Hugh Miller's Birthplace NTS

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Hugh Miller's Birthplace NTS Discover the life & legacy of Victorian Britain's greatest mind! 🎩

Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 15:30

Closing for 2026 on Saturday 31st October

Fossil hunter, folklorist, man of faith, stonemason, geologist, editor, writer and social justice campaigner – Hugh Miller was one of the great Scots of the 19th century. His quests and writings have left a huge legacy of knowledge, but as these two adjacent properties testify, he came from ordinary beginnings. The thatched cottage where Hugh was born in 1802 was built by Hugh’s great grandfather – a pirate! The cobbled courtyard adjoining the cottage was an external working space. Next door, the handsome Georgian villa, now an interactive museum, was built by Hugh’s father – its distinctive central spiral staircase winds around a ship’s mast. Outside, Miller’s Yard: Garden of Wonders is a sheltered corner – the perfect spot to sit and take a breath of fresh air. Support our work at Hugh Miller's Birthplace by joining the National Trust for Scotland - www.nts.org.uk/join

09/10/2026

With just ONE DAY to go before this year's Big Birthday Weekend we have one last exciting announcement to make - catch our beloved T-rex at tomorrow's Cromarty Community Market! 🦖

Don't be alarmed if you see a dinosaur gatecrashing the community market tomorrow; we promise our T-rex is very friendly! Grab their attention for a wonderful photo oppotunity, and then catch all of the excitement at our museum as we celebrate Hugh Miller's 224th birthday! 🎂

Featuring Victorian living history, Rock identification, science experiment, and more on both days - this is a birthday party you don't want to miss! 🎉

Hugh Miller's Big Birthday Weekend
🗓 TOMORROW + Sunday 11th october
📍 Hugh Miller's Birthplace Cottage and Museum
⏰ 11am to 3:30pm
🎟 Included with entry to museum - find out more at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hugh-millers-big-224th-birthday-weekend-tickets-1996333996724 🔗

National Trust for Scotland

Back in 2002 the town of Cromarty celebrated the 200th birthday of the town’s most famous historical figure with a varie...
08/10/2026

Back in 2002 the town of Cromarty celebrated the 200th birthday of the town’s most famous historical figure with a variety of activities and events. By far the most beloved, and to this day still talked about, event was “Hugh Who” - a play performed by the pupils at Cromarty Primary! 🎭

Hugh Who? was the brainchild of Jenny Gunn from the Cromarty Arts Society. After reviving a grant of £30,000 and with assistance from Glasgow based theatre company GMG Productions; the show became a reality, and even featured on a BBC2 Scotland programme! 🕺

This costume here, kept behind the scenes in our collection, was worn by a ten year old girl in this production! Each child wore a unique individually made costume during the show - and with over a hundred children taking part that was a LOT of costumes! 🧥

As we gear up to celebrate Hugh Miller’s 224th birthday this weekend, we want to know if YOU were involved in this production or, even more excitingly, if you perhaps were the one who wore this very costume! Share any memories from Hugh Who with us in the comments below! 👇

You can find out more about this year’s birthday event at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hugh-millers-big-224th-birthday-weekend-tickets-1996334000736

National Trust for Scotland

Ready for a roaring great weekend? 🦖
07/10/2026

Ready for a roaring great weekend? 🦖

Special weekend of events to celebrate 224th birthday of famous Black Isle fossil hunter Hugh Miller.

Read more in the comments below...

  🗞️ Saturday 9th October, 1841ARRAN - RUINOUS HURRICANE‘On Wednesday the 22d ultimo, the north and north-west parts of ...
07/10/2026

🗞️
Saturday 9th October, 1841

ARRAN - RUINOUS HURRICANE
‘On Wednesday the 22d ultimo, the north and north-west parts of the island were visited with a most destructive easterly wind, which blew with such piercing, pointed, and pelting fierceness, that almost the whole of the ripe standing corn on the extensive estate of Dugarry, in particular, was instantaneously destroyed; the heads being completely nipped off, or the grain scattered like chaff, leaving only bare stacks like " windle-straws," so much damaged and beat down, that what is left is scarcely worth gathering for fodder or bedding. It has been recommended instantly to plough down this wreck of the crop to form manure, and the hint is worthy of consideration. The crops were remarkably good, and well ripened; and the tenants having been legally warned by summonses to remove at the ensuing term of Martinmas, the calamity is most severely felt. - Kilmarnock Journal.’

🎶 It's the final countdown... 🎶To Hugh Miller's Big Birthday Weekend!Join us THIS WEEKEND (Sat 10th and Sun 11th October...
06/10/2026

🎶 It's the final countdown... 🎶
To Hugh Miller's Big Birthday Weekend!

