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Nairn

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Nairn is a Town on the Moray Coast area of Scotland, 16 miles east of Inverness.

Nairn is popular for its Museum, Beaches, Old Courthouse on the High Street, Lochloy Holiday Park, Boat Trips, and a number of Walks in the area including Randolph's Leap and the Moray Way.

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The image top is of Nairn Train Station, opened in 1855, on the line connecting Inverness and Aberdeen. It is about 1 mile from the Train Station down past the War Memorial and High Street to the Beaches.

The second image is of Nairn War Memorial and St Ninian's Church. The Memorial was built in 1922, now with names from the Two World Wars.

St Ninian's Church was completed in 1881.

In front of St Ninian's Church is the Jubilee Fountain, erected in 1897.

Nairn High Street runs from the Fountain east, with the most notable building being the Courthouse from 1818. The Image here shows the Tower being renovated in 2019. There was a much older Tolbooth on this site before the Courthouse.

To the north of the High Street is King Street, where you can find the Nairn Museum, in Viewfield House, giving information on the Town and surrounding area over the centuries. The House was built for Colonel Ludovic Grant in 1803.

Next to the Museum is Nairn Bowling Club, Rugby Training Park, and the Nairn Community & Arts Centre for Films, Shows, Arts and Crafts.

A short walk north of King Street is the vast Beach Area with a Bandstand, Outdoor Pool, Kids Play, Cafes, Bar Diner, and Leisure Centre with an Indoor Pool.

The Harbour area at the Beaches has a statue of the Nairn Fishwife, erected in 2007 to commemorate the Women of Nairn that worked in the Herring Industry, gutting and packing the Herring into barrels, a huge business in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Phoenix Sea Adventures runs Boat Trips from Nairn Harbour to the Moray Firth to view Wildlife such as Seals, Porpoise, and Dolphins.

By the Harbour is Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park, with a Diner, Entertainment, and spaces for Touring and Camping.

On the east side of the Harbour, next to the Holiday park, is Nairn East Beach, probably one of the top Beaches in Scotland.

Nairn Dunbar Golf Club is by the East Beach, founded in 1899, with the course built on land gifted by Sir Alexander Dunbar.

Nairn Golf Club is on the north side of the Town, founded in 1887, now a top Links Course.

Nairn History

The most prominent Clans in this area were: Brodie, Calder, Campbell, Dunbar, Gordon, Macintosh, Rose, Comyn, and Rait. Scottish Clans were famous for fighting each other, normally their closest neighbour's, why the head of a Clan lived in a Castle. Marriage was often used to end centuries of murders between the Clans.

1100s - there was a Castle at Nairn, said to be by the Harbour.

1200s - Rait Castle was built for Clan Rait, 4 miles south of Nairn, later owned by Mackintosh and Campbell's. Now a Ruin that can be visited.

1300s - the earliest parts of Cawdor Castle were built for Clan Calder, 6 miles southwest of Nairn, now a Campbell Castle through marriage, can be visited.

1500s - Brodie Castle was built for Clan Brodie, 7 miles east of Nairn, now owned by the National Trust, can be visited.

1589 - King James VI of Scotland visited Nairn, stating the People at either end of the High Street spoke different languages, some Scots, others Gaelic.

Nairn was at that time growing around the Fishing Industry.

1700s late - Thomas Telford built the Harbour at Nairn, in the area known as Fishertown.

1818 - Nairn Courthouse was built on the site of an earlier Tolbooth.

1855 - Nairn Train Station opened, on the line that connected Inverness to Aberdeen, leading to Nairn becoming a popular Holiday Town, with many new Villas and Hotels built from that time.

1860s - the Fishing Industry at Nairn was at its peek, with over 100 local Fishing Boats.

1887 - Nairn Golf Club was founded.

1897 - the large Golf View Spa Hotel was built close to Nairn Golf Course.

1940s - the long sandy Beaches at Nairn were used for Troops to train for the Normandy Landings during World War Two.

The Future - an Old Quarry at Nairn Beach may be converted to an Open Air Amphitheatre for Outdoor Theatre and Music by Local Groups.

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