ID:QZP40_CARD_5891DESCRIPTION:Portmahomack is a small village approximately 14.5 km east of Tain on the Tarbat Peninsula. Tarbat Old Parish Church can be seen to the extreme left of this image. Tarbat Free Church, built by Andrew Maitland & Sons between 1892-3, is seen in the centre.
The Tarbat Peninsula was of great cultural importance during the Pictish era. Archaeological investigations between 1994 and 2007 revealed an area near to Tarbat Old Parish Church in Portmahomack to be the site of a Pictish monastery that was active between the sixth and the ninth centuries. Evidence shows the settlement contained workshops for glass-making, metal-working, vellum production and woodworking. Many Pictish carved stones have also been discovered in Portmahomack. The reasons behind the demise of the monastery are not certain, but it appears that it was destroyed by fire in the early ninth century, possibly the victim of a Viking attack.
Tarbat Old Parish Church (also known as St. Colman's Church) was mostly built in 1756. It is the last in a line of six churches that were built on the site, the earliest dating back to the eighth century. Tarbat Old Parish Church now houses a museum that interprets the Pictish heritage of the area.
Sir George MacKenzie, Viscount Tarbat and 1st East of Cromartie (1630-1714) built a pier at Portmahomack in 1698. The present harbour was built between 1813 and 1816 by Thomas Telford and contributed to the growth of Portmahomack village. Two girnals, or storehouses, overlook the harbour. The first was built in 1699 by Alexander Stronach, and the second in 1779.PLACENAME:PortmahomackDISTRICT:FearnOLD COUNTY/PARISH:ROSS: TarbatSOURCE:Highland LibrariesCOLLECTION:Highland Libraries' Postcard CollectionAsset ID:37524KEYWORDS:
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