About John O'Groats

This is your once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of land in one of the most historic and unique areas of Scotland. The sound of your Title, 'Laird or Lady of John O’ Groats' will cause tremendous interest and not a little envious curiosity.



John O’ Groats is a magical name, a place famous internationally for its position at the 'end of the road' as the northernmost of Britain’s four corners.

The geographical position is by no means this northern community’s only claim to fame. The area has a fine coastline of cliffs, sea-stacks, and coves, some of the finest seascapes in the entire length of Britain’s Eastern seaboard.



John O’ Groats also boasts wonderful panoramic views across the stormy Pentland Firth to Orkney.

Jan de Groot

There is a romantic story of Jan de Groot from whence the name John O’ Groats derives, and of his eight - sided house; reminiscent of the tale of King Arthur and his Round Table.

De Groot was the leader of a small group of Dutchmen who settled in the area towards the end of the 15th century to start up the first regular ferry service to Orkney on the orders of that shrewd Stewart King James IV.

Only a few years previously, Orkney had been part of the combined Kingdom of Denmark and Norway and the King of Scotland wanted a ferry to tie the Islands firmly to his domain.

Every year the little Dutch ‘clan’ celebrated the anniversary of their landing in the far North with a feast. But one year as old Jan grew aged, a bitter family quarrel arose among his seven descendants as to which of them would succeed him as the head of the family, which almost ended in bloodshed.

Old Jan knew that if word of a drunken brawl got around, the Groots - as the family became known locally - might lose their lands and the lucrative ferry trade. He managed to keep the peace by promising that the whole matter would be resolved by the time of their next annual gathering.

Old Jan built an eight sided house, with eight doors, and in the middle of it he placed an octagonal table. Each of the family members entered by their own door - and they all sat at the head of the table!

So the wily Dutchman gained immortality for himself and preserved the family’s fortunes - so much so that the Groots ran the ferry service for another 200 years.




The site of the old house is marked by a mound and a flagstone close by the John O’ Groats House Hotel.

The hotel's main tower is eight sided - a Victorian architects romantic ‘replica’ of the original building, which itself served for many years as an alehouse.







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