Ford, Argyll

Ford (Scottish Gaelic: Àth na Crà) is a small Scottish village at the southern end of Loch Awe, Argyll. The village grew from just a stopping point on the drove route to Inveraray, until it eventually gained a church, school, blacksmiths and a village shop. The Ford Hotel dates back to 1864 and was probably erected on the site of the old change house. Today it is a guest house with the name Ford House and is a listed building. Over time the school and the blacksmiths closed. The village shop closed in 2003. Another notable business in the village is the smokery owned by Murray Smoked Products. The building burnt down on Christmas Eve 2008 and is currently being rebuilt.

Another new business opening soon will be the new Hostel at An Lodan Bay (little pool or little loch) now more commonly referred to as Torran Bay. Also to be built within the next year will be a new village shop, farm shop, bar restaurant and function room next to the Hostel.

There are historic paddocks along the burn side of the ford to Dalavich road. The hill known as Dun Dubh overlooks the village.

Prehistoric remains

Many prehistoric structures survive within the village boundary and are all easily accessible or can be seen from the public road. Opposite the guest house, in the village centre, stands a prehistoric burial mound known in Gaelic as Cnoc an Ath (hillock of the ford). Several standing stones are scattered around the area, the three most notable ones being the one in the field next to the guest house, the one opposite Glennan Farm, and the largest at Torran Farm. A crannog is also present in Loch Ederline, clearly visible from the road.

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