A Piece of Thatch from Marram Grass
Nairn Museum

This triangular shaped piece of marram grass was a piece of thatch taken from a Fishertown house. It was gifted by Mr John Mackintosh of Cawdor Village Store in 2004.   

Marram grass was often used to thatch houses in Nairn and the Fishertown. Much of the marram was uprooted from the dunes near Culbin Sands for thatching.   

This activity contributed to the shifting of sands. Following a great sandstorm in 1694, several buildings including local farms and the Kinnaird Estate were buried beneath sand. There are many local legends and ghost tales associated with the great storm. 

Taking marram grass for thatching continued for many years. During the 1920s, the Forestry Commission sought to stabilise the dunes at Culbin Sands by planting pine trees.