What’s On in Historic Dunkeld
We run events throughout the year: Exhibitions from the collection, talks, workshops and concerts to raise funds for running costs, and an annual Living History weekend. Find all the dates for your diary.
For tickets: Book online via the links given below, or tel. 01350 727786, or email manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk.
Saturday 13th September – 10am to 3pm
Launch of New Dunkeld Archaeology Club
Join us at Dunkeld Community Archive to find out about our new club. We already run a successful Young Archaeologist Club, but are launching a new adult version.
Have you ever fancied learning excavation skills, fieldwalking, metal detecting, learning how to read old Scots etc.? Come along and find out more, and sign up for the new club.
Dr Gavin Lindsay will be here, demonstrating Topographical Survey in Stanley Hill Park – come along and have-a-go!
We have exciting plans for 2025/26!
No need to book, just pop in throughout the day.
12th of September 7:30pm- The Perth Arms
Historic Dunkeld Talks
A conversation with Dr Allan Kennedy
£10 plus booking fee, members go free
(Membership is £25 (minimum per year) – our membership page is coming soon, but in the meantime please contact us direct to join – manager@historicdunkeld.org.uk)
Join us for the first of our 2025/26 talks which will be part of our new Archaeology and History club. Dr Allan Kennedy is an expert on social and political history of early modern Scotland, with a particular focus on the later seventeenth century. He has just published a book “Serious Crime in Late 17th century Scotland”. Join us in the Perth arms for an evening of history and converation.
Skills Session – Desk Based Assessement with Dr Gavin Lindsay
25th of September – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £20
Join Dr Gavin Lindsay in this Archaeological desk-based assessment training session as part of the Dunkeld Archaeology and History Club.
Learn the essential skills required to help enhance your research capabilities. Explore how the different sources of information we consult, the types of questions we ask and what we do with the information we gather can influence what you learn about a site.
For former pupils of the Royal School of Dunkeld who attended during the 1970’s
Birnam Arts – Sat 11th October
7.30pm -11pm
Bar open, light supper & music of the era
Dunkeld Community Archives will present an exhibition of photographs from the period. We would also be glad of any contributions of photographs or memorabilia. Originals can be copied and returned to the owner.
Tickets (£10) available from
Birnam Arts – 01350 727674 – birnamarts.com
or Dunkeld Archive – 01350 727786
In Conversation with Paul McLennan
10th of October – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £10
Paul McLennan is the archivist at Murthly Castle where he has spent years untangling and cataloguing a burach of letters, leases and ledgers (and enough maps to paper the Great Hall). He has a wealth of material and stories covering three estates of Murthly, Strathbraan and Grantully to draw upon in conversation.
Paul has previously given talks in Dunkeld on 3 different subjects; “Steam Fever & Madness – the Making of Murthly”, “The History of Birnam Station”, and “Dundonnachie Revisited”.
Skills Session – Map Regression with James Jarvis
30th of October – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £20
Join James Jarvis to learn about map regression as part of the Dunkeld Archaeology and History Club.
Map regression is the process of working backwards from modern maps to earlier maps of the same area, to determine change or to locate past features. The process is mainly used in research on the history of places.
Comparing maps of a chosen area compiled in different periods can help reconstruct the chronology of events which have altered the natural or built environment. In archaeology, map regression can help to locate features appearing only on earlier maps and to assign building phases. It is often part of desk-based assessments before fieldwork is undertaken.
In Conversation with… Irene Hallyburton
14th of November – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £10
Since the 1560 Reformation, Scots have seen themselves as the Godliest of people. The Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 aimed to protect the reformation of the Church of Scotland and to reform the Churches of England and Ireland, so that the three churches would be the same in government, beliefs and worship. Presbyeterian was re-established as the national creed of Scotland in 1690, and for a time any other was practised in private or secret. However, with the Union of 1707, influence from south of the border began to creep into the Church of Scotland. This caused factions in the kirk to appear and by 1725, at least 10 disparate presbyterian groups can be identified. A particular event of interest is one particular rift which resulted in the formation of the Associate Presbytery, or Secession Church, from 1732.
Join Irene Hallyburton to explore this era of Scottish History which has been the focus of her Phd research.
