Avoch
Avoch is a harbour-village situated on the south-east coast of the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth. Ormond Castle or Avoch Castle was a fortress built on the site as well as functioned as an imperial castle to William the Lion; passed on to the Morays of Petty then Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway, upon his marriage to Joanna de Moravia in 1362. Descendants of Archibald, were to take the title of Earl of Ormonde from the castle. Legend has it that the town was founded by survivors of the Spanish Armada. Avoch was in the control of David Chalmers, Lord Ormond from 1560/61 however he forfeited his castle and control of Avoch in 1568 when he was ousted as a result of his part in helping the getaway of Mary Queen of Scots. The castle as well as town then passed to Andrew Munro of Milntown. Intrepid Scottish-Canadian traveler Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the very first European to discover the terrific Canadian river currently referred to as the Mackenzie River, crossing North America twice, to the Arctic Ocean in 1789 and also Pacific Ocean in 1793, retired to Avoch in 1812 where he passed away in 1820 as well as was buried in the old Avoch Parish churchyard. Avoch was the place of Rosehaugh (Pittanochtie) Residence, an imposing mansion house up until it was demolished in 1959. A substantial home existed on this website considering that 1790. Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has offerings of both coins as well as clouties. Cloths, woollen and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery, and as symbols of penenace as well as fulfilment of a vow (Sharp 1998). Much of Avoch's riches has actually come from its fishing market, as well as it stays a significant contributor to the town economic climate, with several huge fishing watercrafts possessed or crewed from Avoch as well as an energetic fishermen's co-operative based there. The harbour is no more made use of by the larger boats for touchdown but is used by leisure craft and also watercrafts taking visitors to see the dolphins in the internal Moray Firth at Chanonry Factor. In addition to the angling sector, travelling to Inverness as well as tourism supply revenue to the village. Lazy Corner, called for the young people who gathered there to kill time, has been moved by the road widening in the Eighties, and beautified by a sculpture intended to add character to the town. It is still a gathering place.
