Fàilte — Welcome
Welcome to our online interpretation about the historic Northern Meeting Park in Inverness.
These webpages complement interpretive panels in the Park which tell stories gathered by local people as part of a community heritage project in 2024-2025. The project focused on the Park’s history and the special place it has in the hearts of many people from Inverness and further afield.
‘An àrainn Gheamaichean Gàidhealach as sine san t-saoghal …’ — ‘The oldest Highland Games venue in the world …’
Did you know that the Northern Meeting Park is said to be the oldest purpose-built Highland Games venue in the world?
Since 1864, people have been visiting the Park to enjoy traditional Highland sports, dancing and music either as participants or spectators. From its early days onwards, the Park has been a focal point for all sorts of popular events and activities – from cricket and rugby to military bands, pop concerts, traditional music and fairs. And, thanks to major investment in 2024-2025, it now offers even better facilities for local people and visitors to enjoy.
This is a story of clan chiefs in tartan, well-dressed Victorian ladies, military displays, white-clad cricketers, nimble-footed Highland dancers, and competitors running races or tossing the caber. The Park also echoes with the tunes of skilful pipers and military bands, the songs of traditional singers or pop artistes, the cheers of audiences urging on their rugby or cricket team or favourite athlete, and the excited chatter of local schoolchildren (past and present) at their sports days.
Enjoy and, in the words of the ‘Kilt is your Delight’ singers who performed here many times from the 1950s to 1980s: ‘Haste ye back’!
An robh fios agaibh? — Did you know?
The leading Highland architect Alexander Ross (1834 to 1925) designed many of the fine Victorian buildings you can see near the Northern Meeting Park including Inverness Cathedral , Eden Court’s Bishop’s Palace and most of the buildings in Ardross St and Ardross Terrace. His impressive legacy also includes churches, school buildings, houses and castles across the Highlands.
Image gallery
Further reading
Official re-opening of Bught Park and Northern Meeting Park
Highland Council press release on the £5.9 million Levelling Up Fund investment in the Park.
The Architecture of Inverness
Books and a mobile app exploring Inverness buildings, including the work of Victorian architect Alexander Ross.
The History of Inverness Cathedral
The story of Inverness Cathedral, designed by Alexander Ross and visible in many historic Park photographs.
How Philanthropy Built Eden Court
The history of Eden Court, built as a Bishop's Palace in 1878 by Alexander Ross.
