Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and
royal burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in the
Highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot)
A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act. ...
of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
. It is an ancient
fishing port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...
and
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
around east of
Inverness, at the point where the
River Nairn
The River Nairn ( gd, Narann / Abhainn Narann) is a 35 mile long river in the Scottish Highlands.
Etymology
The hydronym ''Nairn'' is Pictish in origin. The name may involve ''*Naverna'', of which the ultimate genesis is the Celtic root ''*(s ...
enters the
Moray Firth. It is the traditional
county town of
Nairnshire
The County of Nairn (also called Nairnshire) ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county was used for local administration until the county council, based at the county t ...
.
At the
2011 census, Nairn had a population of 9,773, making it the third-largest settlement in the Highland council area, behind Inverness and
Fort William.
Nairn is best known as a
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the Germ ...
, with two
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
courses, award-winning beaches, a community centre and arts venue, a small theatre (called The Little Theatre) and one small
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make thes ...
, providing information on the local area and incorporating the collection of the former Fishertown museum.
History
The
History of Nairn
This article collects the History of Nairn, Nairn ( ; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and Royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness. It is the traditional county t ...
is a broad and diverse topic spanning its
Palaeolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος '' lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone to ...
and
Mesolithic roots before recorded history, to the
Picts
The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from e ...
and the visitation of Roman general
Agriocola. Its possible founding under the name Ekkailsbakki by
Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, its royal burgh status under
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland ...
, its strong links to monarchs and regents of Scotland and its strategic position in multiple wars and famine.
Geography
Formerly part of the Supercontinent of Rodinia as evidenced by the discovery of Dalradian Supergroup rocks, Nairn encompasses a 2.6 mile by 1.5 mile position on the mouth of the River Nairn and is fronted by the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
at the Moray Firth with two extensive beaches. The east beach being predominantly sand with dune vegetation (such as marram grass) and the west having more rock though becoming more sand as it reaches the river mouth. The Cublin Sands forms part of one of the most extensive areas of stabilised blown sand in Britain. The soil by the coast is largely a thin and loose organic layer developing directly on the sand and this has been strengthened in areas such as Culbin for forestry.
The town itself is predominantly flat rising from sea level to 40 ft in Fishertown and the majority of the town sitting at 65 ft above sea level. Sections of Nairn do reach as high as 95 ft near Balblair.
The low ground near the coast is fertile and the soil rich free loam over sand or gravel. In the town thin, rather acidic soils are present throughout. The
alluvial plain has shown
Permo-Triassic sandstones, thick accumulations of
Jurassic
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
sandstones and dark shales, and erosion by ice sheets. Excavation can reveal dark, muddy
glacial
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
deposits, with occasional fossils and shells.
As the land rises south we see Conifer forests and on the higher slopes we see heather moorland and montane vegetation. The wider Nairnshire and Moray area is 28% woodland, one of the most-wooded areas in Britain.
Nairn is predominantly surrounded gently rolling mounds and hills of mixed-used agricultural and forestry usage upon a glacial landscape. The surrounding areas reaching a height of 620 ft at the Hill of Urchany 3.7 mils south of the town. The land remains fertile and primarily consisting of granite below.
The Hydrology of the surrounding area directs water to drain northwards into the River Nairn leaving it prone to flooding. As such the embankments are strengthened in inhabited areas.
Climate
Population
Culture
On 27 May 1960 Nairn's The Regal Ballroom on Leopold Street played host to an act that would go on to become a huge cultural influence on the world of music. A cover band touring Scotland on
The Beat Ballad Show Tour
The Beat Ballad Show Tour was a 1960 tour of Scotland by singer Johnny Gentle, backed by the Beatles (billed as Johnny Gentle and his Group). It was the first concert tour by the Beatles.
Background
On 10 May, the Beatles competed with other loc ...
with
Johnny Gentle
John Askew (born 8 December 1936), known as Johnny Gentle, is a British pop singer best remembered for having briefly toured Scotland with the Silver Beetles (later known as the Beatles) as his backing group in 1960.
