FARR, a parish, in the county of Sutherland, 19
miles (VV. by S.) from Thurso; containing, with the
former quoad sacra district of Strathy, 221* inhabitants.
The name of Farr, or Far, as it is sometimes written,
may be derived from the Gaelic word Faire, implying a
" watch " or " sentinel ". It doubtless arose in reference
to the Dun, or circular tower, standing on the coast,
about half a mile north of the parish church, and which
formed the first and most important of a regular chain
of such ancient buildings extending for more than twentyfour
miles into the interior. These towers are thought
to have been erected by a race called in Gaelic Criiiniiich,
from a word signifying " circular ", or one denoting " a
gathering together ". There are also numerous tumuli
in the neighbourhood, which are generally considered to
have been the burying-places of invaders, especially
Danes, who fell in the fierce and bloody conflicts so
frequent with the native inhabitants; the sepulchres of
the chieftains are usually at a little distance from the
ordinary burying-places, and marked out by some signal
and more permanent memorial. In the churchyard of
Farr, for example, is a large erect stone, curiously sculptured
with pagan devices, and traditionally reported to
note the burial-place of some Dane of distinction, by
many supposed to be a prince; it is two feet in breadth,
six feet above the ground, and as many feet beneath.
Several of the tumuli are said to be the depositories of
those who fell in the battle between Reginald, King of
the Isles, and Harold, Earl of Orkney and Caithness.
In times less remote, the ancient clan of the Mackays
made a very considerable figure here, their principal residence
during the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth
centuries being Strathnaver, of which Farr formed a part.
Subsequently, upon the marriage alliance between the
Earls of Sutherland and the Gordons, some of the latter
came to reside in the district; and about a hundred
years ago there were few persons in the parish but Mackays
and Gordons, which names, indeed, are still the
most numerous among the population. The ancient
castle, probably built by the Norwegians, is supposed to
have been the seat of the Mackays of Farr before they
were created barons under the title of Lords Reay.
The PARISH lies in the northern extremity of Scotland,
and is about forty miles long, varying in breadth
from eight to twenty miles, and containing 300,000
acres. It is bounded on the north by the Northern
Ocean. The general aspect of the parish is mountainous,
the surface having in most parts a very thin shallow
soil, and in others exhibiting only bare rock. The
principal mountain is Bein Chlibrig, of conical shape,
and the loftiest in Sutherland, of which the southern
side is partially covered with heath and grass, but the
northern is bare and rocl<y; it is situated in the southwestern
part of the parish, and attains to 3200 feet
above the level of the sea, attracting great numbers of
ptarmigan, who locate themselves about the summit.
The other hills, nearer the sea-coast, reach different degrees
of elevation, but are all inferior in height to the
Chlibrig. There are several picturesque valleys, also
forming striking features in the scenery; the chief are
those called Strathnaver and Strathrathy, which both
in extent and beauty far exceed all the rest. Strathnaver
extends from the coast in a south-west direction
for about twenty-eight miles, including the ground
along the river Naver, the loch of Naver, and the water
of Mudale, beyond the loch: it is considered, for the
richness of its pasture and the variety of its scenery,
the most interesting Highland vale in the county.
Strathrathy runs immediately south from the sea for
twelve miles, and lies about ten miles north-east of
Strathnaver, between which and this valley are situated
the less commanding but still pleasing straths of Kirktomie,
Armidale, Swordly, and Clachan, in the last of
which stand the church and manse. There are about
thirteen miles of sea-coast, reaching from Naver bay in
the west to Baligil burn in the east. The shore is for
the most part abrupt and precipitous, and dangerous
to mariners, but contains the bays of Naver, Farr,
Kirktomie, Armidale, and Strathy, where boats may
safely land in moderate weather. The headlands are
Airdniskich, Aird of Farr, Aird of Kirktomie, and
Strathy head, from the last of which the lights of Cape
Wrath and the promontory of Dunnet Head are seen on
a clear day. In the parish are, besides, numerous caves,
natural arches, and fissures, along the coast as well as
in the interior, some of which are visited with considerable
interest by the curious; the chief caves by the
sea-side are those in the Aird of Kirktomie and Strathy
point, and at Farr is a very fine natural arch.
There are many springs of excellent water in the
parish, and several fresh-water lakes of considerable
extent and beauty, the largest of them being Loch Naver,
Loch Coir-na-fearn, and Loch Strathy. Loch Naver,
which is seven miles long, about a mile and a half broad,
and in some parts thirty fathoms deep, is by far the
most important lake: its shore at different parts exhibits
all the varieties of rock, pebbles, and sand. The
rivers are the Naver, the Borgie, and the Strathy, the
first of which, the largest in the county, issuing from
the loch of the same name, is joined near Achness by
a stream rising in Loch Coir-na-fearn, and after receiving
many other waters in its meandering, and sometimes
rapid and sometimes apparently quiescent, course through
the strath, falls into the sea about eighteen miles from
its source. The river Strathy flows from Loch Strathy,
and, when augmented by the swellings of its tributaries
from the several hills and marshes, becomes a powerful
stream. The Borgie which issues from Loch Loyal, in
the parish of Tongue, forms a boundary of this parish,
and joins the ocean within a mile of the Naver, at Torrisdale.
