01 October 2023Meeting Tuesday 17th September 2023
A New perspective on the Highlands Before Culloden —The life‐writing of ‘curious cleric’ Rev. James Fraser (1634‐1709
Professor David Worthington
Victoria Hall, Cromarty
This talk will interrogate the autobiographical sources left by Rev. James Fraser (1634‐1709) of Kirkhill, a Gaelic‐speaking scholar, traveller and minister. The entire period between 1493 and 1746 can still sometimes appear enigmatic in the history of the region, but Professor Worthington will highlight a different side that becomes apparent in Fraser’s presentation. His talk will focus on his strong engagement with Europe and his entanglement with empire, offering a fresh interpretation of the Highlands in the century before Culloden.
Professor David Worthington is an historian of Scottish (and wider British and Irish) connections with central Europe (c.1500‐c.1700). He researches and publishes also on the history of the firthlands of mainland northern Scotland from within a coastal history context. He completed his PhD in the Department of History, University of Aberdeen in 2000, and, prior to taking up his position at UHI, held the following posts: Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (2001‐2002); Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen (2005‐2007); Visiting Professor on two separate occasions at Polish universities, in the cities of Kielce (2004‐2005) and Wroclaw (2007‐2008). On arriving at the Centre for History as a lecturer in July 2008, he led on the development and launch of both the university's first joint honours degree, and the validation of a suite of four online masters programmes in history from 2011‐17. Prof Worthington has been head of the Centre since 2011, and was awarded his professorship in 2020.
Cromarty History Society now meets on the the third Tuesday of each month, September‐April and occasionally during the summer
03 September 2023Meeting Tuesday 19th September
Tarradale Through Time — Remarkable discoveries on the Black Isle
Dr. Eric Grant
Victoria Hall, Cromarty
Focused on the Muir of Ord area of the Black Isle, The Tarradale Through Time project investigated six archaeological sites dating from the mesolithic to the 18th and 19th centuries. Some significant sites were discovered, including the earliest occupation site in the Black Isle dating to 6500 BCE, as well as one of the largest Pictish cemetery sites known in Scotland. Along with some highly important material finds, the series of excavations has been crucial in informing our understanding of how the Black Isle was occupied and developed through time.
Dr Eric Grant lectured in archaeology and historical geography at university level for 20 years. He later undertook consultancy work and maintained an interest in the voluntary sector by chairing heritage organisations including museum trustees. Since moving to Ross‐shire in 2004 he has been investigating the archaeological potential of the Muir of Ord and Tarradale areas in the Black Isle. This led to a National Lottery Heritage Fund award for a series of six excavations — with some spectacular outcomes — under the aegis of Tarradale Through Time: community engagement with archaeology in the Highlands.
Cromarty History Society meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September‐April and occasionally during the summer. Click to see our programme and membership fees.
15 August 2023UHI Lecture September 18th 2003
UHI & RHS Lecture September 18th 2003
All members of the Cromarty History Society are invited to attend the Royal Historical Society‘s Sponsored Lecture: “In memory of my Great Grandfather and his infant son: Histories, communities and feelings in the centenary of the First World War”, with Lucy Noakes (University of Essex) 5.30pm on Monday 18 September 2023 at Centre for History, University of the Highlands and Islands, Burgh House, Dornoch.
The lecture is open to the public.
The lecture will be given by Professor Lucy Noakes (University of Essex) in the Centre for History, Burgh House, Dornoch. Everyone is welcome to attend, and we would greatly appreciate if you could share this news with your contacts and on your social media pages.
Professor Noakes’ lecture reflects on the continued emotional appeal of the First World War in British heritage and memory. Focusing on some of the many public history events and projects that were produced as a response to the war‘s centenary, it will consider the ways in which the conflict and its multiple legacies were remembered in families, in communities and in other social groupings and heritage sites. It will explore the centrality of an emotional connection to the past, and the ways that commemorative activities were often shaped by this connection. Finally, it will think about the ways that an emotional attachment to the past can shape the present and the future.
You can register for this free in-person lecture at this link. You can also attend online by registering at the same link.
If you have any questions about this lecture, please don‘t hesitate to ask.
The Royal Historical Society is the UK‘s foremost learned society for the support of history and historians. The Dornoch lecture is part of the Society‘s annual programme of sponsored lectures, held in association with university history departments across the UK.