When World War I ended in November 1918 and those, who had been in the armed forces and had survived, came home, there was a great wish amongst the people of Edderton that a memorial should be built to commemorate the 24 men from the parish who had been killed. Money was raised by public subscription and was agreed that the crossroads at the heart of the parish should be the site for the Edderton War Memorial

The grounds were laid out with a lawn, backed by circular wall on top of which was planted a holly hedge. A low white railing with uprights set in stone separated the grounds from the public road and in the centre was built a granite obelisk on which were inscribed the names, rank and regiments of the fallen. It is said that Mr Murray Cameron, the farmer at Balblair, and his brother-in-law, Rev Donald MacRae, the minister of the established church in Edderton, were two of those who planned this memorial and grounds.

The memorial was dedicated in 1920 and thereafter, a service was held in the church every 11th November, Remembrance Day, and the two minutes silence was observed at 11 o'clock. After the service the whole congregation walked to the Memorial where wreaths were laid and the minister held a short service.

When World War II ended in August 1945 and those, who had been in the armed forces and had survived came home, there was again a great wish among the people of Edderton that a plaque should be added to the War Memorial to record the loss of a further 9 young men. Money was raised by public subscription and the engraved plaque was fitted to the memorial in July 1948 by A. Corbett and Sons, Masons, Tain. The cost was £83: 2/-plus £9:10/-for cleaning the stonework and re lettering the original engraving. After Sunday morning service on 8th August 1948, the congregation walked to the memorial were the Rev Finlay McKinnon, minister of the Parish of Edderton, conducted a short service and the plaque was dedicated.

On 23rd December 1953, pupils from Edderton School planted the twelve black Italian poplars behind the holly hedge to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and again the Rev Finlay McKinnon conducted a service of dedication at the memorial. Mr K. Gollan, headmaster at Edderton School, and Mr W. MacLennan, forester, Broombank, Edderton, supervised the planting of the trees, which had been bought with a surplus money from the village Coronation Fund.

"….. and so we remember our dead by reason of the granite war memorial that our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers built at the very centre of our village. They laid it out - the granite blocks, the holly hedge, the lawn, the iron railings - 81 years ago to make us remember the sacrifice of the 24 young men from Edderton who left their homes and never came back. In 1948 we added the granite plaque on which are engraved the names of the 9 men from our parish, who did not return at the end of World War II - the young, the loved, the lamented"

Many thanks to Reay D.G Clarke, Edderton Farm in providing this detail and much more!