The coastal fringe and fertile straths have been inhabited since Neolithic times and there is plenty of evidence of early occupation. Cairns can be found, the best example being on the Skelpick road not far from the Naver bridge at Bettyhill.

On the raised beach at Bettyhill are the remains of an early village whose hut circles and cysts can be seen. There are the remains of brochs all over the area. These are round stone refuge towers where people went to escape marauders from the sea. There is one above the big burn at Armadale , another above the raised beach at Bettyhill and excellent examples at the Kyle of Tongue and Hope further west.The church-yard at Bettyhill contains the Farr Stone, a very fine example of Celtic art.

Another important period of local history was the eighteenth century When the highland clearances took place. The clan chiefs, generally anglicised minor aristocrats, cleared their people from the straths in order to make the land more productive with the introduction of sheep.Many of the clearances were undertaken with great brutality burning the people out of their houses to force them to leave  taking what they could carry with them to live as best  they could on the less fertile coastal strip.

A bitter folk memory still persists of this violation of an ancient way of life based on clan loyalty, made more bitter for its perpetration by those whom the people regarded as their leaders and defenders. At this time many people left the highlands often for new worlds in America, Canada and Australia.

The clan culture of the highlands made the highlander an excellent soldier. Recruiting officers came annually and the rallying point is marked with a stone near the village hall at Stratnaver.

Clarance villages can be seen at Achanlochy near Bettyhill and Rossal down the Naver. Bettyhill museum has very good information about the clearances particularly that of Strath Naver which was notoriously brutal and painful. The destruction of Rossal was witnessed from the other side of the Naver by Donald Macleod who recorded the event . Tales of the North Coast contains many extracts from his account which is fully recounted in his book Gloomy Memories ,recently rebublished by Bettyhill museum. He was a remarkably literate man and his views on the partial reporting of Scottish history are well ahead of his time. The site of his witness is marked by a stone beside the Naver south of Syre on a wide green where the deer gather in the early mornings. ( see walks for Rossal village)

This is Mackay territory, the home page of this website is decorated with Mackay tartan. The Mackay clan museum on the first floor of the Betty Hill Museum  documents the diaspora of the native population. It also has the manuscript of the definitive book on the highland clearances by John Prebble, a heartbreaking read.
 
 

MUSEUMS etc.

Bettyhill Museum also has the Farr Stone and the Mackay clan archive.

Jimsons Community Croft project at Skerray.

Rossal clearance village 15 miles down the Naver.

The Strathnaver trail and Achanlochy clearance village at Bettyhill.

The R.S.P.B. peatlands reserve 14 miles down Strath Halladale.

P.S. The community at Armadale are working on a project to establish a village archive and visitors centre at Kells Croft, look out for developments and fund raising events.