Pre-History Evidence of pre-historic inhabitance abounds in the area with many ancient
hut circles and
cairns. One excavation was performed in 2004 by the
Time Team UK Television program. It excavated a small
henge and a
crannog (artificial-island home) in
Loch Migdale.
Migdale Hoard In May 1900, a priceless collection of early Bronze Age jewellery known as the
Migdale Hoard was discovered by workmen blasting a granite knoll behind Bonar Bridge, near what is known as "Tulloch Hill". Dating from about 2000BC, the artifacts are in the custody of the National Museums Scotland in
Edinburgh. The
Migdale Hoard includes a bronze axe head, sets of bronze bangles and anklets, and a series of beautifully carved jet and cannel coal buttons that may well have adorned a Bronze Age jacket, bronze hair ornaments and fragments of an elaborate bronze headdress.
Pictish Symbol Stones There are a number of Pictish Symbol stones in the surrounding area, the closest being at
Creich (in field near graveyard),
Kincardine Church and
Edderton (one at Church, one in field).
Norse/Viking times Sutherland was named so (Sudrland) by the
Norse of
Orkney as it formed the Southern part of the Norse province of "Cat". Modern
Caithness was the "Ness" part, with the third part "Strathnavern" (modern StrathNaver) being the third part (now mostly in modern Sutherland). The Dornoch Firth was the boundary between "Cat" and
Ross and was called "Ekkjal" (Oykell) by the Norse and it is mentioned in the
Orkneyinga saga. "In the 11th or 12th century a contest of the inhabitants with the Danes is recorded to have occurred at Drin-leah (Drum Leadh), near Bonar Bridge, whence the invaders were driven back with great loss to their ships at Portnacoulter, [Meikle Ferry]. The extraordinary number of tumuli [Cairns] or graves on the scene of [the] action, while they attenst the truth of the tradition, and the greatness of the slaughter, cannot fail to excite the wonder of reflecting persons at the great numbers who must have been engaged and the consequent density of the population at that remote time".
Appearance on maps The oldest records of local place names (on North side of the Kyle) found on maps are (in order from oldest) Sordel (Swordale, from Norse name) which is now a part of Bonar Bridge and has Swordale Farm, Little Swordale (Sordel Beg) (a mixed Norse Gaelic name with "Beag" meaning small in Gaelic) which is now abandoned, Creich (sometimes with Little Creich called out), Migdale then later Tulloch . A name "Eam" occurs several times towards Invershin, past Drumliach. One such map is Sutherland, Strath Okel & Strath Charron of Robert Gordon's from 1654 or the
Bleu Atlas of 1654, both found in the National Library of Scotland. On the South side of the Kyle, MidFearn (Ferne 1573) is the oldest location shown, with Kincardine (with its church) appearing next.
17th century The Battles of
Invercarron and
Carbisdale took place in 1650 during the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms close to the village of
Culrain, which lies to the West of Bonar Bridge. The battles were fought between the forces of the Scottish Covenantor Government and royalist forces loyal to the King, led by
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. The royalists were defeated.
18th century In 1746 the
Earl of Cromartie and his forces returning South were attacked by
Clan Sutherland near Bonar Bridge, in what became known as the
Battle of Bonar Bridge. Most of the Jacobite officers were captured, many of the men were killed and the rest were driven onto the shore where several were drowned trying to swim the
Kyle of Sutherland. Thus
Clan MacKenzie were prevented from joining the Jacobite army at the
Battle of Culloden.
Nineteenth century Until 1812 the only means of crossing the Dornoch Firth was by ferry. On the night of 16 August 1809 over 100 people boarded the ferry boat on the Dornoch side along with goods and stock for the market in Tain. The over-laden ferryboat set off and, though conditions were calm, the boat was dangerously low in the water. About halfway across the boat turned broadside to the tide and began to take in water. It sank almost immediately with the loss of some 99 lives, including the Sheriff of Dornoch, Hugh MacCulloch. Over £2,900 were raised for disaster relief, much of it coming from overseas. It resulted in the construction of Bonar Bridge in 1812, designed by John Simpson (1755–1815).
Twentieth century In 1927 a school of Pilot Whales ran aground in the Bay between Bonar Bridge and Ardgay. (See another photo in Tain Museum Archive ) == Transport ==