Our school is situated in the lovely, historic town of Tain, the oldest royal burgh in Scotland.
There is very little written evidence of what Tain was like before 1000 AD but we know that it was part of the Pictish kingdom as there are varios Pictish symbol stones in the surrounding area.
The patron saint of Tain, St Duthus (sometimes called Duthac) was born in the town about the year 1000. He travelled to Ireland to study and is thought to have returned to the area to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was said to have performed several miracles before his death in 1065 in Ireland. His body was returned for burial in Tain where a chapel was built. After the chapel was destroyed his relics were transferred to The Collegiate Chuch which was built between 1370 and 1460.
From 1493 King James IV of Scotland made an annual pilgrimage to Tain, to worship the relics of St Duthus, until his death in 1513.
Tain was thought to be the first town in Scotland to be granted ‘burgh’ status but there are no records to support this claim.
Tain became a sanctuary where Robert the Bruce’s family came for protection. However they were handed over to the English.
After the Reformation the Collegiate Church was stripped of the trappings of pilgrimage and St. Duthus’ relics disappeared.
Tain is now a small but thriving town with a population of around 3,500. There are many thriving industries such as cheese making, whisky distilling, ornamental glassworks, and silver jewellery.