Auchterarder is a small Town in central
Scotland, 21 miles north of Stirling, 13
miles south of Perth.
Auchterarder is popular for the Gleneagles Golf Resort 2 miles south,
Tullibardine
Chapel featured in Outlander 3 miles west,
Skydive
Strathallan 3 miles northwest, Tullibardine Distillery 5 miles
south, and a 4 mile Walk around the
Town and Countryside.
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Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is looking south along
Auchterarder High Street with the two most
notable buildings being the Town Hall and Old
Church Tower.
The Old Church Tower is what is left from a
Church built in 1660 dedicated to St MacKessog.
The Tower is said to have been built with Stone
from Kincardine Castle 1 mile south. That
Castle was destroyed during the five Wars of
Religion in the 1600s & 1700s such as
Covenanter, Bishops, Three Kingdoms, English
Civil, and Jacobite. Much of Auchterarder was
built from stone taken from the Castle
ruin.
On the lower end of the High Street are
Auchterarder Parish
Church completed 1905, and uphill is the
former St. Andrews and West Church, now serving
as a shop.
The Star Hotel is
in the middle of the High Street, where most of
the Shops and Cafes are situated.
On the south side of Auchterarder are two
Parks, one for Sports and Kids Play, and
another across the road with Scenic Walks.
The Scenic Park has information on
Auchterarder from the 1700s and 1800s with many
houses in the Town having Hand Weaving Looms,
producing all types of Cloth to sell around
Scotland. The first Water Mill for producing
Cloth in a Factory opened in 1873, and the
first Steam Powered Mill in 1877.
Auchterarder Golf
Club is on the south side of the Town,
founded in 1892.
Gleneagles Golf Resort is 2 miles
south of Auchterarder, with the Hotel opening
in 1924. The Kings Golf Course had opened in
1919, followed by the Queens Course, PGA
Centenary Course, and the Wee Course.
Auchterarder History
The name Auchterarder is said to have
evolved from Gaelic meaning Upland of High
Water.
1000s - Auchterarder Castle was built on the
north side of Auchterarder, used by Royals as a
Hunting Lodge, little remains.
1200s - Old Kincardine Castle was built for
Sir David de Graham of Cardross, about 1 mile
south of Auchterarder. These Castles with vast
Estates created work with Villages and Towns
evolving around them.
1296 - King Edward I of England stayed at
Auchterarder Castle during the First War of
Scottish Independence.
1562 - Mary Queen of Scots stayed at
Kincardine Castle. Mary often toured Scotland
visiting Clans to help keep their support, so
they would fight for her if needed. The
Catholic Mary knew she had many enemies, as
most Scots were converting from Catholic to
Protestant at that time.
1640s - Old Kincardine Castle was destroyed
during the British Civil Wars / Wars of
Religion, by forces led by Archibald Campbell,
1st Marquess of Argyll. Campbell was a
Covenanter trying to stop Kings in England
interfering with Scottish Churches. Covenanters
would attack any Castles or Families loyal to
the King. The Wars ended in 1660 after King
Charles II Stuart was restored to the
Throne.
1660 - stone from Kincardine Castle was
taken to build a new Church in Auchterarder.
That Church was built where two earlier
Churches had been.
1716 - the Jacobite Earl of Mar's forces
burned Auchterarder and other Towns in the area
to help slow the advance of Government Forces
hunting them down. The Jacobite's were finally
defeated in 1746 at the Battle of
Culloden, leading to peaceful times, with
the Industrial Revolution soon following.
1700s - Handlooms were installed in many
Auchterarder homes, allowing companies to
supply people with yarn so they could make a
variety of Cloth such as Silk, Tartan, Tweed,
Woolen, and Worsted. The companies would then
sell the Cloth in Cities such as Glasgow.
1803 - a large Mansion was built in
Kincardine Estate, close to the ruins of Old
Kincardine Castle. This Mansion is often
referred to as Kincardine
Castle. It is unclear who owns the Mansion,
probably a private family home.
1834 - disputes about Protestant Churches
began, leading to the forming of the Free
Church of Scotland in 1843.
1856 - the Railway reached Auchterarder,
allowing production of Cloth to increase
dramatically.
1873 - the first Water Powered Mill was
opened by William Hally to power his Castleton
Mill, allowing mass production of Cloth with
the water powering a number of Looms in the
Mill.
1877 - James White set up the first Steam
Powered Mill known as Ruthvenvale Mill.
1892 - Auchterarder Golf Club was
founded.
1905 - Auchterarder Free Church was
completed, leading to the Church from 1660
being dismantled, with only the Tower remaining
today.
1919 - the Kings Golf Course opened at
Gleneagles 2 miles south of Auchterarder.
1920 - a War Memorial was built next to the
Tower of the Old Church.
1924 - the Gleneagles Hotel was opened by
the Caledonian Railway Company, a time the
Railways were involved in building Golf Resorts
close to their Lines to promote tourism, with
Turnberry Golf Resort in the
southwest also being built by the Railways
around 1906.
1962 - the last Weaving Mill closed.
1980s - the A9 Road between Stirling and
Perth was upgraded, bypassing a number of Towns
such as Auchterarder.
2005 - the 31st G8 summit was held at
Gleneagles Hotel, leading to the Auchterarder
being inundated with Activists and Police.
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