Skills Session – Historical desk based assessment with Dr Lucy Dean
27th of November – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £20
Join Dr Lucinda Dean in this historical desk-based research training session as part of the Dunkeld Archaeology and History Club. Dr Dean is an expert in late medieval and early modern Scotland and Europe.
Learn the essential skills required to help enhance your research capabilities. Explore the wealth of resources available and how they can help you expand your knowledge on your research subject.
Dark Winter – Festive Stories with Lindsey Gibb
12th of December – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £10
Can you outrun the Krampus, outwit the Mari Lwyd or outdance the Lord of Misrule?
Discover the darker side of St Nicholas, the battle between the Holly & Oak Kings and revel in the Saturnalia celebrations.
Come and listen to Lindsey sharing dark winter stories from across the world and throughout the ages.
Join us for our last Dunkeld archaeology and history club event of 2025!
Skills Workshop – LiDAR and Aerial Photography
29th of January – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £20
Join our archaeology and history club skill session to learn how to utilise LiDAR images and Aerial photography to explore your landscape and improve your research capabilities!
Robert Carchrie is a trained archaeologist who will help explain what LiDAR is and how you can use it to explore your landscape and expand your research capibilities, find out how to use it alongside aerial images for optimum effect.
A conversation with Dr Kate Britton
13th of March – 7:30pm
Perth Arms, Dunkeld
Members Free / Non Members £10
Dr Britton’s specialism is Late Pleistocene (Ice Age) archaeology and archaeological science, particularly chemical analysis of human and animal remains to reconstruct their diets and life histories. She has previously worked on research projects exploring early and high Medieval diet in Scotland and animal-human relationships in Alaska among many other exciting things.
Come along and learn from an expert, and ask any burning questions you may have about this thrilling era and topic!
Previous events
9th and 10th of May – Guided Viking tours – multiple times – Buy tickets here
Guided tours led by the Glasgow Vikings
Take part in these amazing guided tours led by expert reenactors in authentic costume exploring the Viking connections and stories of the Ancient Village of Dunkeld.
Part of Living History Dunkeld 2025 sponsored by
H&H Construction, The Taybank, The United Lodge of Dunkeld NO.14, W&K Gerrie, Inver Mill Farm Caravan Park, The Craft Diner
28th of June 2pm – A dog with three noses and other stories from Ancient Rome (Storytelling event) Erigmore, Birnam Buy tickets here
Adults £5 under 16s £2.50
Meet King Midas who has the golden touch, the wolf cubs who founded a city and the geese who saved it. Learn the stories of Juno, Jupiter and a pantheon of Gods and Goddess as fabulator Aurelia Albia as tells myths and legends from Ancient Rome.
Also, meet Galenus of Legio VI Victrix, The Antonine Guard. Discover the Roman army, it’s campaigns in Perthshire and what made it such a formidable fighting force in the ancient world. Explore Perthshire’s Roman past through replica object handling and demonstrations led by an experienced archaeological educator. Have your kids got what it takes? Let them find out with some Roman marching and tactical drill instruction.
This session is open to all ages, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Max 2 children per adult.
Part of Living History Dunkeld 2025 sponsored by
H&H Construction, The Taybank, The United Lodge of Dunkeld NO.14, W&K Gerrie, Inver Mill Farm Caravan Park, The Craft Diner
9th of May 7:30pm – the Taybank –
Party like it’s 889! – Viking sagas and fashion at The Taybank FREE EVENT
Through the tales, sagas and the fashions of the era, Discover Dunkeld’s Viking connections and what life would have been like back then.
July – Every Thursday – The Scottish Soldier in the 17th Century – Guided Walk – Buy tickets here
Adults £10 under 16s free
Tickets from Dunkeld Community Archive subject to availability.
Clan clashes,political plots and violent battles…Follow the life of a soldier through these trying times in Scottish history.
Join Dale (in full 17th century costume) on a guided walk through the historic village of Dunkeld to explore this turbulent era of Scottish History defined by its battles and risings.
Dale is an expert in this era of history and is an active member of the Sir Arthur Erskine Regiment reenactment group.
Part of Living History Dunkeld 2025 sponsored by
H&H Construction, The Taybank, The United Lodge of Dunkeld NO.14, W&K Gerrie, Inver Mill Farm Caravan Park, The Craft Diner