| Birnam | |
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Birnam
Birnam shown within Perth and Kinross |
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| OS grid reference | NO032417 |
|---|---|
| Council area | Perth and Kinross |
| Lieutenancy area | Perth and Kinross |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Tayside |
| Fire | Tayside |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| Scottish Parliament | North Tayside |
| North East Scotland | |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Birnam is a town in Perthshire, Scotland. The town originated from the Victorian era with the coming of the railway in 1856, although the place and name is well known because William Shakespeare mentioned Birnam Wood in Macbeth.
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Birnam lies on the bank of the River Tay, in Perthshire’s 'Big Tree Country' and is located 12 miles north of Perth on the A9 road, the main tourist route through Perthshire.
Dunkeld, which is thought to date back to the sixth century when a monastery was founded, and where Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scotland, moved the bones of St. Columba around the middle of the 9th century, lies on the opposite bank of the river.
Birnam is approximately one hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and two hours from Inverness by car.
There is access by rail at Dunkeld and Birnam railway station, on the London to Inverness route.
There are regular bus and coach services to Birnam and Dunkeld.
There is an ancient tree, the Birnam Oak, standing a few hundred metres from the centre of Birnam on Athol Estate. In the past , it was known as "The Hangman's Tree".[2]
John Everett Millais, who painted many local landscapes, and Beatrix Potter, who visited regularly with her family from their London home, often visited Birnam.
Birnam has The Beatrix Potter Exhibition and Garden, and The Birnam Institute, a community run arts and performance centre with library.
The Birnam Highland Games is where the World Haggis Eating Championships are held.[3]