Scottish Highlands Towns and Villages
Dornoch holiday rentals cottages, cabins, caravans and hotels
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- Last Updated on Saturday, 05 May 2012 17:33
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Dornoch This is a popular holiday seaside resort. Once the seat of the Bishops of Caithness, Dornoch still retains something of the character of a cathedral town.
The cathedral itself is more functional than a mason's hymn to the glory of God. Even so, it has a simple Dornoch Cathedral and dignified charm. First erected in 1224, it was destroyed by fire in 1570 during a clan feud between the Murrays of Dornoch and the MacKays of Strathnaver. It was then restored over a long period of time until 1835 when the final stages were completed. In 1924, to commemorate the 700 years of its existence, the whole of the lath and plaster work, with the exception of the fine vaulted ceiling, was removed, to reveal the building's 13th-century natural masonry which, apart from the nave, is original. |
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Local excavations have revealed a history of continuous habitation of the area going back some 3000 years. It was in Dornoch that the burning of Janet Horne, 'the last witch in Scotland', took place in 1722. In a garden near the golf course stands a simple slab of rough whinstone marking the spot where the unfortunate woman breathed her smoky last.
Golfing as a recreation in Dornoch dates from 1616, and the links are the third earliest mentioned in the history of the game. The Royal Dornoch Golf Club sponsors an Open Amateur Tournament held annually in mid-August. |
