Nairn


Nairn is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland Council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the traditional county town of Nairnshire.
At the 2022 census, Nairn had a population of 9,394, making it the third-largest settlement in the Highland Council area, behind Inverness and Fort William. Nairn is best known as a seaside resort, with two golf courses, beaches, a community centre and arts venue, a small theatre and a small museum, providing information on the local area and incorporating the collection of the former Fishertown museum.

History

The History of Nairn is a broad and diverse topic spanning its Palaeolithic and Mesolithic roots before recorded history, to the Picts and the visitation of Roman general Agricola, its possible founding under the name Ekkailsbakki by Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, its royal burgh status under David I, its strong links to monarchs and regents of Scotland and its strategic position in multiple wars and famine.

Geography

Formerly part of the Supercontinent of Rodinia as evidenced by the discovery of Dalradian Supergroup rocks, Nairn encompasses a position on the mouth of the River Nairn and is fronted by the North Sea at the Moray Firth with two extensive beaches, the east beach being predominantly sand with dune vegetation and the west having more rock though becoming more sand as it reaches the river mouth. The Culbin Sands forms part of one of the most extensive areas of stabilised blown sand in Britain. The soil by the coast is largely a thin and loose organic layer developing directly on the sand and this has been strengthened in areas such as Culbin for forestry.
The town itself is predominantly flat rising from sea level to in Fishertown and the majority of the town sitting at above sea level. Sections of Nairn do reach as high as near Balblair. The low ground near the coast is fertile and the soil rich free loam over sand or gravel. In the town thin, rather acidic soils are present throughout. The alluvial plain has shown Permo-Triassic sandstones, thick accumulations of Jurassic sandstones and dark shales, and erosion by ice sheets. Excavation can reveal dark, muddy glacial deposits, with occasional fossils and shells.
As the land rises south we see Conifer forests and on the higher slopes we see heather moorland and montane vegetation. The wider Nairnshire and Moray area is 28% woodland, one of the most-wooded areas in Britain.
Nairn is predominantly surrounded gently rolling mounds and hills of mixed-used agricultural and forestry usage upon a glacial landscape. The surrounding areas reach a height of at the Hill of Urchany south of the town. The land remains fertile and primarily consists of granite below. The hydrology of the surrounding area directs water to drain northwards into the River Nairn, leaving it prone to flooding. As such the embankments are strengthened in inhabited areas.

Climate

Population

Culture

On 27 May 1960 Nairn's The Regal Ballroom on Leopold Street played host to an act that became a huge cultural influence on the world of music. A cover band touring Scotland on The Beat Ballad Show Tour with Johnny Gentle as the lead vocalists and featuring three relatively unknown musicians—the founding members of The Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, who played under the name The Silver Beetles. The cover act's set list included Raining in My Heart by Buddy Holly and I Need Your Love Tonight by Elvis Presley. The Ballerina Ballroom of Nairn hosted many famous acts over the years, including Pink Floyd and The Who in 1967, Status Quo in 1970, and Fleetwood Mac and Slade in 1971. The town continues to host the Nairn International Jazz Festival each August, usually attracting some well-known musicians, including Bob Wilber and the Soprano Summit Jazz supergroup.
One link to Nairn's agricultural cultural roots is the Nairn Farmer's Show, hosted by the Nairnshire Farming Society since 1798. The show features livestock competitions of cattle, sheep and horses with trade stands as well as craft and food fairs. Locals produce baked goods, honey, jams and handicrafts such as knitting to be pitted against each other in contest. Many of the people of Nairn have a passion for cooking and this is shown in the three-day Taste of Nairn food and drink festival event hosting the World Tattie Scone Championship.
Nairn is home to the Little Theatre, run by the Nairn Drama Club, which was established in 1946. Each year the club produces a number of shows of varying genres, with the annual Christmas panto the largest production of all. The Theatre began in dilapidated premises but was rebuilt and reopened in 2004. In 2007 Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, who lives in Nairn, created a film festival entitled "Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams", which was held in the Nairn Public Hall. It generated worldwide press about the festival and Nairn.
The people of Nairn also appreciate the written arts and host for the annual Nairn Book & Arts festival in September at the Nairn Community & Arts Centre. Guests have included authors such as Helen Sedgwick, journalist John Sergeant and royal guest Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The events have included speakers, performers, cinema and readings of local poet Olive Fraser.

Education

Nairn is serviced by one secondary school, Nairn Academy, on Duncan Drive in the Tradespark area, where it has been since 1976. Before that it was in the building occupied by the current Rosebank Primary school on Lodgehill Road. Nairn Academy was founded in 1832 under the name Rose's Academical Institution by Captain James Rose. Other facilities formerly existed, including Delnies School, the boys' preparatory boarding school known as Seaforth in 1901 and Alton Burn in 1911. As well as Rosebank Primary school, Nairn is also the location of Millbank Primary school on Millbank Crescent. Nairn Academy also takes students from Cawdor, Croy and Auldearn Primary Schools.
In 1818 we are offered insight into the status of the school facilities by the parish minister.
In 2021 Nairn Academy ranked 204th out of 340 schools based on the percentage of pupils attaining five Highers, at 35%—higher than nearby Inverness High School with 13% and below Inverness Royal Academy with 41% and Charleston Academy Highland with 45%.

Politics

Member of UK Parliament (MP)

In 1617 Nairn selected John Dunbar of Moynes as the Member of Parliament in the Parliament of Scotland for the constituency Nairnshire. This constituency was last represented by John Forbes of Culloden in 1707.
In 1708 following the Acts of Union, 1707, Parliament of Scotland constituency Nairnshire was replaced by a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1708 to 1918 Nairn was part of the county constituency of Inverness-shire.
The constituency was abolished in 1918 and the Forres and Nairn components were merged into the then new constituency of Moray and Nairn. Moray and Nairn was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983. This was split for the 1983 general election and incorporated into Moray and Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber.
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1997. Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2005 represented by Labour's David Stewart.
Nairn was part of the constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey from 2005 to 2024, represented first by Danny Alexander and then Drew Hendry.
Nairn is currently residing in the Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey constituency of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Nairn has been represented by SNP MP Graham Leadbitter in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom since 4 July 2024.

Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP)

Founded under the Scotland Act 1998, a devolved Scottish Parliament was legalised placing Nairn into the Scottish Parliament in 1999 as part of the Highland council area and constituency Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber. Fergus Ewing of the Scottish National Party was elected to represent Nairn in the 1999 Scottish Parliament election as the first Member of the Scottish Parliament.
Boundaries were redrawn before the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, dividing the area between Inverness and Nairn and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. Fergus Ewing was once again elected in the 2011 election and continues to serve.

Local government

Nairn is part of in ward 18, Nairn & Cawdor, of the Highland Council area. The head of this burgh or ward council is a provost, the chief magistrate or convener of a burgh, the equivalent of a mayor in other parts of the United Kingdom. The provost of Nairn is Laurie Fraser.
Formed in 1973 the community council is the lowest tier of local government in Scotland. Nairn District Council, was replaced by a larger authority, Highland Council in 1996 and community councils were formed to represent local interests. Nairn is represented by two local community councils. The Nairn West & Suburban Community Council and the Nairn River Community Council.

Religion

During the 2011 census, the majority of responses from Nairn indicated a religious association, with the largest group belonging to the Church of Scotland, although this group was smaller than those who indicated that they followed no religion.
Religionmembers
Church of Scotland3,625
Roman Catholic607
Christian 887
Muslims35
Other religion82
No Religion3,791