Editing Halkirk

{{Short description|Village in Caithness, Scotland}}
{{about|the village in Scotland|the village in Alberta, Canada|Halkirk, Alberta}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = Scotland
|official_name = Halkirk
|gaelic_name = Hàcraig
|area_total_km2 = 1.12
|area_footnotes =<ref name="population">{{cite web |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk-scotland.php?cityid=S19000922 |title=Halkirk (Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information |website=citypopulation.de |access-date=4 April 2019}}</ref>
|population                       = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Halkirk}}
|population_ref                   = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
|static_image_name = Halkirk - geograph.org.uk - 243153.jpg
|static_image_caption = Halkirk looking towards the war memorial and the Ross Institute
|os_grid_reference = ND130594
|map_type = Caithness
|coordinates = {{coord|58.51|-3.49|display=inline,title}}
|unitary_scotland = [[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
|lieutenancy_scotland = [[Caithness]]
|constituency_westminster = [[Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (UK Parliament constituency)|Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross]]
|constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Caithness, Sutherland and Ross]] constituency in the [[Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Highlands and Islands]] electoral region
|historic_county=
|post_town = HALKIRK
|postcode_district = KW12
|postcode_area = KW
|dial_code = 01847
|edinburgh_distance_mi = 177
|london_distance_mi = 502
}}

'''Halkirk''' ({{langx|gd|Hàcraig}}) is a village on the [[River Thurso]] in [[Caithness]], in the [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] [[council area]] of Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halkirk |url=http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst2160.html |website=The Gazetteer for Scotland |publisher=School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society |access-date=19 June 2018}}</ref> From Halkirk the B874 [[road]] runs towards [[Thurso]] in the north and towards [[Georgemas]] in the east. The village is within the parish of Halkirk, and is said by locals to be Scotland's first [[Planned community|planned village]].

In 1222 [[Jon Haraldsson]], the last native Scandinavian to be [[Jarl of Orkney]], was indirectly implicated in the burning of [[Adam of Melrose]] at his hall at Halkirk by local farmers when this part of [[Caithness]] was still [[Scandinavian Scotland#Caithness and Sutherland|part of the Kingdom of Norway]]. A contemporary chronicler, [[Boethius the Dane]] blamed Haraldsson for the bishop's death. After the [[Jarl (title)|jarl]] swore oaths to his own innocence, [[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]] took the opportunity to assert his claims to the mainland part of the [[Orkney]] jarldom. He visited Caithness in person, and hanged the majority of the farmers, while mutilating the rest. His actions were applauded by [[Pope Honorius III]], and a quarter of a century later, he was continuing to receive commendation from the [[Catholic Church]], as in the reward of a [[Papal bull|bull]] from [[Pope Celestine IV]].

==Cathedral==
It was at one time the site of the cathedral of the [[Bishop of Caithness|Diocese of Caithness]]. In the early 13th century, a revolt against the tithe, imposed by the Bishop, led the local [[Husbandman|husbandmen]] to lay siege to the cathedral kitchen, and burn it down, with [[Adam of Melrose]], the Bishop, still inside. Adam's successor [[Gilbert de Moravia]] moved the seat of the Diocese to [[Dornoch]], and there are no remains of the Halkirk cathedral church or the bishop's seat.

==Historic distilleries==
Halkirk has had two [[whisky]] [[distillery|distilleries]], Gerston from 1796 to 1885, and Ben Morven (also known as Gerston II) from 1886 to circa 1911. Both were established on the banks of the River Thurso, near Gerston Farm, and both drew water from Calder Burn. The Ben Morven distillery was named for the [[Morven, Caithness|mountain]], the highest point in Caithness.

The original Gerston distillery was first registered by a Francis Swanson, and was expanded by two sons, John and James, in 1825. [[Sir Robert Peel]] is said to have acquired a taste for the whisky. The distillery closed not long after it was sold to new owners in 1872, and a [[London]] company, calling themselves the Gerston Distillery Company, decided to build a new distillery.

In 1897 the new distillery was sold to Northern Distilleries Limited, who gave it the Ben Morven name. It was never very successful, and it closed circa 1911. The stillhouse is still standing.

==Fairview House==
Fairview House is a former [[poorhouse]] dating from 1856, which is now a residential complex.

==Notable residents==
Halkirk is the birthplace of [[Alexander Keith (Canadian politician)|Alexander Keith]] (1795–1873), who settled in [[City of Halifax|Halifax, Nova Scotia]] and became established as a respected politician and brewer. He is known across Canada for his most famous beer, Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale.

[[John Malcolm (professor)|Prof John Malcolm]] [[FRSE]] (1873–1954) was also born and raised in Halkirk.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Auld Kirk Halkirk, viewed across the Thurso River - geograph.org.uk - 2042678.jpg|The old parish church, now abandoned
File:Entering Halkirk - geograph.org.uk - 543125.jpg|Entering Halkirk
File:Halkirk & Westerdale Church (geograph 5084157).jpg|Halkirk and Westerdale Parish Church
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
* [[Ordnance Survey]] [[British national grid reference system|grid reference]] for Halkirk Bridge: {{gbmappingsmall|ND130594}}
* [[Ordnance Survey]] [[British national grid reference system|grid reference]] for Gerston Farm: {{gbmappingsmall|ND129595}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Halkirk}}
*[http://www.thisishalkirk.co.uk/ Halkirk community website]
*[http://www.caithness.org/community/worship/cos/halkirk/churchscot.jpg Halkirk Parish Church]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Caithness]]
[[Category:Parishes in Caithness]]