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Auchinleck House, Ayrshire

Location in Boswell's time: 

The present-day Auchinleck House was built ca. 1760 by Alexander Boswell, replacing what became known as the Auchinleck Old Place, which was built in 1612. Most remains of an even older castle on the lands had already disappeared by then.

The location today: 

Auchinleck House was uninhabited and not taken care of for a few decades before, in 1986, it was turned over to the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) by a descendant of the 18th century Boswells. The SHBT did some renovations on the building, before in 1999 Auchinleck House was sold to the Landmark Trust.

It has since been thoroughly renovated and is now open both for visiting and for renting(!), accomodating up to thirteen sleeping guests at a time.

Association with Boswell: 

Contrary to what was thought by some of Boswell's early biographers, he was almost certainly not born at Auchinleck, which was still in the possession of his grandfather in 1740, but in his father's house in Edinburgh. Boswell's father became the 8th Laird of Auchinleck in 1749, and Boswell himself became the 9th Laird in 1782.

Related links: 
Auchinleck House (Landmark Trust)
  • Ayrshire
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Did you know?

During his stay in Berlin in 1764, Boswell lived in the house of Karl David Kircheisen, the president of the Berlin city council.

(C) Thomas Frandzen 2004-2010