrain Township is an open-air folk life museum in the West Highlands, and unlike many similar museums, it was once a real village. It was the only communal tenancy township in Scotland to survive on its original site and largely in its original form, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The houses were built to shelter livestock at one end during the cold months, while the family lived at the other. Kitchen gardens supplied vegetables and fruit, and the restored buildings are now furnished to reflect different time periods. A visitor centre offers displays on the history of West Highland life.

The township still has the charm and layout of a traditional settlement—a scattering of simple buildings in a landscape that has barely changed for centuries. These preserved structures offer a genuine glimpse into how people lived and worked, without anything staged or polished. Visitors can wander through the houses and farm buildings, furnished with everyday items, and explore barns filled with old farming tools, as if the residents had just stepped out for the day.