The infamous name to be found in Dornoch town jail's list of prisoners
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COLUMN: From the Archives
This column’s virtual tour of Sutherland’s 13 parishes now ends at Dornoch.
Around 15 miles long and nine miles broad, the parish is bounded by the Dornoch Firth and the parishes of Creich, Golspie and Rogart.
The town of Dornoch was made a royal burgh in 1628 during the reign of King Charles I.
The origins of the name Dornoch is uncertain, but it could have come from the Gaelic "Dorn-Eich", for a horse’s hoof or shoe.
The story goes that the Earl of Sutherland used a horse’s leg to kill the commander of an invading Danish army during the Battle of Embo in the 13th century. And a horseshoe is present in the arms of the burgh.
However, the 3rd statistical account of Scotland, published in 1953, states that the name Dornoch can be found in a document written over 100 years before the battle and suggests that it may instead be of Norse origin.
As the parish with Sutherland’s only burgh, the records held at the Highland Archive Centre are slightly different from those of other parishes in the county.
HIGH Life Highland’s archive service is responsible for collecting, preserving and making accessible historical records in relation to Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty.
The collections are stored at the Highland Archive Centre and date from the 14th century.
They include charters, minute books, correspondence, accounts, maps, photographs and films, and contain more than 100,000 items.
Members of the public are welcome to consult the archives during opening hours and staff are on hand to give assistance. Remote enquiries are also welcome. Email: archives@highlifehighland.com
As well as the usual valuation rolls, education records and others, there are a range of documents referring to the running of the town including town council minutes from 1729-1975.
There is also the Dornoch jail book and list of prisoners showing, amongst others, that most infamous figure of the Highland Clearances – Patrick Sellar.
Sellar was the factor for Sutherland estates and he oversaw a period of brutal forced evictions.
His arrest is recorded, and that of four sheriff officers, for burning down the house of a tinker in Badinloskin in Strathnaver and demolishing the mill at Rhimsdale.
Sellar stood trial for these crimes (under a charge of Culpable Homicide, Real Injury and Oppression) in April 1816 in Inverness. He was found not guilty on all charges after the jury retired for only 15 minutes.
There are also deposited collections with references to Dornoch such as a small collection of papers from Dornoch Curling club covering the period 1892-1904.
These include Royal Caledonian Curling Club circulars and memoranda, correspondence, financial records, list of office bearers and members and a sketch plan of proposed curling ponds to be made near St. Michael’s Well.
The list of players in the Dornoch v Golspie match of February 17. 1904, also shows the expenses incurred for transporting the curling stones and sweeping the ice.
