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Fishertown

This part of Nairn lies between the A96 trunk road and the sea. It was home for generations of families who made their living from the sea. The maze of narrow streets provides a charming contrast to the larger houses in the west end of Nairn. The streetscape largely remains unchanged, although many of the houses have been upgraded and outhouses used for curing fish and storing nets have been converted to meet the aspirations of modern-day living.

 The fishing community expanded when Thomas Telford completed the harbour. More than 90 boats were based here by the late 1890s. But the Russian revolution of 1917 resulted in a sharp fall in demand for herring, starting a gradual decline in the number of boats. Better facilities at east coast ports saw the Nairn industry continue to decline, even after the opening of a new harbour basin in 1932. In the early 1980s, however, it was given a new lease of life when the harbour was restored and pontoons provided to turn it into a mooring facility for pleasure craft.