Huna House

Known as 'Huna House' this large Victorian building is located in the small village of Huna in Canisbay in far north of Caithness.

Built as the Huna Hotel in 1870 the building was mordernised greatly in 1879. Seven bedrooms were located on the second floor along with one toilet which was supplied from a well in the roof. Bedroom number two was above the main door of the house, a man called James Hughes had this room before he died after falling down the stairs, it was after his death that this room was supposed to be haunted by his ghost. A large rock could be seen from bedroom number five, it's at this rock you can supposedly see a mermaid combing her hair, to the locals this rock is called 'Mermaid Rock'. All five bedrooms had fireplaces with tiles down each side.

A large fine carved staircase sat in the heart of the house with large well carved banisters and high rising pillars supporting the roof. The stair was lit bright by large double windows. The dining room and sitting room both had large rooms with the sitting room having a big white marble fireplace. All the rooms had what was known as 'bell pulls' beside the fireplaces, they showed on a big board in the front hallway. All the rooms downstairs had flagstone flooring except from the sitting room which had wood. Two small bedrooms were downstairs, one below the stair and one below a room which was known as the 'peedie kitchen' which is thought to have been a bedroom when the house was built.

The big kitchen had an oven beside the fireplace and a boiler which sat next to the door. The kitchen also had a large range, it was this that heated the room. A scullery and a pantry is thought to have been built inside the kitchen when the hotel was built but the division was obviously taken down in the later years and it was incorporated in to the kitchen. It is thought that the William Simpson of Stroma and his wife Barbara Allan had the front porch built, they were the couple that also built the Huna Mission Hall. After the days of the house being used as a hotel it became known as Huna House as mostly everyone who was expecting a child in Canisbay went there to give birth and when weather was too rough for boats to travel back to Stroma, people used to stay overnight. In those days everyone knew each other and everyone looked out for one another. Huna House was the heart of Huna.

Sandy Cormack, grandson of Alexander and Annie Cormack went down to keep Jamie Simpson company after his aunt and uncle passed away, Jamie didn't think much of staying in a big house. The wind whistled and the windows rattled in their imagination, they were sure that the ghost was on the move! Sandy's granny Annie Cormack to Jamie up to Roadside (now 'Norwin') where they stayed. Jamie stayed with Sandy's grandparents until he married.

Alexander and Annie's daughter Camilla, known as 'Milla' lived in Huna House with her husband Neil Douglas from Bower. At this time Sandy slept in bedroom number three.

"One night Sandy was wakened by a loud scraping noise on the walls, the door of the bedroom creaked and he could hear sounds as if someones was shuffling, he was in a cold sweat and thought "This is the ghost this time!" because the shuffling noise came nearer and something was touchingly the bed. Sandy lay rigid until a voice spoke and it was an old man, it was the Bard of Stroma, Donald Banks, he had lost his way coming back from the toilet! There was no electric light in those days and the only light Milla had left was small and not better than a candle. My husband got nearly as big as a fright when he came back with the lamp and saw the old man with his white hair standing on end and in his long johns and nightshirt. He aye wondered if he was looking for a woman!" - Margaret Cormack, Kirkstyle.

Annie Cormack of Roadside was always looking for a chance to play the accordion when dances were held in the barn of Huna House. Johan Calder's sister Jess entertained the people when there was a pause from the dancing.