Archaeology Sutor Fortifications ⋆ Ross and Cromarty Heritage

Archaeology Sutor Fortifications

Attribution: unknown or not recorded

fortifications on the North Sutor and South Sutor

Since 2007, during Highland Archaeology Week, Allan Kilpatrick of The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) has led groups round the fortifications on the North Sutor and South Sutor entrances to the Cromarty Firth which were created prior to the 1914-1918 War and added to during the 1939-45 conflict. The pages which follow contain some amateur photographs which may be of interest. [Photos RCHS]

Click on photo album to view thumbnails and then click thumbnail to see the full size images

Cromarty » Cromarty Folk

Gordon's Lane, Cromarty

Gordon's Lane, Cromarty. Maggie Flora Hogg opening mussels in preparation for baiting a line. The child in the background is possibly Katie Hossack.

Shore Street end of Gordon's Lane.

Shore Street end of Gordon's Lane. Some of the 'tough and hardy' men of Cromarty. From the left, Murda, Jimmy Potchak, Popenny, Lairdie and Boacks. In those days, c.1900, most of the houses in the fishertown were thatched.

Danny 'Boacks' Hossack working on his lines.

'Nansack', 'Annie Trickie' and 'Cripple Annie'

Even the women had bye-names - photo shows 'Nansack', 'Annie Trickie' and 'Cripple Annie'.

Cromarty fisherfolk c.1900.

The Little Vennel and carryimg the firewood is 'old Alicky Peepy'

A burning of sticks to take home for the fireplace . . . the scene is The Little Vennel and carryimg the firewood is 'old Alicky Peepy'.

Renovation of the East Church was nearing completion

Photograph taken during 'Open Doors Day' in September 2010 when the renovation of the East Church was nearing completion following work carried out by The Scottish Redundant Churches Trust. Photograph shows graves and wall in protective covering and duckboards protecting the graveyard.

Hugh Miller Cromarty Trail leaflet cover

8. The Courthouse (or Town House), Church Street

Built between 1771 and 1773 also by George Ross, using funds from the commissioners of the Annexed Estates (land forfeited after the unsuccessful 1745 Jacobite Rising). The building was used for the sittings of the Sheriff Court and for other official purposes. The high perimeter wall and the cell block was added in 1847. The Town council and the Burgh Magistrates continue to use the building until the 1960s. It was later restored as an award-winning museum in 1991, and is run by a locally based Trust. The Museum presents the social history of Cromarty in a most imaginative way.

1. Hugh Miller's Cottage, Church Street

1. Hugh Miller's Cottage, Church Street The birthplace of Hugh Miller, 10 October 1802. Cottage built in 1711 by John Fiddes, his great-great-grandfather, using his prize money as a sailor on the Spanish Main. Cottage interior features a "hanging lum", a chimney canopy of wood and daub, used for smoking fish. In the care of the National Trust for Scotland.

9. The Harbour

Cromarty's trading boom in the 18th century owes much to William Forsyth, who saw the potential to serve the wider Cromarty Firth. Forsyth's enterprise laid the bases after 1772 for the town's development by George Ross, which included the construction of the harbour by John Smeaton 1781 and 1784. It was in this period that Cromarty assumed its present appearance, reflecting its economic prosperity. In 1828, Invergordon improved its harbour piers and, with direct access to the rich hinterland of the Cromarty Firth, it prospered at the expense of Cromarty.

16. Lighthouse and Keepers' Cottages, George Street

16. Lighthouse and Keepers' Cottages, George Street This was established in 1846 to the design of Alan Stevenson, one of a long line of lighthouse engineers drawn from the same family (related to Robert Louis Stevenson, the writer). The stumpy tower is flanked by Egyptian-style Keepers' Cottages, now used by the University of Aberdeen as a base for the scientific study of the seal and dolphin populations of the Moray Firth, which attract much international interest.

Map of Cromarty

5. The Old Parish Church (the East Church), Church Street

Hugh Miller's Cottage

This photograph was taken during 'Open Doors Day' in September 2010 and shows the work of re-thatching the roof of the cottage nearing completion. In the same weekend it was announced that an anonymous benefactor had gifted £600,000 towards the upkeep of the property. [Photo RCHS]

Bust of Hugh Miller

Sketch of Pulpit

Monument

Lieutenant John Thomson - grave

[Photographs taken by RCHS during 'Open Doors Day' September 2010.] The inscription reads: "Sacred to the memory of John Thomson, inspecting chief officer in H.M. coast guard, Cromarty Division, formerly chief officer in the maritime service of the Hon. East India Coy., and fourth officer in their ship Kent when burnt in the bay of Biscay, on which occasion he was instrumental in saving many lives. Died 4th May 1870 aged 64."