Life and career
John Ask ...
as the lead vocalists and featuring three relatively unknown musicians. The founding members of
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
.
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
,
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
and
George Harrison played under the name The Silver Beetles. The cover acts set list including ''Raining in My Heart'' by
Buddy Holly and ''I Need Your Love Tonight'' by
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
. The prominent Ballerina Ballroom of Nairn played host to many famous acts over the years including
Pink Floyd and
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
in 1967,
Status Quo in 1970,
Fleetwood Mac and
Slade
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The ''British Hit Singles ...
in 1971. The town continues to hold a musical heart hosting the Nairn International Jazz Festival each August, usually attracting some well-known and world class musicians including
Bob Wilber
Robert Sage Wilber (March 15, 1928 – August 4, 2019) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his caree ...
and the
Soprano Summit Jazz supergroup.
One link to Nairn's agricultural cultural roots is the Nairn Farmer's Show, better known locally as just the Nairn Show is hosted by the Nairnshire Farming Society as it has been since 1798. The show features livestock competitions of cattle, sheep and horses with trade stands as well as craft and food fairs. Locals produce baked goods, honey, jams and handicrafts such as knitting to be pitted against each other in contest. Many of the people of Nairn have a passion for cooking and this passion is shown in the three day long Taste of Nairn food and drink festival event hosting the World
Tattie Scone Championship.
Nairn is home to the Little Theatre, run by the Nairn Drama Club, which was established in 1946. Each year the club produces a number of shows, of varying genres, with the annual Christmas panto being the largest production of all. The Theatre began in dilapidated premises but was rebuilt and reopened in 2004.In 2007 Oscar-winning actress
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition t ...
, who lives in Nairn, created a film festival entitled "Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams", which was held in the Nairn Public Hall. It generated worldwide press about the festival and Nairn.
The people of Nairn also appreciate the written arts and is the host for the annual Nairn Book & Arts festival which takes place every year in September at the Nairn Community & Arts Centre. Guests have included authors such as
Helen Sedgwick, journalist
John Sergeant and royalty guest
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the ac ...
. The events have included speakers, performers, cinema and readings of local poet
Olive Fraser
Olive Fraser (20 January 19099 December 1977) was a Scottish poet born in Aberdeen. Both her parents emigrated to Australia within a year of her birth, leaving Olive living with her great aunt in Nairn. She won the Calder Prize for English verse ...
.
Education
![Nairn_Academy_2014-05-04_19-17](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Nairn_Academy_2014-05-04_19-17.jpg)
Nairn is currently serviced by one
secondary school named
Nairn Academy
Nairn Academy is a secondary school in Nairn, Scotland. The school currently has a roll of 651 pupils.
History
The school was founded in 1832. Until 1953, the school had been known as Rose's Academical Institution, in honour of an early benefac ...
located on Duncan Drive in the Tradespark area of Nairn where it has existed since 1976. Prior to this located in the building occupied by the current Rosebank
Primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
on Lodgehill Rd. Nairn Academy was founded in 1832 under the name Rose's Academical Institution by Captain James Rose. Prior to Nairn academy other facilities had existed including the preparatory boarding school for boys known under the names Seaforth in 1901 and Alton Burn in 1911. As well as Rosebank Primary school, Nairn is also the location of Millbank Primary school on Millbank Crescent. Nairn Academy also commonly takes students from Cawdor, Croy and Auldearn Primary Schools.
In 1818 we are offered insight into the status of the school facilities by the parish minister.
In 2021 Nairn Academy has been ranked as 204 out of 340 schools based on the percentage of pupils attaining
five Highers at 35%. Higher than nearby Inverness High School with 13% and below Inverness Royal Academy with 41% and Charleston Academy Highland with 45%.
Politics
Member of UK Parliament (MP)
In 1617 Nairn selected John Dunbar of Moynes as the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...
in the
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...
for the constituency
Nairnshire
The County of Nairn (also called Nairnshire) ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county was used for local administration until the county council, based at the county t ...
