Miscellaneous - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"ARDMEANACH, (or The Black Isle), a peninsula between the Firths of Moray and Cromarty, comprising a portion of the counties of Ross_and_Cromarty, and Nairn. This region was formerly a bleak, barren moorland, but has recently been reclaimed, and is now well cultivated and intersected with roads."

"BALNAGO, a village in the county of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, 3 miles from Tain. It is on the south shore of Dornoch Firth."

"BEN WYVIS, a mountain in the Highlands of Scotland, situated in the county of Ross, 7 miles to the N.W. of Dingwall. It rises among great mountain masses to the height of 3,422 feet, and is distinctly visible above them as far as Inverness. Its summit is always covered with snow. Once only is it known to have been free that was in the summer of 1826, a remarkably hot season. The mountain belongs to Sir Hector Monroe, Bart., of Foulis, and is held by the singular tenure of bringing to her Majesty three loads of snow from the summit whenever required."

"COYGACH, anciently a parish in the county of Ross, Scotland, but now annexed to the parish of Lochbroom."

"CROLIN, (or Croulin), a group of small islands in the district of Welter Ross, in the county of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. These islands are situated off the entrance of Loch Carron. Croulinmore, the largest of them, is a mile long."

"CROULIN ISLES, a group of small islands and rocks at the mouth of Loch Carron, in the S.W. part of the county of Ross, Scotland."

"DONAN, a small island at the head of Loch Alsh, in the S.W. corner of the county of Ross, Scotland. It is situated at the junction of lochs Long and Durich."

"DORNOCH FIRTH, the estuary of the river Oikell, forming the boundary between the counties of Sutherland and Ross, Scotland. It is the ancient Abona Aestuar. It commences at Bonar Bridge, and extends thence 10 miles S.E. to the Meikle Ferry, with a maximum width of la mile, and then goes off to the N.E. for a distance of 133 miles from the Meikle Ferry, where it becomes identified with the North Sea between Tarbetness and Dunrobin Castle. Good harbour accommodation could be provided above the Meikle Ferry, and also below the Little Ferry at the entrance to the Loch of Fleet, but with regard to the former of these localities its usefulness is greatly impaired by the formidable sandbanks called the Geyzin Briggs, which stretch across the firth and greatly impede the navigation."

"ELLANDONAN CASTLE, on Donan island, in Loch Alsh, county Ross, Scotland. It is a beautiful ruin. In 1266 it was given to Colin, son of the Earl of Desmond, by Alexander III. Some sixty years later, Randolph, Earl of Moray, beheaded sixty offenders here, and caused their heads to be stuck upon the castle walls. A ballad written by Mackenzie, the friend of Sir Walter Scott, refers to the defeat and death of the Baron of Slate, who attacked the castle in 1537."

"FANNICH, a loch in the county Ross, Scotland, 17 miles W. of Dingwall. It is situated about the middle of the county, and is 6 miles long by 2 wide. The river Grudie runs into Loch Lichart. The hill and forest of Fannich are in its neighbourhood."

"FERINDONALD, a district of county Ross, Scotland."

"FERINTOSH, a barony in county Ross, Scotland, near Dingwall, but belonging to the county of Nairn. It is situated on the Firth of Cromarty. It enjoyed the privilege of distilling free of duty up to 1785, when it was compensated by government to the amount of £20,000, and the license prohibited."

"GARVE, a post village in county Ross, Scotland, 8 miles W. of Dingwall. It is situated on the road from Inverness to Lochbroom. A fair is held on the third Tuesday in August. In the vicinity are the river and loch of Garve. The former issues from the Diriemore mountains, and passes through Strathgarve to join the river Conon not far from Contin; its length is about 23 miles. The loch is an expansion of the river, about 4 miles above its confluence with the Conon."

"GLASS, a loch in the county Ross, Scotland. It is situated under Ben Wyvis, and is 4 miles long by 1 mile broad. The water is fresh, and it abounds in trout. There is also another Lough of this name in the barony of Fore, county Westmeath, Ireland."

"GREENOCK LOCH, on the coast of county Ross, Scotland, near Ru Rea point. It is 5 miles long by 3 broad, and contains the small island of Greenock."

"GRUGAG WATER, a small river of county Ross, Scotland, which, after passing over a fall of 300 feet, falls into Dornoch Firth."

"HARARAY, (or Haureray), an islet at the mouth of Loch Broom, county Ross, Scotland, 5 miles S. of Ru More."

"ISLE MARTIN, an islet in Loch Broom, county Ross, Scotland, 5 miles N.W. of Ullapool. It is near 3 miles in circumference."

"ISLE-TANERA, a village on the island of Taneramore, one of the Summer Isles, county Ross, Scotland, 5 miles S. of Ru More."

"KEACLOCH, a mountain in county Ross, Scotland, rising to the height of 3,600 feet. It lies between Lochs Broom and Greinord."

"KISHORN, a sea loch on the W. coast of Ross, Scotland, opposite the Isle of Skye."

"KYLE, a village on Loch Alsh, county Ross, Scotland. It is situated at the ferry opposite Kylehaken."

"LICHART, a loch in county Ross, Scotland. It is situated under Ben Wyvis, and is drained by the river Contin, abounding in trout."

"LITTLE AND MEIKLE FERRY-HILL, a village in the county of Ross, Scotland, 5 miles N.W. of Fain. It is situated near the mouth of Dornoch Firth."

"LOCH EWE, an inlet of the sea indenting the coast of the parish of Gairloch, county Ross, Scotland. It receives the river Ewe at its head, a short stream which connects Loch Ewe with Loch Maree. Good fishing may be had here."

