Welcome to HOLIDAY West Highland - Discover the West Highlands

Inveraray - ancient Royal Burgh of Argyll

Author Holiday West Highland

IT ISN’’T often a town is on the move but that is just what happened with the Royal Burgh of Inveraray. The town was already 300 years old when the Duke of Argyll decided to build his principal seat, Inveraray Castle, on its site so he simply moved the town to where it is today at its idyllic setting on Loch Fyne - that was in 1744.

The town then became the administrative centre of Argyll with a courthouse and 43 pubs, obviously not the quiet location it is today. Inveraray is unrivalled in its location. It looks down Loch Fyne and across the mountains and moorland, which is why it attracts visitors in their tens of thousands each year. The three-hundred-year-old courthouse and the nineteenth century Inveraray Jail are among the top attractions in Scotland and if you want to know what it feels like to be ‘banged up’ with no privileges then the jail can easily grant you your request.

As well as being the duke’s main seat, Inveraray Castle is open to the public from April to October and on display is a splendid array of family heirlooms and other artefacts which are well worth a look. The castle was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh who was also the architect for Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. It was planned for the second Duke of Argyll and incorporates influences from the baroque, palladian and gothic periods. It’s castellated towers are mounted by spires and at the time of construction the castle was the first of its type and size to be built in a remote part of Scotland.

Vanbrugh died six years aft er he first sketched the castle in 1720 for his basic design. It was Roger Morris and William Adam who oversaw the work and after they died Adam’s sons completed the project in 1789 for the fifth duke. Inveraray town enjoys a reputation of being one of the prettiest in Scotland and its shops offer all kinds souvenirs including whisky and tartan.

Its floral hanging baskets hung along its many lanes and roads in the summer add charm to the place and draw praise from visitors. If you ever wondered what life was like in a nineteenth century prison then Inveraray can offer you that in a realistic fashion. Spending a day at Inveraray Jail, viewing a trial and then visiting the prison complex in the company of warders and prisoner guides in the uniforms of the day will really open your life to being ‘banged up’. The original Jail and Courthouse opened in 1820 and remained unchanged until 1843 when the Airing Yards were built to provide a secure place where prisoners could be exercised in the open air.

In 1848 the New Prison, or Men’s Prison, was completed. This was a model prison for its day with 12 individual cells, a water closet on every floor, accommodation for warders, a store room and an indoor exercise gallery. It was also well heated and lit by gas, a far cry from the dark and damp original prison building. The Jail finally closed on the 30th of August 1889. By this time, in comparison with the larger city prisons, the smaller county jail was too expensive and inefficient to run. The Courtroom was still used until 1954 when, despite local protests, the Sheriff Court was moved to Dunoon.

The rarely used courthouse and empty prisons gradually fell into disrepair, but fortunately their significance as the finest 19th century county courthouse and prison in Scotland was recognised. An extensive restoration was undertaken and in May 1989, almost a hundred years exactly after the last prisoners departed, Inveraray Jail opened to the public.

Inveraray is not without its claim to fame for authorship. It was the home of well-known Scottish writer Neil Munro who created the Para Handy books and other stories. The illegitimate son of a kitchen maid at the castle, he spent his early years in the town, using it and Loch Fyne as settings for his works. As well as hotel and guesthouses in the area you could try the freedom of a caravan holiday.

Argyll Caravan Park the longest running Park in Scotland situated near Inveraray. Superb wooden sculptures are dotted about the park and the caravans’ beautifully kept gardens are a sight to behold. Garden awards are presented each year by His Grace The Duke of Argyll and hard work is put in to be sure of receiving an award. There are also some wonderful walks as well as boating, pony trekking and golf, and with Inveraray and its attractions as well as the castle, Auchindrain Township museum and the magnificent gardens at Ardkinglass and Crarae all nearby, a stay at the park will be memorable for you.

There are lots of events throughout the year taking place in the Inveraray area and food takes a prominent part in them. Loch Fyne Food Fair began in 1990 to introduce West Coast seafood to a wide range of people in an informal setting helped along by good wines, beers and music. Since then the formula has remained much the same though the food stands have expanded to include other West Coast products such as venison, beef and cheese.

Other suppliers of Loch Fyne have also joined in the festivities including Orkney Ice Cream and Loch Duart salmon whose grilled salmon rolls have people queuing round the tent. Though usually held at the end of May, the Fair moved to a mid-May slot to ease pressure on the bank holiday weekend and make it easier for people to find accommodation and avoid increased traffic on the roads. Sunshine can never be guaranteed but visitors over the year have become used to donning wellies and having a great day out whatever weather comes our way. Live music has always been part of the Fair and this year the programme featured local pipe bands, traditional Scottish Dance bands, Rothesay Academy Swing Band and local country & western band The Saddlebags.

The event also now features a craft tent run by Loch Lomond Craft Association as well as children’s rides, tombola, and bouncy castle. The 25 acres which comprise Ardkinglas Woodland Garden are situated towards the north end of Loch Fyne, near the village of Cairndow. Ardkinglas provides a unique growing environment, where location, climate and soil combine to create optimal conditions. Following on from planting in the 18th Century, the mature conifer collection for which the garden is renowned was established around 1875.
The Victorian legacy ensures that presently Ardkinglas boasts many Champion Trees (the tallest or broadest of their species within the UK)