. This constituency was last represented by
John Forbes of Culloden in 1707.
In 1708 following the
Acts of Union, 1707, Parliament of Scotland constituency Nairnshire was replaced by a
district of burghs
The Act of Union 1707 and pre-Union Scottish legislation provided for 14 Members of Parliament (MPs) from Scotland to be elected from districts of burghs. All the parliamentary burghs (burghs represented in the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland) ...
constituency of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
of the
Parliament of Great Britain to 1801 and of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
. From 1708 to 1918 Nairn was part of the county constituency of
Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands and Outer Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in popula ...
.
The constituency was abolished in 1918 and the Forres and Nairn components were merged into the then new constituency of
Moray and Nairn. Moray and Nairn was a
county constituency
In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons.
Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called " constitue ...
of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
from 1918 to 1983. This was split for the
1983 general election and incorporated into
Moray and
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber.
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber was a
county constituency
In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons.
Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called " constitue ...
of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
from 1983 to 1997.
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, was a
county constituency
In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons.
Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called " constitue ...
of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
from 1997 to 2005 represented by Labour's
David Stewart.
Nairn is currently residing in the
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
of the
UK Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
. Nairn has been represented by
Scottish National Party MP
Drew Hendry
Andrew Egan Henderson Hendry (born 1964), known as Drew Hendry, is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey since 2015. He has been serving as SNP Foreign Aff ...
in the
House of Commons of the United Kingdom since 7 May 2015.
Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Founded under the
Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which legislated for the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament with tax varying powers and the Scottish Government (then Scottish Executive). It was o ...
, a devolved
Scottish Parliament was legalised placing Nairn into the Scottish Parliament in 1999 as part of the
Highland council area
Highland ( gd, A' Ghàidhealtachd, ; sco, Hieland) is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom. It was the 7th most populous council area in Scotland at the 2011 census. It shar ...
and constituency
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber.
Fergus Ewing
Fergus Stewart Ewing (born 23 September 1957) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy from 2016 to 2021, having previously held two junior ministerial posts. He ...
of the
Scottish National Party was elected to represent Nairn in the
1999 Scottish Parliament election
The first election to the devolved Scottish Parliament, to fill 129 seats, took place on 6 May 1999. Following the election, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats formed the Scottish Executive, with Labour Member of the Scottish Parliam ...
as the first
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP).
Boundaries were redrawn before the
2011 Scottish Parliament election
The 2011 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.
The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the Additional M ...
, dividing the area between
Inverness and Nairn and
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. Fergus Ewing was once again elected in the 2011 election and continues to serve.
Local Government
Nairn is represented in
ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
18 of the Highland Council area. The head of this
burgh or ward council is a
provost, the chief magistrate or convener of a burgh, the equivalent of a
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
in other parts of the United Kingdom. The provost of Nairn is Laurie Fraser.
Formed in 1973 the community council is the lowest tier of local government in Scotland. Nairn District Council, was replaced by a larger authority, Highland Council in 1996 and community councils were formed to represent local interests. Nairn is represented by two local community councils. The Nairn West & Suburban Community Council and the Nairn River Community Council.
Religion
![Nairn Religion Pie Chart](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Nairn_Religion_Pie_Chart.png)
During the 2011 census, the majority of responses from Nairn indicated a religious association with the largest group belonging to the Church of Scotland although this group was smaller than those who indicated that they did not follow any religion.
Christianity
![Burgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Burgh.of.Nairn.Seal.png)
Nairn was included traditionally within the
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...
of Moray believed to be formed in the reign of
Alexander I of Scotland
Alexander I ( medieval Gaelic: ''Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim''; modern Gaelic: ''Alasdair mac Mhaol Chaluim''; c. 1078 – 23 April 1124), posthumously nicknamed The Fierce, was the King of Scotland from 1107 to his death. He succeeded his broth ...
around 1122 which extended from Spey to the
River Beauly
The River Beauly ( gd, Abhainn nam Manach, ) is a river in the Scottish Highlands, about 15 km west of the city of Inverness.
