Strathpeffer Features

Attribution: unknown (The ruin of Free Church in Jamestown)

Strathpeffer Station

At the end of 2016 Strathpeffer’s former railway station received a much-needed facelift and the results were revealed to the public early in January 2017.

William Gray Ltd refurbished and made safe the platform canopy through new timber and glazing, repaired drainage pipes and repainting.

A local group, led by Susan Kruze of ARCH, in a year-long project, researched the history of the station and, through facts and images from the Highland Archive Centre and the Highland Railway Society, plus people’s recollections, produced new interpretation panels which are situated on the exterior of the station building. In addition, the group has produced a leaflet, an online blog, and there is a folder with all the research material on view in the Highland Museum of Childhood.

The station platform

Attribution: unknown

St John the Baptist well

Located on the lower slopes of Knockfarrel above Fodderty Cemetery. Wells such as these can be found throughout the Highlands and relate to Pagan times when well-worship was prevalent. On the arrival of the early Christians, there was a tendency not to antagonise the local population by discouraging well-worship, but instead dedicating certain wells to Saints, thus Holy Wells.

Originally, the water supposedly cured sickness and mental disorders, but recent analysis shows it to be beneficial for heart disease. The sites of the ancient chapels of Fodderty and Inchrory are in the vicinity.

St John the Baptist well

Attribution: unknown

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Strathpeffer » Strathpeffer History » Strathpeffer Events » Strathpeffer Building Neil Gunn Memorial 1987
Neil Gunn Memorial
Neil Gunn Memorial
(photo John McGhie, Muir of Ord)
A view of the surrounding area before construction
A view of the surrounding area before construction
02 Excavating the site.
02 Excavating the site.
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
01 The site
01 The site
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
03 Unloading the memorial stone
03 Unloading the memorial stone
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
04 The stone being placed in situ
04 The stone being placed in situ
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
05 Building the surrounding wall
05 Building the surrounding wall
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
06 Some planting
06 Some planting
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
07 Allan Haldane inscribing the memorial stone
07 Allan Haldane inscribing the memorial stone
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
08 Dingwall Academy pupils loading walkways
08 Dingwall Academy pupils loading walkways
Dingwall Academy pupils loading walkways under supervisition of technical subjects teacher Hamish Mackay (on right). Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
09 Walkways in place
09 Walkways in place
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
10 More planting
10 More planting
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
11 The memorial stone
11 The memorial stone
Photograph courtesy of Steve Clouston
Memorial stone
Memorial stone
The Neil M. Gunn Memorial Gate (1987)
The Neil M. Gunn Memorial Gate (1987)
Gathering for the formal opening
Gathering for the formal opening
Dr Kerr Yule (instigator of the project) in foreground
Dr Kerr Yule (instigator of the project) in foreground
Unveiling the site
Unveiling the site
On left: Finlay Macrae (piper), Allan Haldane, Dr Kerr Yule, in front of whom is Mrs Annie Green, Halkirk (wearing red scarf) who unveiled the site. Mrs Green, a cousin of Neil Gunn, donated the memorial stone which comes from her family quarry in Halkirk, Caithness.
Mrs Annie Green
Mrs Annie Green
Subsequent tree planting
Subsequent tree planting
Subsequent tree planting (c.1990) by S3 chemistry class, Dingwall Academy, with Dr Kerr Yule standing back left. (photo Ann Gould)
The Neil M Gunn Memorial
The Neil M Gunn Memorial
The Neil M Gunn Memorial, Heights of Brae, Strathpeffer - opened 31 October 1987. (photo John McGhie, Muir of Ord)
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial - 2001
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial - 2001
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial - 2001, Katharine Stewart having just unveiled panel. Ann and Kerr Yule to the right.
Unveiling of interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial
Unveiling of interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial
Unveiling of interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial, Heights of Brae, June 2001. l-r: Alison Wilkie, Ann Yule, Katharine Stewart (author)
Unveiling of interpretative panel
Unveiling of interpretative panel
Unveiling of interpretative panel at Neil M. Gunn Monument, Heights of Brae. Allan and Dorothy Haldane in centre of picture.
Interpretative panel covered in a Gunn tartan rug
Interpretative panel covered in a Gunn tartan rug
Interpretative panel covered in a Gunn tartan rug. l-r: Councillor Margaret Paterson, Douglas Murray, Katharine Stewart (author), Kerr Yule (Chairman of Neil M. Gunn Trust), Ann Yule.
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial
Interpretative panel at Neil Gunn Memorial, Heights of Brae - June 2001. l-r: Mr. Neil McKechnie, unknown, Alison Wilkie.
Neil M. Gunn Memorial - June 2001
Neil M. Gunn Memorial - June 2001
Neil M. Gunn Memorial - June 2001.l-r: Hilda , Katharine Stewart, Fiona, and baby Catriona (Katharine, her daughter, grand-daughter and great grand-daughter - four generations.) Tom MacIver, former Ross and Cromarty Further Education Officer, on right. (Tom died in 2014 at the grand old age of 106.)
Carved Heptagon
Carved Heptagon
The carved heptagon is made of Caithness slab. It was made by Mr Jack Green at his quarry at Halkirk, Caithness. On this feature, the carvings by Allan Haldane indicate the directions of important places in the surrounding landscape.
The Neil M. Gunn Monument
The Neil M. Gunn Monument
The Neil M. Gunn Monument was erected on Heights of Brae, Strathpeffer in 1987, as a consequence of the enthusiasm of the Trustees, seven local people. The monument itself consists of a central 'standing stone'; round the base are carved Caithness slabs, depicting themes central to Neil Gunn's writing. The Monument is situated in a very natural setting near the foothills of Ben Wyvis, and close to the route taken by the author as he made his way on his daily walk from Brae Farm House, up through the fields behind the house and on to the moor to the North of the monument. The thinking behind the 'Tryst Gate', the wrought-iron gate at the entrance to the monument, was of Neil's words being read and their influence radiating in all directions to other peoples.

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