Ardersier
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Ardersier is a small former fishing village in the Scottish Highlands, on the Moray Firth, east of Inverness, near Fort George, and Nairn. Its name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic "Ard-nan-Saor", or "Headland of the Carpenter", one local legend being that carpenters working on the construction of ecclesiastical buildings on the other side of the Moray Firth were quartered there.
Prior to the building of Fort George, a small fishing hamlet called Blacktown existed in the area of Fort George, its economy based around several small open fishing boats. Its relocation eventually led to the creation of the village of Ardersier.
[edit] History
After the Jacobite rising of 1745, there was a fear of further French-supported risings, especially of the possibility of a naval assault quickly landing a large number of rebels. The fort provided the facility to house an increased number of soldiers (compared to the original Fort George built elsewhere in 1727) and its position on the coast both guarded the Firth at its narrowest point, and allowed for supplies to be brought in by sea in the event of a land siege.
The requirement for the fort to be built opposite Chanonry Point where the firth narrowed considerably, meant that the population of Blacktown, a small fishing hamlet, had to resettle about a mile away on the shores of the Moray Firth. Here was founded two different communities, separated by land ownership and religion. The narrow strip of land on which Stewart-town was built belonged to the Earl of Moray and fell within the parish of Petty. Literally across the road, the householders of Campbell-town worshipped in the church of Ardersier. Collectively these two settlements were later referred to as Ardersier, but it was not officially known as such until the late 1970s, thus preventing confusion on postal deliveries to the other Campbeltown in Argyll.
[edit] Present
Today the village remains a popular tourist spot due to the pleasant views, the shore, and the proximity to Fort George. Although there are two shops left in the village, it is now predominantly a commuter base for nearby Nairn and Inverness.
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