It is about 25 km long, beginning near the village of Struy, at the confluence of the River Farrar and the ...
. A writ in the time of
William the Lion
William the Lion, sometimes styled William I and also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough"''Uilleam Garbh''; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Scots from 11 ...
shows Bishop of Nairn had given possession of lands in Nairn to King William for the building of Nairn Castle. Implying much of the land of Nairn and the castle had previously belonged to the church or to the Bishop of Moray himself. Possession of
Auldearn
Auldearn ( gd, Allt Èireann) is a village situated east of the River Nairn, just outside Nairn in the Highland council area of Scotland. It takes its name from William the Lyon's castle of Eren (''Old Eren''), built there in the 12th century. ...
was provided in compensation.
There are two
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...
congregations in the town. The Old Parish Church, commonly known as Nairn Old Parish Church, is on Academy Street in Nairn erected in 1811, and containing 902 sittings.
A second working building is on the High Street. Nairn St Ninians was opened in 1881 as a
Free Church of Scotland and is of an Early French Gothic design, costing £7000 and containing 1200 sittings. In 1900 The Free Church and The United Presbyterian Church united, when it became Nairn High Church. In 1974 The High Church united with The Rosebank Church, and the new congregation appropriately took the name
St. Ninian's, the Patron Saint of the Burgh and one pre-eminent in bringing the Gospel to the people of Scotland. This parish extends across most of the town and out towards Auldearn.
St Columba's Episcopal Church is on Queen Street; the church was built of sandstone with a slate roof in 1857 and is still in use. There is also St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Academy Street, founded as a result of Gaelic-speaking Roman Catholics who moved from the island of Barra to Nairn in the second half of the 19th. century.
Other worshipping communities include Nairn Baptist Church, Nairn Free Church, and The Pentecostal Church of God.
Islam
Islamic practice within the area can be traced back to before World War Two with nine Muslim graves for the fallen veterans in nearby Kingussie. Lady Zainab, also known as Lady Evelyn Cobbold and Zainab Cobbold is another local figure of note and daughter of the 7th Earl of Dunmore. Born in 1867 she is the first known British woman to complete the
Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...
in 1932 and continued to practice her faith until her death in Inverness in 1963. She was buried in Glencarron in 1963 and in accordance with the principles of Islam.
The number of Muslims noted in the 2011 Census of Scotland is reflective of the lack of Mosque in the town of Nairn. The nearest Mosque being Inverness Mosque, 16 miles west and the next
Elgin Mosque 21miles east. In the north of Scotland prayers times can start as early as 2am for Fajr and as 11am for Isha.
Paganism
Paganism, Wicca, or Witchcraft has a long history in Scotland and in Nairn. In nearby
Elgin, east of the cathedral exists the Order Pot, a deep pool of water used to test the witches of Nairn up to 1560.
Over fifty people were tried and killed within two miles of Nairn including Issobel Nicoll, Margaret Wilsone and Allexander Ledy in the 16th and 17th century as witches and warlocks.
In 1662 a woman living in nearby Auldearn just two miles from Nairn named
Isobel Gowdie
Isobel Gowdie was a Scottish woman who confessed to witchcraft at Auldearn near Nairn during 1662. Scant information is available about her age or life and, although she was probably executed in line with the usual practice, it is uncertain whe ...
was accused and confessed to four counts of Witchcraft and is immortalised in ''
The Confession of Isobel Gowdie'', an orchestra piece by composer
James MacMillan
Sir James Loy MacMillan, (born 16 July 1959) is a Scottish classical composer and conductor.
Early life
MacMillan was born at Kilwinning, in North Ayrshire, but lived in the East Ayrshire town of Cumnock until 1977. His father is James MacMi ...
.
Practices continued into 1848, as a corps creagh was discovered on the bank of the
River Nairn
The River Nairn ( gd, Narann / Abhainn Narann) is a 35 mile long river in the Scottish Highlands.
