Dornoch
Encyclopedia
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort
, and former Royal burgh
in the Highlands of Scotland
. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth
, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth
to the east. The town is within the Highland
local government council area, and within the former county
of Sutherland
.
The town is near the A9 road, to which it is linked by the A949
and the B9168.
Dornoch has the thirteenth-century Dornoch Cathedral
, the Old Town Jail, and the previous Bishop's Palace which is now the well-known hotel, Dornoch Castle
and a notable golf course
, the Royal Dornoch Golf Club
, named the 5th best golf course outside the United States in 2005 by Golf Digest
magazine. It is also notable as the last place a witch was burnt in Scotland. Her name was Janet Horne
; she was tried and condemned to death in 1727. There is a stone, the Witch's Stone, commemorating her death, inscribed with the year 1722. Legendary golf course designer Donald Ross began his career as a greenkeeper on the Royal Dornoch links
.
Dornoch used to be connected to the main railway network at The Mound via a light railway
. The railway was opened on 2 June 1902. Stations on the line were Dornoch
, Embo, Skelbo, Cambusavie Halt and The Mound Junction. The stations were shut on 13 June 1960.
On 21 December 2000, the pop star
Madonna
had her son Rocco christened in Dornoch Cathedral
, the day before her wedding to Guy Ritchie
in nearby Skibo Castle
.
On 13 January 2005, Dornoch was granted Fairtrade Town
status.
, Kirkwall
, Tain and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of Commons
of the Parliament of Great Britain
from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
from 1801 to 1918. Cromarty
was added to the list in 1832.
The constituency was a district of burghs known also as Tain Burghs
until 1832, and then as Wick Burghs
. It was represented by one Member of Parliament
. In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Dornoch component was merged into the then new county constituency of Caithness and Sutherland
.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
, and former Royal burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
in the Highlands of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
to the east. The town is within the Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
local government council area, and within the former county
Counties of Scotland
The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....
of Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
.
The town is near the A9 road, to which it is linked by the A949
A949 road
The A949 classified road is in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It has staggered junctions with the A9. From the A949 the A9 runs generally north to Thurso and generally south to Tain, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and Falkirk....
and the B9168.
Dornoch has the thirteenth-century Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral is a parish church in the Church of Scotland, serving the small Sutherland town of Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands. It was built in the 13th century, in the reign of King Alexander II and the episcopate of Gilbert de Moravia as the cathedral church of the diocese of...
, the Old Town Jail, and the previous Bishop's Palace which is now the well-known hotel, Dornoch Castle
Dornoch Castle
Dornoch Castle is situated opposite Dornoch Cathedral in the village of Dornoch, in Sutherland, Scotland, a little over north of Inverness.-History:...
and a notable golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, the Royal Dornoch Golf Club
Royal Dornoch Golf Club
Royal Dornoch Golf Club is a golf club in Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland. It is generally referred to as Royal Dornoch. The Championship Course is a links course located on the Dornoch Firth. The club has two 18-hole courses: the Championship Course and the Struie Course...
, named the 5th best golf course outside the United States in 2005 by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
magazine. It is also notable as the last place a witch was burnt in Scotland. Her name was Janet Horne
Janet Horne
Janet Horne was a Scottish alleged witch, the last person to be executed for witchcraft in Great Britain.Janet Horne and her daughter were arrested in Dornoch in Scotland and imprisoned on the accusations of her neighbours. Horne was showing signs of senility, and her daughter had a deformity of...
; she was tried and condemned to death in 1727. There is a stone, the Witch's Stone, commemorating her death, inscribed with the year 1722. Legendary golf course designer Donald Ross began his career as a greenkeeper on the Royal Dornoch links
Links (golf)
A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect...
.
Dornoch used to be connected to the main railway network at The Mound via a light railway
Dornoch Light Railway
Dornoch Light Railway was an historic railway in Scotland that ran from on the Sutherland Railway to the county town of Sutherland, Dornoch. This railway is closed....
. The railway was opened on 2 June 1902. Stations on the line were Dornoch
Dornoch railway station
Dornoch railway station formerly served the town of Dornoch in Sutherland, Scotland. The station was opened in 1902 and closed in 1960. The station was situated near Dornoch Cathedral....
, Embo, Skelbo, Cambusavie Halt and The Mound Junction. The stations were shut on 13 June 1960.
On 21 December 2000, the pop star
Pop Star
"Pop Star" is a 2005 single from Japanese singer Ken Hirai. The single went on to top the 2005 Oricon Charts and is known for its remarkable music video, featuring Ken in seven different personas, including a raccoon and his own manager. The Video also helped Ken break into the US and Canadian...
Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
had her son Rocco christened in Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral is a parish church in the Church of Scotland, serving the small Sutherland town of Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands. It was built in the 13th century, in the reign of King Alexander II and the episcopate of Gilbert de Moravia as the cathedral church of the diocese of...
, the day before her wedding to Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
in nearby Skibo Castle
Skibo Castle
Skibo Castle is located to the west of Dornoch in the Highland county of Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Although the castle dates back to the 12th century, the present structure is largely of the 19th century, and early 20th century, when it was the home of industrialist...
.
On 13 January 2005, Dornoch was granted Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods...
status.
Governance
Dornoch was a parliamentary burgh, combined with DingwallDingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
, Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, Tain and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1801 to 1918. Cromarty
Cromarty
The Royal Burgh of Cromarty is a burgh in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:It was previously the county town of the former county of Cromartyshire...
was added to the list in 1832.
The constituency was a district of burghs known also as Tain Burghs
Tain Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Tain Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832, sometimes known as Northern Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament .The first election in Tain Burghs was in 1708...
until 1832, and then as Wick Burghs
Wick Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918...
. It was represented by one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Dornoch component was merged into the then new county constituency of Caithness and Sutherland
Caithness and Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency)
Caithness and Sutherland was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.