The village of Plockton was founded in 1794 by Col Francis Humberston Mackenzie of Seaforth, then owner of the Lochalsh estate. The plan was extended in 1801, when the estate was sold to Sir Hugh Innes. He provided homes for some of his cleared tenants, who then derived their main income from fishing and shipbuilding, as there was little land suitable for cultivation. The Gulf Stream provides the area with a mild climate, and the village is well-known for the palm trees which flourish along the shore, as well as for its picturesque setting.