Etymology
The hydronym ''Nairn'' is Pictish in origin. The name may involve ''*Naverna'', of which the ultimate genesis is the Celtic root ''*(s ...
near the town itself. A life-sized clay figure filled with needles, placed in such a way that water dipped over its heart. It was said that on the clay dissolving, the man the clay represented would die.
Modern day pagans have formed online groups such as the Scottish Pagan Federation, Highland Pagan Open Circle and East Scotland Heathen Moot which hold Nairnshire residents within their members.
Sports and Athletics
![Nairn Highland Games - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Nairn_Highland_Games_-_geograph.org.uk_-_173437.jpg)
Nairn has a wide range of sporting clubs and activities. The main Nairn Sports Club located on Viewfield Drive offers facilities for weight and cardio training, tennis, squash, table tennis and badminton among other sports. As well as these classes in spinning,
pilates
Pilates (; ) is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". It is practiced worldwide, especially in countries suc ...
and
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...
among others. On the coast the Nairn Leisure Centre holds Nairn's only swimming pool as well as indoor and outdoor fitness suites. Nairn hosts the only
Synchronised Swimming
Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédératio ...
(Artistic Swimming) club in the north of Scotland.
Most notable of the sporting activities of Nairn is the Nairn
Highland Games, a yearly event taking place since 1867, it attracts large crowds of tourists and locals to the town. Events include the more modern
half-marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcut ...
and traditional Highland games events, the tug-of-war,
shot put,
highland dancing
Highland dance or Highland dancing ( gd, dannsa Gàidhealach) is a style of competitive dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 19th and 20th centuries, in the context of competitions at public events such as the Highland games. It ...
and
tossing the caber. These are the only completely free entry games in Scotland.
Another major entry in the Nairn calendar is the Nairn 10k race. Starting in Nairn High Street and ending back there below the clock tower the course leaves the boundaries of the town and takes runners out into the rural landscape of Nairnshire via its roads. The event also hosts a fun run which is untimed and can be entered by children as young as nine. The event is hosted by the Nairn Road Runners, another of Nairn's athletics clubs. They practice cross country, road running, hill running and ultra distance races. So they can compete themselves staffing of the event is often run by ex-members and volunteers.
The oldest recorded sporting club of Nairn is the Nairn Curling Club established before 1854 as members of the
Royal Caledonian Curling Club
The Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC), branded as Scottish Curling is a curling club in Edinburgh, Scotland. It developed the first official rules for the sport, and is the governing body of curling in Scotland. The RCCC was founded on 25 ...
, the club still hold a complete members' list from 1907 to 2007.
![Station Park, Nairn FC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Station_Park%2C_Nairn_FC.jpg)
Nairn has three local football teams
Nairn County of Station Park on Balblair Road, who play in the
Highland Football League established in 1914 and
Nairn St. Ninian, who are members of the
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "junior" refers to the level of football ...
and are based at Showfield Park. The Nairn St Ninian Women's team was established in 2016 play in the
Scottish Women's Football
Scottish Women's Football (SWF), formerly known as the Scottish Women’s Football Association (SWFA) between 1972 and 2001, is the governing body for women's association football in Scotland. It is an affiliated national association of the Scott ...
league.
The Nairn County Cricket Club have been members of the North of Scotland Cricket Association since it was founded in 1893. The club plays and hosts at the pavilion in Nairn links and holds a yearly Kwik Cricket Competition for all the schools in the Nairn area with an aim for junior development and encouragement of young people joining the sport.
Nairn is known as a golfing destination, with two 18 hole Championship golf courses. One of these, The
Nairn Golf Club
Nairn Golf Club is a golf course in Nairn, Scotland.
The Nairn Golf Club is noted for hosting the 1999 Walker Cup, 2004 Jacques Léglise Trophy, 2012 Curtis Cup, and the 2021 The Amateur Championship, Amateur Championship.
