Avoch

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Avoch (Scottish Gaelic: Abhach - mouth of the stream) is a harbour-village located on the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth. Avoch was the location for Rosehaugh (Pittanochtie) House, perhaps the most magnificent mansion house in the Scottish Highlands until demolished in the 1959. Legend has it that the village was founded by survivors of the Spanish Armada. Population 1,020 (2004)

Intrepid Scottish-Canadian explorer Sir Alexander MacKenzie retired to Avoch in 1812. MacKenzie was the first European to explore the great Canadian river now known as the Mackenzie River and cross North America to the Arctic Ocean in 1789. MacKenzie was the first European to cross North America to the Pacific Ocean in 1793. MacKenzie died at Avoch in 1820 and was buried in the old Avoch Parish churchyard.

Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clouties. Rags, wool and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery, and as tokens of penenace and fulfilment of a vow (Sharp 1998).

Avoch's trade came in with it's fishing industry, which with modern times has decreased with Cromarty taking most profit