Groam House Museum

This 18^th-century house in Rosemarkie High Street gets it name from a previous owner who came from Groam, near Beauly. The name originates from the Latin for a bog or marshy place.

It has been a museum since 1980 and today houses a fine collection of Pictish stones found in the village and around the churchyard. It is one of the stops on the 'Highland Pictish Trail'.

The most impressive stone in the collection is a huge symbol-bearing cross-slab which probably dates from about the 9th century. It was found in the floor of the church and was displayed outside the church for many years, encased in an iron support.

Although we know very little about the Picts, the stones themselves fall into 3 categories. The earliest are large standing stones with symbols and animals carved into the surface. Later, the designs were raised and decorated and were much more sophisticated. Finally, with the coming of Christianity, crosses and biblical scenes started to appear on the stones. The cross-slab at Rosemarkie is interesting as it combines the Pictish symbols with Christian crosses.

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