Rent Barn, Ferryton Point

The Reverend Donald Sage was one of the Black Isle ministers who left the Established Church of Scotland in 1843 to join the Free Church. He served the parish of Resolis and was left without premises for his services. He was not alone. During this period called the 'Disruption', 470 ministers throughout Scotland were suddenly left without premises in which to preach. In the years that followed, an ambitious building program took place.

In the meantime, however, the Reverend Sage resorted to holding his services in an old rent barn or 'girnal' on the shores of the Cromarty Firth. These barns had once stored the meal and grain which was payment, in kind, for the rents due to the local landowners.

The newly-appointed minister of Resolis, chosen by the landowners, was faced with a crowd of angry parishioners, loyal to the Reverend Sage. They were determined that the new minister should not be inducted at Resolis. A riot ensued and a detachment of military Redcoats was sent over from Fort George to deal with the angry crowd. One of the rioters, Margaret Cameron, was arrested and taken to Cromarty Jail as an example. The next day, when bail was refused, a mob broke into the jail and released her.

The Reverend Sage continued to serve the Free Church until his death in 1869. He is buried in Cullicudden Old Burial Ground.