Latheron: Churches, Clan History and Heritage

Latheron brings together several distinct themes: church and clan history, prehistoric remains, and a landscape of coastal features and moorland. If you’re looking for a hotel in Latheron, this guide can help you narrow down the focus of your trip: its historic buildings tell stories from different eras, while the parish also has its own connections to the coast, moorland and traditional fishing.

Churches and Clan History

Latheron Old Parish Church is a T-shaped church dating from 1734; its tower was added in 1822. This makes it possible to distinguish two specific building phases: the construction of the church and a later addition. Latheron’s old parish church, built in 1734, houses the Clan Gunn Heritage Centre and Museum. It tells the story of the clan from its Norwegian origins to the present day and also includes a clan archive. The church building and clan history come together here under one roof, while the centre’s story spans a broad sweep of time.

Archaeological and Architectural Remains

Latheron Castle survives only in fragments. The ruins include the northeastern part of a rectangular building, with about 15 feet of masonry that is around 7 feet thick. While the parish church can be traced through its construction dates of 1734 and 1822, the castle is described by its building form and the surviving wall. The two buildings therefore offer different points of reference for exploring Latheron’s heritage.

The fragment of the predecessor church to Latheron Old Church, known as The Aisle, was preserved as a burial place for the Sinclairs of Dunbeath. The two Latheron Standing Stones are evidence of prehistoric ritual activity; the eastern stone is almost four metres high. Alongside the church fragments, the stones shift the focus from later buildings to a very different historical period.

Latheron School is also considered a representative example of its building type for the period in which it was built. The school building thus adds another aspect of the village’s architectural history to its churches and ruins.

The Parish and Its Landscape

The landscape of Latheron parish includes cliffs and headlands around small bays. Moorland forms the backdrop and stretches towards the Lowlands. In the wider region, Latheron lies on the edge of the Flow Country, an extensive area of blanket bog recognised for its exceptional biodiversity and birdlife. These landscape features are distinct from the individual historic buildings: they shape the broader setting of the parish, while the church, ruins and stones are specific cultural remains.

Several villages in the parish still show traces of the traditional fishing carried out there over the past two centuries. Evidence of this past is as much a part of the area’s character as its historic buildings and moorland and coastal landscapes.

A Seasonal Visitor Attraction

Northshore Pottery in Latheron welcomes visitors. Alongside the workshop, there is a small gallery. Opening is seasonal; check current visiting hours in advance if you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Onich, Portnalong, Cononbridge, Farr, Shieldaig, Portskerra, Contin, Nairn.

For the wider travel guide: Highland.