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Dornoch is a Town 44 miles north of Inverness, on
the northeast coast of Scotland with two long
Beaches.
Dornoch is popular for its Golf, Cathedral,
Castle, Courthouse now a Cafe, Old Jail now
Shops, Historylinks Museum, Clearances
Cottages, Burning Site of a Witch, two Holiday
Parks, and Dunrobin Castle 12 miles
north.
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Click on Map for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The top image right shows Castle Street
leading to the town Centre where you can find
the Cathedral, Castle, Courthouse, and Old
Jail. The Market Cross can be found on the High
Street, on the north side of the Cathedral.
Dornoch Castle
is now a Hotel with a large Beer Garden at the
rear.
The Carnegie
Courthouse is now a Cafe / Diner with a
Visitor Centre.
Dornoch Jail is now
shops with the small Cells used for
displays.
Dornoch Cathedral is across the road
from the Castle. The Catheral was built in the
ealy 1200s.
The Historylinks Museum
can be found behind Dornoch Castle, up Castle
Close. The Museum has a large display of
Artifacts that span many centuries, and gives
information of life and work in this area from
the 1100s to present day.
The Dornoch Station
Hotel is close to the beach on Grange
Road.
Royal Dornoch Golf
Club is by the Beach, on the southeast side
of the Town. This Golf Club was formed in 1877,
became a Royal club in 1906 through King Edward
VII.
The Royal Golf Hotel is by
the Golf Club with its Conservatory Restaurant
having views over the course.
Dornoch Holiday
Park is by the Golf Course and Beach, with
a range of Caravans available for holidays.
By the Holiday Park, on Beach Road, is a
Garden with a Stone marking where a Witch named
Janet Horne was Burned to Death in 1727. Janet
was the last recorded person to be executed in
this way.
A short walk towards the Town centre from
the Witches Stone are the Clearances Cottages.
Around 1800, Landowners began forcing Tenant
Farmers off their land so they could begin
large scale sheep and crop farming. Many
Farmers moved to Dornoch where they built small
Cottages. This area of Dornoch is referred to
as Littletown.
Grannies Heilin
Hame Holiday Park is 3 miles north of
Dornoch in the area known as Embo. This Holiday
Park is next to the long sandy Embo Beach, with
a range of Caravans for holidays. The Park has
a Bar Diner and large Entertainment Hall, aslo
touring and camping.
Dornoch History
5000 BC - settlements were established in
this area known as Sutherland.
540 - Saint Finbarr may have arrived in
Dornoch and established a settlement. The ruins
of his Church are believed to be at the east
end of Dornoch Cathedral graveyard.
800s - Vikings took control of the Orkney
Islands and parts of the far northeast of
Scotland, encroaching on Dornoch.
1100s - Scottish Kings began pushing north
forcing the Vikings out of mainland Scotland.
Halkirk 65 miles north of Dornoch was where the
first Cathedral was built for the area.
1200s early - Halkirk Cathedral was burned
down by Farmers, killing the Bishop inside. The
Farmers riots began after the Bishop raised
Taxes.
The most prominent family in the area was de
Moravia, later The Mory, Murray, and
Sutherland.
1200s early - Skibo Castle was built for the
Bishops, 4 miles west of Dornoch.
1220 - Dornoch Cathedral was built for
Bishop Gilbert de Moravia to replace Halkirk
Cathedral.
1220? - Dunrobin Castle was built for
William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, 12
miles north of Dornoch.
1260s - Richard de Moravia was killed at
Embo, 3 miles north of Dornoch, fighting
Vikings. Richard was buried in Dornoch
Cathedral.
1500 - Dornoch Castle was built next to the
Cathedral for the Bishops.
1545 - the Bishops awarded Skibo Castle to
John Gray so his powerful family could help
prevent the Protestant uprisings from spreading
north.
1563 - the Queen's Act against witchcraft
was introduced in Scotland. This led to a
number of people being Strangled or Burned to
Death, normally after a neighbour they did not
get on with, reported them for Witchcraft.
1570 - Dornoch Cathedral was set on fire
during a Clan feud between the Murray's of
Dornoch, and Mackay's of Strathnaver. These
Clan feuds took
place over many years, involving a number of
Clans from the area.
1703 - Witchcraft was no longer seen as a
Criminal Offence punishable by the Death
Penalty in most of Scotland.
1727 - Janet Horne was found guilty of
Witchcraft at Dornoch, rolled in tar, placed in
a barrel, then burned to death. Janet was the
last recorded person in Scotland to die this
way.
1700s late - the Sutherland
Clearances began, removing large numbers of
small scale Tenant Farmers so their land could
be used for large scale Sheep and Crop farming.
A number of these Farmers moved to Dornoch to
try to live off Fishing. The area of Dornoch
where they built their small cottages was named
Littletown.
The Clearances
Monument can be viewed at Helmsdale, 27
miles north of Dornoch.
1837 - the restoration of Dornoch Cathedral
was completed so it could be used as a Church
of Scotland.
1849 - Dornoch Courthouse was completed next
to the Castle. Dornoch Jail was built next to
the Courthouse around the same time.
1877 - Royal Dornoch Golf Club was
founded.
1897 - the wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie
bought Skibo Castle to serve as his holiday
home with a swimming pool and golf course.
1947 - Dornoch Castle was converted to a
Hotel.
1973 - Dunrobin Castle, Gardens, and Museum
were opened to the public, also with Falconry
displays.
1982 - Skibo Castle was
bought by Peter de Savary to be used as a
private members club named The Carnegie
Club.
2000 - Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married
at Skibo Castle. There have been a number of
Film Stars and Sportsmen married at the
Castle.
2000 - Dornoch Jail was converted to a
Shopping Complex.
2010 - billionaire Elon Musk and
the actress Talulah Riley
were married at Dornoch Cathedral.
2015 - Dornoch Courthouse was converted to a
Cafe / Diner, Shops, and Visitor Centre.
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