The coastline of the Moray Firth is a treasure chest of architectural and archaeological interest.

During the Bronze age, burial cairns, such as Camster Cairn in Caithness, standing stones small duns and extraordinary brochs (fortified round houses with an inner and outer wall) were built, such as at Carn Liath near Golspie in Sutherland.

A few ruined structures survive from Pictish times, around 500 – 800 AD eg at Yarrows in Caithness. Burghead on the Moray coast was the site of what may be the largest Pictish Fort. Around the coast, intricately carved Pictish stones stand monument to this enigmatic people.

The Moray Firth area was a centre of early Christianity, with cathedrals at Dornoch, Fortrose and Elgin and prioiries such at Beauly in Inverness- shire. King James IV made pilgrimages to a shrine to St Duthac at Tain between 1493 and 1513.

In the Highlands, with relatively poor soil and short growing seasons, food has always been a precious commodity. Dovecots or “Doocots” such as this one at Boath, near Nairn in Moray were built to provide a ready source of fresh meat.

Castles and grand country houses remind us of the great social divide – Dunrobin Castle dates from the 14th Century, with later additions and alterations, including some by the notable Scottish Architect, Sir Robert Lorimer.

Fishing and the sea have greatly influenced the buildings in our coastal communities – small fishermen’s cottages stand gable end to the sea to withstand the gales.

Lighthouses were developed around the coast in the 1800’s in response to the growing trade and shipping. Such as this one at Tarbat Ness in Easter Ross.

For information about buildings and heritage around the area, try sites such as
Historic Scotland http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
the National Trust http://www.nts.org.uk
The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/search.html