Old Photograph Fishing Boats Harbour Portmahomack Scotland

Old photograph of fishing boats in the harbour in Portmahomack in Easter Ross, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. The village is situated on a sandy bay and has a small harbour designed by Thomas Telford. Before that, a harbour had been built in 1697 on the orders of Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, later Earl of Cromartie, and even later Viscount Tarbat. That original harbour was built by the mason Alexander Stronach at the cost of £700 Scots Pounds and 50 bolls of oatmeal, and was ready to take ships in 1698. Nearly a century later this pier was in ruins. In 1790, Thomas Telford, then aged 33 years, was asked by the British Fisheries Society to make a tour of the north east of Scotland and report on any small harbours worthy of improvement. His itinerary included Portmahomack where he found the original pier much dilapidated. He considered its position favourable for the establishment of a Fishing Station. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.