Forres Heritage Trust

As we mark Volunteers’ Week, the Forres Heritage Trust would like to extend its thanks to the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and expertise to support our work throughout the year. Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Whether welcoming visitors, helping with events, assisting in the archive room, creating and running events, or renovating and looking after the Tolbooth and Nelson’s Tower.  Their enthusiasm and commitment help keep the history of thee buildings alive for locals and visitors alike, ensuring that our community’s past continues to be celebrated and understood by future generations. Volunteers’ Week …

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TWO of Forres’ most historic buildings will reopen to visitors at the end of this month just in time for the busy tourist season. Nelson’s Tower will open on Saturday, March 28 with entry by donation, and from the beginning of April the Tolbooth will be open on Fridays and Saturdays 10-12am for walk-in visits which will cost £7.50 for those aged 16 and over. The Tolbooth is owned by the Forres Heritage Trust which also looks after Nelson’s Tower on behalf of Moray Council. Nelson’s Tower, which was built by public subscription and opened in 1812, will be …

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Miniature replicas of Nelson’s Tower can now be purchased as a memento, thanks to the engineering skills of a volunteer. People visiting Nelson’s Tower will now be able to take home a 110mm high souvenir of the monument after Bill Graham, a trustee of the Forres Heritage Trust which looks after the Tower, started 3D printing them. Bill who has been involved with the Trust since it was founded in 2010 said: “It’s a very accurate replica of Nelson’s Tower. I just thought I would give it a go, and it’s come out pretty well, so we thought we …

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Two historic paintings which have been restored after a two-year project have been unveiled. ‘The Tournament’ and ‘The Riding of the Marches,’ painted in 1839/40 by Thomas Cranmer were unveiled in the Tolbooth Courtroom where both have been in situ for 185 years since just after the building was opened. Alex Ross, a volunteer with the Forres Heritage Trust led on the project and helped to raise the £25,000 needed to restore both landscapes. Speaking at the event which was attended by 45 people, Alex said: “Two years ago, the team of volunteers known as The Friday Gang, were …

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The Forres Heritage Trust is encouraging people to become volunteers to give visitors a friendly welcome. The FHT which owns the Tolbooth and looks after Nelson’s Tower needs more people to help when the buildings open to visitors at the end of March. The Trust stresses that the onus on volunteers is to be welcoming and that it’s not necessary to have a huge knowledge of the buildings’ history and heritage. To help encourage more people, they will be holding four drop-in sessions next month, where people can find out more about what is involved. Peter Haworth a trustee, …

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Members of an organisation which was created to promote interest in the life of Admiral Lord Nelson have visited Forres and a monument that was built in his honour. The members of the Nelson Society came to Forres last month and visited Nelson’s Tower which was erected after his death. The guests also visited the Tolbooth, located in the centre of Forres and Sueno’s stone. Nelson’s Tower is looked after by the Heritage Trust who hosted the visit. Peter Haworth, a trustee with the Forres Heritage Trust said: “The primary reason for the visit was to spend time at …

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Dresses which were donated to the Forres Heritage Trust have been given a new home in a west coast museum. The outfits were gifted to the Trust last year by Meg and John Mackenzie and in a fitting turn of events, they are now on display in Pool House in Poolewe which is a former Clan Mackenzie house. John and Meg are founding members of Forres Heritage Trust which was set up in 2010 and helped secure the purchase of the Tolbooth which the Trust now owns. The couple donated the dresses to the Trust with the hope they …

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The Forres Heritage Trust offers two historic experiences in Forres which both allow you to delve into the town’s past. Tour the Tolbooth Open the first Saturday of every month until September from 10am. ELEVEN tours available each day. If you would like to book a bespoke tour out with these dates, we will try and accommodate this, subject to tour guide availability. Please contact Trust Chairman, George Alexander on 07875 034220 who will endeavor to make a tour happen. To book online, click here. Delve in to the past when you visit one of Forres’ most historic buildings.Start …

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Thousands of visitors have flocked to two prominent tourist attractions over the spring and summer months with the organisation behind the buildings increasing its income which is vital to its future. Nelson’s Tower and a new tour at the Tolbooth which are both operated by the Forres Heritage Trust attracted over 3300 visitors, many coming from overseas including from Russia, Turkey, Malaysia and China. Footfall to the Tolbooth on Forres High Street was also boosted with the return of a four-day photographic exhibition which ran for the first time since the covid pandemic. The show held in September raised …

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A plan to light up three historic Forres monuments has taken a step forward with the project receiving planning permission and securing £50,000 of funding. Permission has been granted to light up Nelson’s Tower, The Tolbooth and the Mercat Cross. The planning application was submitted by the Forres Heritage Trust who own the Tolbooth and look after Nelson’s Tower on behalf of Moray Council. The Trust has also secured £30,000 funding from Berry Burn Community Fund, £15,000 from Forres Features Limited, the company who staged Colours of Cluny and The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation has agreed to give …

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