References
External ...
was established in 1887. Its designers include Archie Simpson,
Old Tom Morris
Thomas Mitchell Morris (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died ...
and James Braid. It has hosted many tournaments culminating in the 1999
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland. The official name is the Walker Cup Match (not "Matches" as in Ryder Cup Matches). It is ...
and was the venue for the 2012
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match. It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and The R&A and is contested by teams representing the United States and ...
. The second is Nairn Dunbar Golf Club established in 1899 host of the World One-Arm Golfers Championship, British Seniors Amateur Championship and The 91st Boys Amateur Championship.
Nairn is home to the Nairn St Ninian
Bowling
Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), thou ...
club on Viewfield Drive established in May 1961 and a second Nairn Bowling Club, Bowls Scotland Silver Mark accredited club, on Albert Street.
Being on the coast Nairn enjoys easy access to the North sea and as such has had a sailing club since 1968. It has a membership club house at Nairn harbour but that is not the only seafaring club in Nairn. Nairn Coastal Rowing Club organised under The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association was established in 2017 and merged with the Ardersier Boat Club in November 2018 hosting two 22 ft (6.5m) long by 5 ft 8in (1.7m) beam (width) boats. Another modern addition to Nairn's sporting landscape is the Nairn Boxing Club established in 2019 hosting professional boxer Adian Williamson in the High Street gym.
Notable people
*
Charlie Chaplin, used to holiday every year in Nairn and stayed at the Newton Hotel.
*
Margaret Fulton
Margaret Isobel Fulton (6 October 1924 – 24 July 2019) was a Scottish-born Australian food and cooking writer, journalist, author and commentator. She was the first of this genre of writers in Australia.
Fulton's early recipes encouraged A ...
, food and cookery author, writer, journalist, author, and commentator. She was the first of this genre of writers in Australia.
*
James Augustus Grant
Lieutenant-Colonel James Augustus Grant (11 April 1827 – 11 February 1892) was a Scottish explorer of eastern equatorial Africa. He made contributions to the journals of various learned societies, the most notable being the "Botany of the Sp ...
, who was the first European to discover the outpouring of the
White Nile from
Lake Victoria, together with Speke was born at Househill, attended Nairn Academy and died at Nairn in 1892. There is a plaque to his memory in
St Paul's Cathedral.
*
Frances Mary Hendry, author of children's historical fiction, resides in Nairn, where many of her books are set.
*
Grenville Johnston, Lord Lieutenant of Moray, born here.
*
Fraser Nelson
Fraser Andrew Nelson (born 14 May 1973) is a British political journalist and editor of ''The Spectator'' magazine.
Early and personal life
Nelson was born in Truro, Cornwall, England but raised in Nairn, Highland, Scotland. He attended Nairn A ...
, editor of ''
The Spectator
''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world.
It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...
'' since 2009, was raised in Nairn.
*
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition t ...
, actress and her children have resided in Nairn since 2007.
*
David St John Thomas
David St John Thomas (30 August 1929 – 19 August 2014) was an English publisher and writer who founded David & Charles.
Early life and career
The son of writer Gilbert Thomas (1891–1978) he shared his father's enthusiasm for railways, part ...
, British author and publisher resided here prior to his death in 2014.
*
William Whitelaw
William Stephen Ian Whitelaw, 1st Viscount Whitelaw, (28 June 1918 – 1 July 1999) was a British Conservative Party politician who served in a wide number of Cabinet positions, most notably as Home Secretary from 1979 to 1983 and as ''de fac ...
, the British deputy Prime Minister 1979–88, was born in Nairn and has a street named after his family.
*
George McCall Smith, notable New Zealand doctor
See also
*
Nairn Town and County Hospital
*
Kingsteps
*
Murder of Alistair Wilson
References
External links
*
A Gurn from Nurnwith views on politics, culture, upcoming events etc.
Nairn Scotland Portaloffering a guide to visiting and living in the area.
Nairn River Community CouncilVisitNairnTourism and visitor information
{{Scotland topics , state=expanded
Ports and harbours of Scotland
Royal burghs
County towns in Scotland
Seaside resorts in Scotland
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Towns in Highland (council area)
Parishes in the County of Nairn