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Watten is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, on the main road (A882-A9) between the burgh of Wick and the town of Thurso, about twelve kilometres (eight miles) west of Wick and close to Wick River and to Loch Watten. The village is on The Far North railway line but trains stopped calling at the village in 1960. The railway station is now a private house. The village is within the parish of Watten, which has the parish of Bower to the north, that of Wick to the east, that of Latheron to the south and that of Halkirk to the west. Loch Watten is the largest body of water in Caithness. The name of the village and loch appear to come from the Old Norse Vatn, meaning water or lake, and the loch is famous for its brown trout fishing. The local public house is also named "The Brown Trout" after the local produce. Prior to 1975 the parish was located in the old county of Caithness, which was replaced in that year by the Highland Region and in 1996 by the unitary authority named the Highland Council Area. The parish has an area of 128 sq. km (49.4 sq. miles). As well as the villlage of Watten, the parish includes the settlements of Achnamoine, Backlass (Watten), Badlipster, Dunn and North Watten (all redirected here). NOTE: There is also a hamlet named Backless in Halkirk parish. [edit] Notes for the Highland Council Area and the Western Isles Council AreaThe local archives are held by The Highland Archive Service which is based in Inverness with branches in Stornoway, Fort William and Caithness. It is "responsible for locating, preserving and making accessible archives relating to all aspects of the history of the geographical area of the Highlands." Family history societies and historical associations covering the Highland Council Area and the Western Isles Council Area are:
These associations publish their aims on their websites as well as a list of publications. In many cases the publications are also available through the Scottish Genealogy Society (see below).
[edit] Transcriptions of Gravestone Inscriptions
[edit] Sources for Emigration Records
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