Auldearn
Coordinates: 57°34′35″N 3°48′57″W / 57.576481°N 3.815948°W
| Auldearn | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Allt Èireann | |
 Auldearn
Auldearn shown within the Nairn area |
|
| Population | 535 [1] (2001 census) est. 540[2] (2006) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NH915555 |
| Council area | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NAIRN |
| Postcode district | IV12 5xx |
| Dialling code | 01667 45 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Auldearn (Scottish Gaelic: Allt Èireann) is a village situated east of the River Nairn, just outside Nairn in the Highland council area of Scotland. It takes its name from William the Lyon's castle of Eren (Old Eren), built there in the 12th century.[3]
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.
Contents |
[edit] 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 A.D.G.B..[4] 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.[5]
[edit] Places Of Interest
- 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.
[edit] Farming controversy
In 2010 it was reported that meat from a bull grown from the embryo of a cow cloned in the US and reared on a local farm had entered the food chain. Newmeadow farm, also known as Drumduan Farm, has the largest Holstein cattle herd in the Highlands.[6][7]
[edit] References
- ^ "Comparative Population Profile: Auldearn Locality". Scotland's Census Results Online. 2001-04-29. http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Population&mainArea=auldearn&mainLevel=Locality. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
- ^ http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data
- ^ 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.
