John Nicolson Collection

John Nicolson (1843–1934) was a Caithness farmer with a deep interest in history and a clear talent for painting and sculpture. He was fascinated by the early history of Caithness and actively collected information and documents.

With the arrival of Sir Francis Tress Barry at Keiss Castle in 1890, Nicolson became involved in archaeology acting as foreman on Barry’s excavations. He sketched and painted many of the objects recovered from the excavations, from pieces of pottery, bone pins and bone combs, to stone tools andpainted pebbles, as well as preparing drawings of the actual excavations. When Barry died in 1907, Nicolson is known to have rescued photograph albums and papers from a bonfire at Keiss Castle and these are an important part of the Collection.

The Caithness Research Society honoured John Nicolson with the presentation of a bust of himself designed by Scott Sutherland. He died in 1934 and is buried in the graveyard at Canisbay Church surrounded by many of his own sculptures. The Collection was gifted to RCAHMS in 2005–6 by the grandson of Nicolson.

RCAHMS also holds photographs and papers illustrating the work of Sir Francis Tress Barry in Caithness.