Join us THIS WEEKEND (Sat 10th and Sun 11th October) as we celebrate Hugh Miller's 224th birthday - and just take a look at all we've got going on! 🎂

From living history inside our cottage, to rock identifying with the Highland Geological Society, to kids crafts and science experiments galore - this is a birthday party you DON'T want to miss out on! 🥳

Hugh Miller's Big Birthday Weekend
🗓 THIS WEEKEND - Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th October
📍 Hugh Miller's Birthplace Museum
⏰ 11am to 3:30pm
🎟 Free with museum entry - find out more at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hugh-millers-big-224th-birthday-weekend-tickets-1996333996724

National Trust for Scotland

05/10/2026

Can you help us catch LEGO Hugh Miller? 👏

Our fabulously fun LEGO trail through our two buildings will task you with finding eight prehistoric LEGO models, as well as our own LEGO Hugh - however the plot twist is Hugh likes to move; he may not be in the same place during your visits! 👀

Our LEGO trail is free for everyone visiting our museum - grab yourself a trail sheet from the ticket desk when you next visit us! And with our Big Birthday Weekend happening in just a few days time, there's no better time to do our LEGO hunt! 🎂

Plan your visit at: www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/hugh-millers-birthplace

National Trust for Scotland

Looking to spark your imagination over the October holidays? Join us in Cromarty on Thursday 22nd October as we welcome ...
04/10/2026

Looking to spark your imagination over the October holidays? Join us in Cromarty on Thursday 22nd October as we welcome storyteller Lizzie McDougall to Hugh Miller's Cottage who will be sharing with us some of her favourite fireside stories! 🐉

Discover wonderful children's tales to captivate the wee ones in your life inside the very room in which Hugh Miller would have heard such stories during his own childhood - what better way to keep the kids engaged before school comes back? 🧚‍♀️

This event is part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival - find out more about what's on this month by following their social media channels! 📖

Fireside Children's Storytelling
🗓 Thursday 22nd October
⏰ 2pm and 2:30pm
👪 Suitable for ages 5 to 9
🎟 Free but prebooking essential as spaces are very limited - find out more at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fireside-childrens-storytelling-tickets-2000485271298

National Trust for Scotland

Happy  ! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 This year, Scottish Museums Federation are asking for museums across the country to partake in the   - ...
03/10/2026

Happy ! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

This year, Scottish Museums Federation are asking for museums across the country to partake in the - so we’ve chosen the letter F and to demonstrate this letter, we’re showing off a copy of Miller’s famous book “The Old Red Sandstone”! 📕

“But where’s the letter F?” we hear you cry! We’ve chosen this object for F because this very copy is in fact a First Edition! 🤩

First published back in 1841, this book in 2026 celebrates its 185 anniversary! With Hugh Miller’s birthday happening next weekend, we’re excited to have this wonderful book on temporary display - make sure to visit us in exactly ONE WEEK'S TIME on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th to see it! 📖

Wanna find out more about what’s happening over our Big Birthday Weekend? Visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hugh-millers-big-224th-birthday-weekend-tickets-1996334000736

National Trust for Scotland

02/10/2026

Did you know that very important work takes place behind the scenes regarding our fossil collection here at Hugh Miller's Birthplace Museum? 🔍

Today our volunteer Brodie shows us what goes on behind closed doors at the museum, and shows off one of the coolest fossils we have at Hugh Miller's Birthplace! 🦴

Feel like you wanna get involved? We have awesome volunteering opportunities here at the museum! 🙌
Find out more by sending us a message, popping by the museum for a chat, or by visiting: www.nts.org.uk/support-us/get-involved/find-a-volunteering-opportunity

National Trust for Scotland

It’s now the most important month of the year - this October we’re celebrating both Hugh Miller’s 224th birthday AND Hug...
01/10/2026

It’s now the most important month of the year - this October we’re celebrating both Hugh Miller’s 224th birthday AND Hugh’lloween! 🎃

Plus if you’re a member of the National Trust for Scotland, this month you can grab yourself a unique Halloween stamp to add to your member’s passport! Simply stop by anytime this month to get yours - but they’re only available for October so make sure not to miss out! 🛂

Don’t miss out on all the excitement here at Hugh Miller’s - see what’s happening this month in Cromarty by visiting: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hugh-millers-birthplace-cottage-amp-museum-33806402821

Address

Church Street
Cromarty
IV118XA

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 3:30pm
Thursday 11am - 3:30pm
Friday 11am - 3:30pm
Saturday 11am - 3:30pm
Sunday 11am - 3:30pm

Telephone

+441381600245

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