Strathcarron, Highland

Strathcarron (Scottish Gaelic: Srath Carrann) is a hamlet, in the Highland council area of Scotland.

Strathcarron
Curious sheep, Gruinards, Strathcarron
Strathcarron is located in Ross and Cromarty
Strathcarron
Strathcarron
Location within the Ross and Cromarty area
OS grid referenceNG943422
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSTRATHCARRON
Postcode districtIV54 8
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°25′26″N 5°25′39″W / 57.42384°N 5.42754°W / 57.42384; -5.42754

Geography edit

It is situated at the head of the sea loch, Loch Carron, between the rivers, River Carron and River Taodail, in Wester Ross, Scottish Highlands.[1]

Climate edit

Climate data for Bealach Na Ba No 2 (773 metres asl) 1981–2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)
1.2
(34.2)
2.2
(36.0)
3.6
(38.5)
6.9
(44.4)
9.1
(48.4)
10.5
(50.9)
10.5
(50.9)
8.7
(47.7)
6.0
(42.8)
3.5
(38.3)
2.3
(36.1)
5.5
(41.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.1
(28.2)
−2.4
(27.7)
−1.5
(29.3)
−0.4
(31.3)
2.1
(35.8)
4.7
(40.5)
6.6
(43.9)
6.7
(44.1)
5.1
(41.2)
2.9
(37.2)
0.1
(32.2)
−1.2
(29.8)
1.7
(35.1)
Source: metoffice.gov.uk[2]

Amenities edit

It has a hotel called the Strathcarron Hotel and the Strathcarron railway station.

History edit

The following account is not disputed, but it refers to a different Strathcarron located to the west of Bonar Bridge, about 20 miles north west of Tain. The Strathcarron of this page is some 72 miles west of Tain. In 1854 (before the railway) travel would have been very challenging.

In the spring of 1854, one of the most notorious incidents of resistance to the Highland Clearances took place at Greenyards in Strathcarron, when Major Robertson of Kindeace attempted to evict his tenants to make way for more profitable sheep farming. It was reported by The Inverness Courier that the Sheriff Taylor at the head of about thirty-five men traveled from Tain and arrived at Greenyards at about dawn. Their arrival was expected and they were met by a crowd of about 300 people, two thirds of whom were women. They were all apparently prepared to resist the execution of the law. The women lined up at the front armed with stones and the men at the rear armed with sticks. The Sheriff tried to persuade them not to resist, as did Cummings who was the superintendent of the Ross-shire police. The sheriff reluctantly then had to use force and the police attacked the crowd and dispersed them. However, during the violence, fifteen or sixteen women were seriously hurt, some requiring medical treatment, as the police appeared to have used their batons with great force. The sheriff had served summonses on four tenants. The police tried to capture some of the men, but only captured five women. Sheriff Mackenzie later gave an account in which he said that the large number of people who had arrived to resist had been signaled to the spot by gun-shots.[3] The women who had been captured were taken to the prison at Tain but they were released on bail the next day. The incident, which took place on 31 March 1854, became known as "The Massacre of the Rosses". There was afterwards universal feeling among the people of Ross-shire and Sutherlandshire that the sheriff's conduct was reckless and there was indignation and disgust at the brutality of the policemen on the women which had left pools of blood on the ground.[4] One woman was reported to have died in this encounter.[5]

Trivia edit

Strathcarron is home to indie-folk musicians The Ramisco Maki Maki Rocking Horse and Oak Hero.

References edit

  1. ^ Microsoft; Nokia (26 February 2017). "Strathcarron" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Climate Normals 1981–2010". Met Office. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  3. ^ Richards, Eric (2012). The Highland Clearances. Birlinn. p. none given. ISBN 9780857905246. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  4. ^ "The History of the Highland Clearances - Ross-shire - The Eviction of the Rosses". electricscotland.com. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  5. ^ Mackenzie, Alexander (1914). The History of the Highland Clearances. Glasgow: P.J. O'Callaghan. pp. 141-143. Retrieved 29 April 2020.