Welcome to Inveraray

The Royal Burgh of Inveraray is located in the west of Scotland on the north shore of Loch Fyne, in the county of Argyllshire, approximately 442 miles north-north-west of London and 25 miles north-east of Lochgilphead.

The town has a population of around 750. Administratively it is within the unitary council region of Argyll and Bute which covers an area of approximately 6,900 sq kms and which has a population of around 91,000.

It is a small attractive town of whitewashed buildings and, although, it is the oldest in Argyllshire much of it was rebuilt during the 18th-century and little remains of its more ancient history. However, it does have some notable historic buildings, including Inveraray Castle seat of the Dukes of Argyll since the 15th-century. It is a good base from which to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside of hills, woods and lochs.

The town's history dates from 1745 when it was founded by the Duke of Argyll alongside the newly built Inveraray Castle. He demolished the old fishing village to build the castle and rehoused the local population in a row of attractive Georgian houses. He also built the church of All Saints and the Jail. Despite two major fires in 1877 and 1975, the Castle is still the family home of the Dukes of Argyll. The Jail is now a museum and visitor centre. A triple masted schooner, the Arctic Penguin, built in 1911, is moored at the town pier.

Historically the town's economy was based upon fishing but, in 2001, the service industry was the largest sector of the local economy, employing 69% of all workers, while in 1841 42% worked in agriculture.