Auldearn
| Auldearn Gaelic: Allt Èireann | |
| Nairnshire | |
|---|---|
 Cottage in Auldearn | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NH915555 |
| Location: | 57°34’35"N, 3°48’57"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 535 (2001) |
| Post town: | Nairn |
| Postcode: | IV12 |
| Dialling code: | 01667 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Highland |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey |
Auldearn is a village on Nairnshire standing east of the River Nairn, just outside the town of Nairn. It takes its name from William the Lyon's castle of Eren (Old Eren), built there in the 12th century.[1]
Auldearn is an expanding area, with much development in the last 10 years. It has a small garden in the centre of the village called the Rose Gardens where people, old and young, gather. From Castle Hill, there is a view all around for miles.
Auldearn has one hotel, a small primary school and a Post Office shop.
History
Auldearn was the site of a battle in May 1645 (Battle of Auldearn), in which the MacLennans participated on the side of the Covenanters under their chief Ruaridh, as referred to in Sorley MacLean's poem "Heroes". The Royalists under Montrose won the day - with Clan Donald playing a major part in the battle, as is evidenced by the waulking song Clann Domhnuill an Cogadh Righ Tearlach I.
There was a Post Office repeater station on the outskirts of the village which was one of only two in the Highland area classed as being of "key importance to national defence" and a "most important link in the ADGB” (Air Defence of Great Britain).[2] It is incorrectly described as a radio station in the document and also now marked incorrectly as an "old telephone exchange". It is believed that it was a link from the RAF Sector Operations Centre at Raigmore.[3]
Sights of the village
- The Rose Gardens: Auldearn has a small square at its centre named the Rose Gardens, these were refurbished in 2003 and now have benches, flowerbeds and a small shelter.
- The Doocot: On top of Castle hill, there is a 17th century pigeon loft named the Doocot or Dovecot. Inside it has hundreds of small recesses for pigeons to nest in. It was used to feed the Dunbar family of boath in the wintertime if food was scarce. It is now looked after by the National Trust of Scotland.
Farming
Newmeadow farm, also known as Drumduan Farm, has the largest Holstein cattle herd in the Highlands.
In 2010 it was reported that meat from beasts fathered by a bull grown from an embryo cloned in the United States and reared on a local farm had entered the food chain.[4][5] For some reason this worried various newsmen or at least filled their pages for a day or two.
References
- ↑ http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/auldearn/auldearn/index.html
- ↑ Protection of Post Office Installations, Highland Archive IDENTIFIER: GB1741_D592_5_41
- ↑ Sub Brit Inverness (Raigmore) - ROC Group HQ No 30
- ↑ "Clone row Newmeadow is one of Scotland's biggest farms". BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
- ↑ "Meat of cloned cow offspring in UK food chain, FSA says" BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
Outside links
- Auldearn - feature page at Undiscovered Scotland]