Ulbster

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Ulbster
Caithness
Cottage at Loch Of Yarrows, will someone let the cat in^ - geograph.org.uk - 457098.jpg
Cottage at Loch Of Yarrows
Location
Grid reference: ND324064
Location: 58°21’18"N, 3°9’24"W
Data
Post town: Lybster
Postcode: KW2
Local Government
Council: Highland
Parliamentary
constituency:
Caithness, Sutherland
and Easter Ross

Ulbster is a scattered crofting hamlet on the eastern coast of Caithness, within the parish of Wick.

The Sinclair Mausoleum, with Ulbster Mains behind

Owned for many years by a cadet branch of the Sinclair Earls of Caithness, the hamlet is most notable for the Sinclair Mausoleum, within the grounds of the mediæval St Martin's Chapel. Sir John Sinclair, one of the Sinclairs of Ulbster, was a noted statistician who wrote the pioneering work Statistical Accounts of Scotland.

The county town, Wick, is seven miles north of the village along the A99 road. To the south of the village, two miles along the A99, lies the ancient port of Whaligoe.

The name Ulbster comes from the Old Norse ulfr bólstathr meaning 'wolf's dwelling', though there have been no wolves in the region for many years.

Outside links

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("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Ulbster)

References

  • Overview of Ulbster. Gazetteer for Scotland. 2015.
  • Mills, A. D.; Room, Adrian (2002). The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford: the University Press. p. 1227