Forres Heritage Trust

A historic photo exhibition which is usually held in the Tolbooth will this year be done online. The Forres Heritage Trust usually hosts two four-day events in May and September showcasing a wealth of historic photos curated by volunteers Ray Mills and Ross Dalziel. However, in 2020 the exhibitions had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, with the May event also not being able to go ahead in the historic building, the Trust has decided to put a small collection online. Ray Mills who has been supporting the Trust with the exhibitions since 2011 explained: “Last …

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Santa’s helpers have been busy creating a festive trail to encourage people to get out and about in the run up to Christmas. Following on from the success of its Halloween trail, the Forres Heritage Trust has now launched a Christmas themed hunt with kids young and old being asked to search for the 12 Days of Christmas. Taking the lead on the project are Trustees Sandra MacIver and Ainsley James. Sandra who set up the Halloween trail said: “We are absolutely over the moon with the response we got for the Halloween trail which was really simple and …

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Forres town centre is now all lit up after a team of volunteers spent the day erecting the festive lights. The usual annual event where crowds gather to countdown the lights being switched on had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, the Christmas Lights Committee was determined to still spread some joy to the people of Forres and the lights were switched on at the weekend without the usual pomp and ceremony. Alan Hunter, chairman of the committee said: “Never did we think that we would be have to switch the lights on in secret, but it …

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A £50,000 investment to create a new tourist attraction at a Moray landmark is well under way with the building undergoing significant works. Scaffolding has been erected around the Forres Tolbooth in what marks Phase 2 of a project to open up the walkway around the clocktower to establish a new visitor attraction for the region. The project is being funded by the Forres Heritage Trust who own the Tolbooth with other monies being secured from the Berry Burn Community Fund which allocated £20,000 and the Town centre Regeneration Fund which gave £9375.                The latest works involve fixing the …

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Hidden in the depths of Forres Tolbooth are the town’s old police office and cells. In this tour as part of Doors Open Day, Trustee Sandra MacIver will turn you into a virtual criminal as you are taken from the historic police office to the cells! This tour has not yet opened to the public so this is your chance to get a first look at this exciting piece of Forres’ history. Ideal for kids!

Standing high on Cluny Hill, Nelson’s Tower looks down, with some presence, over Forres. And because the building is closed right now, the Forres Heritage Trust which looks after the monument wanted to ensure that you can still get a chance to take in the stunning view from the top of the tower in the virtual tour. Learn about how and why Nelson’s Tower was erected as a memorial to Admiral Lord Nelson. Get a look into each of the Tower’s rooms before emerging from the staircase to that breath-taking landscape. Delve into its history in a virtual tour …

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The Forres Heritage Trust is going virtual to ensure it still has a role in Doors Open Day which will take place online this weekend. Doors Open Days is a Scotland-wide event run throughout September and usually buildings open their doors to the public. However, this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event is going online and the Trust was delighted to work with local film company Flying Mirrors to create three tours. The short films will feature Trustees doing tours of Nelson’s Tower, the Tolbooth and its ongoing clock tower project, and the Tolbooth police office and …

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A fresh lick of paint is being applied to the famous cannons which stand proud either side of the entrance to Nelson’s Tower. The decision to repaint the cannons was taken some time ago, but due to Covid-19, the project was put on hold. However, volunteer Jim Grant has now got the painting off the ground with the cannons being repainted black and an undercoat has been applied to the trolleys. The plan to make the trolleys similar to the cannon on HMS Victory – a yellowish gold colour, however supply of this specialist paint is difficult, again due …

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