Avoch

Avoch Gaelic: Abhach
Ross-shire
Avoch Harbour
Location
Grid reference:	NH699553
Location:	57°34’10"N, 4°10’31"W
Data
Population:	891  (2001 )
Post town:	Avoch
Postcode:	IV9
Local Government
Council:	Highland
Parliamentary constituency:	Ross, Skye and Lochaber

Looking back east to Avoch from the harbour

Avoch is a harbour-village and parish located on the south-east coast of the Black Isle in Ross-shire. Its name is from from the Gaelic Abhach – meaning mouth of the stream.

Ormond Castle or Avoch Castle was a stronghold built on the site and served as a royal 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 village was founded by survivors of the Spanish Armada.

Intrepid explorer Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the first European to explore the great Canadian river now known as the Mackenzie River, crossing North America twice, to the Arctic Ocean in 1789 and Pacific Ocean in 1793, retired to Avoch in 1812 where he died in 1820 and was buried in the old Avoch Parish churchyard.

Avoch was the location of Rosehaugh (Pittanochtie) House, perhaps the most magnificent mansion house in the Highlands until it was demolished in 1959.

Much of Avoch's wealth has come from its fishing industry, and it remains a significant contributor to the village economy, with several large fishing boats owned or crewed from Avoch and an active fishermen's co-operative based there. The harbour is no longer used by the larger boats for landing but is used by leisure craft and boats taking visitors to see the dolphins in the inner Moray Firth at Chanonry Point. In addition to the fishing industry, commuting to Inverness and tourism provide income to the village.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Avoch)

• Sir Alexander Mackenzie at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online