There are salmon-fishings in it, which for a long
time past have belonged to the Sutherland family. Indeed,
all the larger lakes and rivers contain a plentiful
supply of salmon; and in the smaller, trout are taken
in considerable quantities.
The SOIL differs greatly: a very large portion of it in
the interior, especially in the vicinity of the lochs, except
Loch Naver, is a deep moss; while that on the
borders of the rivers Strathy and Naver consists of
sand, gravel, and moss. Along the coast it is found to
be light and sandy, and in the neighbourhood of the
bays, in addition to this, to contain some alluvial deposits.
About 800 acres in various parts are occupied
by wood, and about 700 on the coast are cultivated by
small tenants: with these deductions the whole land is
laid out in extensive sheep-walks. The herbage is of
many kinds, varying principally according to the elevation
of the land: the common red heather, deer-hair,
and the long tough grass called flying-bent are commonly
found on the mountains, hills, and moors; and
in the softer marshes is a profusion of the species known
by the name of cotton-grass. The trees growing here
are of much variety, and, with some trifling exceptions,
are indigenous; the alder attains a considerable size
on the grounds watered by the Naver, where, also, the
birch is most flourishing and abundant. About 22,000
sheep of the Cheviot breed are annually grazed in the
parish. The land occupied by the small tenants is
generally of uneven surface, and capable of great improvement
by draining, inclosing, and ploughing; the
crops consist of oats, bear, and potatoes. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £808. The rocks
and stone in the district, which are abundant in every
direction, are chiefly coarse granite, gneiss, and sandstone.
On the coast near Kirktomie is a considerable
quantity of red sandstone, mixed with conglomerate,
and in the vicinity of Strathy is some superior limestone,
from which a material for burning into lime is obtained;
also a large quarry of white sandstone, easily convertible
to purposes of utility from the readiness with which it is
dressed by the chisel. At Strathy the strata of freestone
and limestone are horizontal; in the rest of the
parish the strata of rock are nearly vertical, or form an
angle of from five to thirty degrees with the perpendicular.
Cattle-trysts are held at Aultnaharrow on the
14th September, and at Bettyhill on the first Wednesday
in November. Salmon are taken in considerable quantities
at three stations on the coast, and about eighteen
boats are engaged in the herring-fishery during the
season, from May till September; the salmon are sold
to a company who have a curing establishment here.
Turbot, cod, ling, haddock, and other fish are also obtained.
There is a post-office in the parish connected
with the market-town of Thurso, thirty-two miles distant;
and the inhabitants have some facility of communication
by means of a mail-diligence carrying four
passengers, which runs to and fro, three times a week,
between Thurso and the neighbouring parish of Tongue,
between which places there is also a weekly carrier.
The road from Bonar-Bridge to Tongue passes through
the heights, and about sixteen miles of the line from
Tongue to Thurso near the coast. On the river Naver
is a chain-boat, and over the different parish-roads are
two bridges of three arches each, and twelve bridges of
one arch.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Tongue, synod of Sutherland
and Caithness; patron, the Duke of Sutherland.
The stipend of the minister is £16*, with a good manse,
built in 1818, and a glebe valued at £8 per annum. Farr
church, situated near the coast, is convenient for the
population, the greater portion of whom reside in its
vicinity, the remoter district being peopled only by an
inconsiderable number of shepherds in the employ of
the great sheep-farmers. It was erected in 1*74, and
is a plain building with substantial walls, seating about
750 persons. There is a government church at Strathy,
ten miles eastward from the parish church, built in
1826, and accommodating about 350 persons. The
members of the Free Church have also a place of worship.
There is a parochial school, in which instruction
may be obtained in the classics, mathematics, and all
the ordinary branches of education; the master has the
maximum salary, with about £5 fees, a house, and £3
in lieu of a garden. Three other schools are supported
respectively at Strathy, Arniidale, and Clarkhill, of which
that at Clarkhill is under a female teacher. The master
of the school at Strathy, a parliamentary one, has a
salary of £25, with about £4 iu lieu of fees. The Committee
of the General Assembly give a salary of similar
amount to the teacher of Armidale, the fees being £3;
and the mistress of Clarkhill receives £5 from the Society
for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and the fees.
In the two former of these three schools, the classics
and mathematics are taught, in addition to the usual
branches of education. The masters have excellent
accommodations, including each a house and garden,
and a croft of land from the Duke of Sutherland.
His grace derives his title of Baron Strathnaver from
the vale in this parish: the dignity was conferred upon
the duke's ancestor as early, it is supposed, as the beginning
of the thirteenth century.