Ever wondered what it must have been like at Guild parties in days gone by?

A diary from 1802 answers that very question after it was discovered in the archives of Scotland’s oldest inhabited house Traquair.

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A Tour to Preston Guild in 1802: A unique take on a unique event takes us on a journey with Lord Linton – a young man let loose from boarding school to visit the Guild.

The book has been brought into the present day by the Harris Museum and Art Gallery.

Head of Arts and Heritage at the Harris, Alex Walker, said: “We are delighted to be publishing the book just in time for Preston Guild 2012 and using parts of it to enhance the Dressing Up for the Guild exhibition.

“It really is an entertaining read and anyone with an interest in the history of the Guild should find it fascinating.”

Parts of the diary also form part of a Guild soundscape which accompanies the museum’s new exhibition Dressing Up for the Guild.

Margaret Fox, archivist at Traquair, said: “We were so excited when we found Lord Linton’s diary of his Preston Guild visit and we knew that we had to publish it in time for the next Guild in 2012.

“Lord Linton shows childlike wonder at the circus feats, gossips about the fashionable people and exaggerates wildly.

“The Harris and Lancashire Record Office have provided pictures from their collections to illustrate it and the book includes a complete facsimile in colour of the original 37 page diary. Overall, it’s both a remarkable historical document and a thoroughly enjoyable read.”

The book is available for £5 in the Harris Museum shop.