Lieutenant John Thomson - grave

Site of Lt. John Thomson's grave beside Cromarty East Church.

[Photo RCHS]

Sir Thomas Hudson Middleton

Thomas Hudson Middleton, who was born at Rosefarm in 1863. Thomas was educated at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh, leaving in 1880 at the age of seventeen. He was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, however 1879 had been a hard harvest for British farming, which had opened markets for produce from North America and Canada. The family felt it best that Thomas should follow a career in engineering. He graduated as B.Sc. (Engineering) in 1883, and then, to gain practical experience, went into the works of Messrs Merles, Watson & Co., Glasgow. Sir Thomas Hudson Middleton played an important part in the development of agricultural research, education and advisory work which took place in this country from 1894 onwards

MacKenzie Brothers

L-R: Brothers, George Mackenzie, Newspaper Editor in Inverness, Donald Alexander Mackenzie, and William Mackay Mackenzie. Taken around 1930.

Attribution: unknown

In January 2019 it was announced that Historic Environment Scotland (HES, formerly RCAHMS) has been in discussions with the landowner to reach agreement to allow the public access to parts of the former battery on the South Sutor.

An assessment of the site by HES concluded: “This monument is of national importance because it has an inherent potential to make a significant addition to our understanding of the defence of the important naval anchorage of the Cromarty Firth and the naval base at Invergordon during the First and Second World War.

“This is a well-preserved example of a multi-phase coastal artillery battery, preserving rare features from both wars, including fixtures, fittings and camouflage paintwork.

“Occupying a strategically significant location at the entrance to the Cromarty Firth, the remains at South Sutor provide a tangible and powerful reminder of some of the defining events of the 20th Century.

“If this monument was to be lost or damaged, it would significantly affect our ability to understand the nature and scale of the efforts made to defend Britain against enemy and naval threats in the First and Second World War, and diminish the association between those who lived and served there during the wars.”

Some of the structures involved are:

2 battery observation posts
4 magazines
1 engine house
2 searchlight emplacements
1 mine-watching observation post
1 large water tank
12 buildings for accommodation, storage and maintenance

while three buildings would be excluded due to being in an unsafe condition and containing high levels of asbestos.

How the site was developed:

The history of the fortifications stems from the early 1900s when the local MP, James Weir, asked Parliament to consider fortifying the two headlands at the entrance to the Cromarty firth, known as the North and South Sutors, in view of the excellent anchorage the firth afforded.

The idea became a reality in 1913 when the Admiralty began construction of the fortifications. As war loomed and naval defences were being increased, Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, visited Cromarty and announced that the firth would become a main naval base over Scapa Flow in Orkney. However, this decision was reversed as Scapa Flow was judged to be the better base for blockading German ports, while the Cromarty firth would provide a safe anchorage for the Grand Fleet and Invergordon would be an important oiling station.

Massive gun emplacements were erected on both Soutors but naval chiefs were concerned about protecting the fleet from submarines, particularly as, in October 1914, the village of Jemimaville, near to Cromarty, was accidentally shelled by battle cruisers, injuring a baby and damaging a home, when they mistook a bow-wave in the firth for a U-boat periscope.

In the autumn of 1914 the senior naval officer of the base took the initiative of erecting anti-submarine nets across the entrance of the firth and so, by that time, the anchorage became protected by massive gun sites on both North and South Sutor as well as anti-submarine defences. Lower down on the slopes were searchlights and a 4-inch quick fire battery, around 30-60ft above sea level.

The larger gun sites were reoccupied during the Second World War and a 6-inch battery was completed in November 1939 and searchlights operational by December of that year. The battery remained in use during the war, although the guns were never fired in anger.

In addition to the fortifications the site included buildings to accommodate the considerable number of military personnel associated with defence.

Following WW2 the South Sutor battery was placed on “care and maintenance” before closing in 1956, after which it became a temporary home for a Territorial Army centre.