Descriptive gazetteer entries

In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Borve like this:

Borve, a quondam ancient tower, on the cost of Farr parish, Sutherland, surmounting a small rocky headland projecting into Farr Bay, between Farr Church and Kirktomy. It is traditionally said to have been built by a Norse warrior, called Thorkel or Torquil; and it is now represented by only small remains. A natural tunnel or vaulted passage pierces the headland on which it stands; is about 200 feet long; and can be traversed by a rowing-boat.

This is the only descriptive gazetter entry we have found, but you may be able to find further references to Borve by doing a full-text search here.


Travel writing

This website includes the complete texts of books describing journeys around Britain, written between the twelfth and nineteenth centuries. Selecting one of the links below will take you to the first reference to Borve within the selected text. This will not always be a description of a visit: travellers often mention places other than where they are, for example as a basis for comparison.

Traveller Section No. of Refs.
Thomas Pennant Appendix V: Of Caithness, Strathnavern, and Sutherland 1

This website includes two large libraries, of historical travel writing and of entries from nineteenth century gazetteers describing places. We have text from these sources available for these places near your location:

Place Mentioned in Travel Writing Mentioned in Hist. Gazetteer
Kirtomy 0 1
Coomb Island 0 2
Armadale 0 1
Skerray 0 1
Eilean Nan Ron 0 2
Rabbit Islands 0 2
Strathy 0 1
Naver 0 3
Tongue 0 2
Portskerra 0 1
Melvich 0 2
Castle Varrich 0 2
Farr 0 2
Halladale 0 2
Dalhalvaig 0 1
Whiten Head 0 2
Sandside 0 1
Reay 0 1
Dounreay 0 1
Shebster 0 1