Killen, Avoch, IV9

The Black Isle – 

Despite its name, the Black Isle is not an island but a peninsula in the Scottish Highlands, lying between the Cromarty Firth to the north, the Beauly Firth to the south, and the Moray Firth to the east. Its name may derive from the dark, fertile soil (as opposed to the surrounding moorlands), or possibly from its evergreen tree cover, which gave it a “black” appearance in winter.

Early History

Picts and Norse: Archaeological remains point to Pictish settlement in the early centuries AD, followed later by Norse influence, especially around Cromarty and the firths. The peninsula was a strategic location for seafaring and trade.

Christianisation: Monks, likely influenced by St. Columba’s mission in Iona (6th century), spread Christianity here. Early chapels and carved Pictish stones survive, suggesting the area became an important religious centre.

Medieval Period

The Black Isle was contested by several powerful clans, including the Mackenzies, Munros, and Urquharts, each leaving their mark in castles, churches, and settlements.

Fortrose became the ecclesiastical capital of the region, with the Cathedral of Fortrose (13th century) serving as the seat of the Bishop of Ross.

Early Modern & Jacobite Era

The fertile farmland made the Black Isle relatively prosperous compared to other Highland areas.

During the 17th–18th centuries, the Black Isle was caught up in clan feuds and Jacobite risings. Both Munros and Mackenzies had shifting loyalties.

After Culloden (1746), the area, like much of the Highlands, experienced disarmament, suppression of Gaelic culture, and economic changes.

19th–20th Centuries

Agricultural improvements led to population growth, though the Highland Clearances also displaced many families.

Fishing villages like Avoch, Cromarty, and Fortrose thrived, and Cromarty in particular became a notable port town.

By the 20th century, the Black Isle retained its rural identity, though oil rig construction in the Cromarty Firth briefly brought industry and modernisation.

Killen

Killen is a small hamlet in the Black Isle, lying west of Avoch and north of Redcastle. While never a major settlement, it sits in a historically important agricultural district.

The name Killen likely comes from the Gaelic “Cill” meaning “church” or “cell,” suggesting early Christian or monastic associations.

The hamlet is surrounded by fertile farmland typical of the Black Isle, which has historically supported arable crops and grazing.

Killen would have been closely tied to the larger parish centres like Avoch and Fortrose, both significant fishing and ecclesiastical settlements.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, families in Killen would have been engaged in small-scale farming, with many later emigrating during the Highland Clearances and the agricultural depressions.

Today, Killen remains a quiet rural community, valued for its traditional landscape, proximity to Avoch and Fortrose, and connections to the Black Isle’s layered history