{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox UK place | country = Scotland | static_image = File:Auchindrain Township Open Air Museum, Argyll.JPG | static_image_caption = Auchindrain Township Open Air Museum | coordinates = {{coord|56.1794|-5.1763|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Auchindrain | gaelic_name = Achadh an Droighinn | population = | shire_district = | unitary_scotland = Argyll and Bute | region = | constituency_westminster = | post_town = Inveraray | postcode_district = PA32 | postcode_area = PA | dial_code = | os_grid_reference = NN 03099 03161 | hide_services = yes }}
'''Auchindrain''' ({{langx|gd|Achadh an Droighinn}}: 'thorn field'<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gillies |first1=H. Cameron |title=The Place-Names of Argyll |date=1906 |publisher=David Nutt |location=London |page=44 |url=https://www.electricscotland.com/books/placenames/placenamesofargy00gill.pdf |access-date=30 June 2021}}</ref>) lies on the A83, {{convert|6|mi|0}} south of Inveraray in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is the only township to survive substantially unaltered from amongst the many hundreds that existed across the Scottish Highlands before the Highland Clearances of the late 18th and 19th centuries. The major feature of the museum is the 22 buildings and building remains of the township. Twelve of these buildings are mainly complete, with the remains of the other 10 either needing or undergoing restoration work. Much of this work is carried out by volunteers and enthusiasts like the West of Scotland Dry Stone Walling Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsdswa.org.uk/auchindrain/4543477162|title=Auchindrain Historic Barn Rebuild|website=West of Scotland Dry Stone Walling Association|access-date=19 September 2016|archive-date=20 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920073141/http://www.wsdswa.org.uk/auchindrain/4543477162|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Also within the {{convert|22|acre|0}} of museum grounds are other man-made structures in various condition of repair, including stone dykes, stackyards, stack bases, kailyards, middens, pathways, roads, a corn kiln and evidence of run rig farming methods.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/member/auchindrain-trust?t=collections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151028033015/http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/member/auchindrain-trust?t=collections |url-status = dead|archive-date=28 October 2015 |title=Auchindrain Trust |date= |accessdate=16 May 2015 |website=Museums Galleries scotland |last= |first= }}</ref>
The site is open to the public as the '''Auchindrain Township Open Air Museum''' between April and September each year.
==Evolution== [[Image:Auchindrain Folk Museum.jpg|thumb|left|Restored blackhouse]]
{{lang|gd|Achadh an Droighinn}} (Auchindrain) is first found in documentary references from the early 16th century. At this time the settlement was clearly an established one. It is not known precisely when the township was initially established, but because of its location on the relatively high and poor ground of the watershed between two rivers, the “field of….” in its name, and its nearness to the former township site of {{lang|gd|Bràigh Leacann}} (Braleckan), it is suggested that it may very well have been founded through “splitting” of the Braleckan township as a result of population growth in the late medieval period.<ref name=SCARF>{{cite web |last1=Dixon |first1=Piers |title=Case Study 15: Auchindrain Township |url=https://scarf.scot/regional/regional-archaeological-research-framework-for-argyll/regional-archaeological-research-framework-for-argyll-case-studies/case-study-15-auchindrain-township/ |website=Scottish Archaeological Research Framework |publisher=Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, National Museums of Scotland |access-date=28 June 2021 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204619/https://scarf.scot/regional/regional-archaeological-research-framework-for-argyll/regional-archaeological-research-framework-for-argyll-case-studies/case-study-15-auchindrain-township/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
From the early 1500s to the 1770s Auchindrain was just another township, one of thousands spread across Scotland. Almost nothing is known about this period other than the identities of successive owners or principal tenants, and the appearance of some of the township's people's names where they appear in legal documents.
In 1776 the Duke of Argyll reacquired the township, the Duke and his chamberlain (factor) were early enthusiasts for the principles of agricultural improvement. Auchindrain is included in a list from 1779 of all those living on the Duke's land. A plan was made in 1789, by the surveyor George Langlands, for the township to be rebuilt and reorganised into crofts as many of the other townships in were. In Auchindrain this was never implemented, possibly because the investment required would not have justified the financial return. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://auchindrain.org.uk/about-us/the-evolution-of-auchindrain/ |website=Auchindrain Township |accessdate=11 May 2015 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518101548/http://auchindrain.org.uk/about-us/the-evolution-of-auchindrain/ |archivedate=18 May 2015 |title=The Evolution of Auchindrain | Auchindrain Township }}</ref>
In 1875, when Queen Victoria was staying at Inveraray Castle, she visited what she called the “primitive villages” of Auchindrain and Achnagoul (between here and Inveraray).
==Management== Auchindrain is owned and operated by an independent Scottish Charity known as The Auchindrain Trust.<ref>{{cite book|title=Auchindrain - Museum Guidebook|date=2014|publisher=The Auchindrain Trust}}</ref> Thirty five years ago the Trustees of Auchindrain in Mid Argyll built a Visitor Centre after its last resident family moved out in the mid 1960s. Until 2010 the township was kept on tick over, with nature mostly prevented from encroaching, the paths kept open but the vast majority of potential visitors driving past. A previous curator, Joanne Howdle, succeeded in getting the museum added to the list of Recognised Collections of national significance, a scheme administered by Museums Galleries Scotland.
==Designations== The site is designated as a Conservation Area; it is Category A Listed in its entirety, and its buildings are a Recognised Collection<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/standards/recognition/the-recognised-collections/recognised-collections-in-argyll-&-bute/ |title=Recognised Collections in Argyll & Bute |date= |accessdate=16 May 2015 |website=Museums Galleries Scotland |last= |first= |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912143056/http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/standards/recognition/the-recognised-collections/recognised-collections-in-argyll-%26-bute/ |archivedate=12 September 2015 }}</ref> – one of only a few collections not held by National Museums and National Galleries of Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us |url=http://auchindrain.org.uk/about-us/ |website=Auchindrain Township |accessdate=11 May 2015 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518101635/http://auchindrain.org.uk/about-us/ |archivedate=18 May 2015 }}</ref>
thumb|left|Cottage with kailyard thumb|left|Restored cottages
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Auchindrain}} *[http://www.auchindrain.org.uk/ Auchindrain Trust] (2010 web site) *[https://canmore.org.uk/site/23412/loch-fyne-auchindrain-township Images of Auchindrain, from CANMORE: National Record of the Historic Environment]
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Category:Villages in Argyll and Bute Category:Museums in Argyll and Bute Category:Open-air museums in Scotland Category:Category A listed buildings in Argyll and Bute