"LOCHLIN, an ancient castle in county Ross, Scotland, 2 miles N. of Fearn. It consists of two square turreted towers, 60 feet high, and has been the property of the M'Kenzies for nearly 500 years."

"LONG LOCH, a branch of Loch Alsh in Kintail, county Ross, Scotland. It is about 5 miles in length to the mouth of the Loigh, or Long."

"LUICHARD, a small loch in county Ross, Scotland, 9 miles W. by N. of Dingwall."

"MARES, a loch in county Ross, Scotland, 7 miles E. of Gairloch. It is a considerable sheet of water 12 miles long by 3 miles in the broadest part, and is connected with Loch Ewe by a narrow stream. At the bottom are three small islands, and on its bank the majestic Ben Lair, which towers to the height of 3,045 feet above the sea-level, and is haunted by the grey eagle, now rarely seen in other places."

"MEAG, a rivulet on the southern border of the county Ross Scotland. It rises from Loch-Benachan, thence joining the Conan at Seatwell, 8 miles N.E."

"MEALCEANDEARG, a middle range of Alpine mountain in the E. division of Glensheil, county Ross, Scotland. It rises nearly 4,000 feet above sea level."

"MEIKLE FERRY, crosses Dornoch Firth, on the borders of county Ross and Sutherland, Scotland, 4 miles N.W. of Tain. It is a station on the Inverness and Perth and Inverness and Aberdeen junction railway."

"MID-FEARN, a station on the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction railway on the borders of county Ross and Sutherland, Scotland, 2½ miles from Bonar Bridge and 12 N.W. of Dornoch."

"MORISTON, a river of county Ross, Scotland. It rises near Loch Clunie, and flowing through Glenmorriston, to which it gives name, falls into Loch Ness at Invermorriston in county Inverness."

"MULIGRACH, an islet near the mouth of Loch Broom, county Cromarty, Scotland, 14 miles N.W. of Ullapool."

"OIKELL, a river of the county of Sutherland, Scotland, rises under Benmore, and, flowing through the glen of Strath Oikell, traces the boundary of Ross-shire, and falls into Dornoch Firth."

"ORD-MOOR, a demesne near Mullbuy Common, county Ross, Scotland, 3 miles N.W. of Beauly. It belongs to the Mackenzies. Large sheep and cattle fairs are held here once in every month between March and December."

"ORRIN, a river in the county of Ross, Scotland, rises near Loch Monar, and, flowing through Orrin Glen and several small lochs, joins the river Conan, near Urray."

"PEFFER, several small streams of this name in county Ross and Haddington."

"PRIEST ISLAND, an islet at the entrance to Loch Broom, county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland."

"RANEY, a feeder of the river Conan, rises in county Ross, Scotland."

"RASAY, a feeder of the river Conan, rises near Contin, county Ross, Scotland."

"ROGIE, a cascade in Strathgarve, county Ross, Scotland."

"SKIACH, a stream of the county of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, rises under Ben Wyvis, and falls into Cromarty Firth."

"STRATHCONAN, a district in the S. part of county Ross, Scotland. It is situated under Scuir Vuillin, and is celebrated for its honey. It is 15 miles in length by 13 in breadth, and is watered by the rivers Conan and Meig. The district is densely wooded, and is a resort of sportsmen. In 1745 it was forfeited to the crown by the Mackenzies."

"STRATHPEFFER, a fertile valley under Ben Wyvis, county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It was here that the fray between the clans Mackenzie and Macdonald took place in 1478."

"SUMMER ISLANDS, a group of islets in the county of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. They consist of about 30 in number, and are situated from a quarter of a mile to 7½ miles from the coast, and extend upwards of 7 miles from N. to S. They are all uninhabited, with the exception of Tanera-More, which extends about 2 miles in length by about 1 mile in breadth. Its surface is irregular and rocky, with an altitude of from 400 to 500 feet above sea-level. The other islets are less elevated, but they are all rocky and barren. Some of the larger ones afford good winter pasturage."

"TANARA, (or Tanera, and Tanarabeg), two of the Summer Isles in Loch Broom, county Ross, Scotland, 29 miles N.W. of Dingwall, and 10 from Ullapool."

"THE MINCH CHANNEL, separates the isle of Lewis from the county of Ross, Scotland. It belongs to the above county, and extends 60 miles in length, with a breadth varying from 26 to 40 miles. It becomes narrower towards the S., and forms the sound which separates the Outer Hebrides from the island of Skye. Its W. side is flanked by the southern part of Harris, North Uist, and Benbecula."

"TORRIDON, a sea loch in the western division of county Ross, Scotland, near Gairloch. It is about 13 miles in length, and has a good herring fishery."

"ULLAPOOL, a quoad sacra parish, county of Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It extends in length about 25 miles, with an extreme breadth of 12 miles, and lies within the quoad civilia parish of Loch Broom, comprising all the portion of that parish N. of the greater Loch Broom. The seaport and fishing village of Ullapool is about 35 miles N.W. of Dingwall, and 30 N.E. of Poll Ewe. It is situated on the Ullapool river, which flows 9 miles W., through lochs Drowach and Anchall, to Ullapool harbour, in Loch Broom. The village was founded in 1788, under the auspices of the British Fishing Society, but the herrings having left this coast, the trade has greatly declined, and many of the houses are in a half-ruinous condition. It possesses a spacious harbour, and there is a quay for the use of vessels, some of which sail regularly to Portree and Stornoway, in Lewis. A justice of the peace court is held quarterly, for the recovery of small debts. The parish is in the presbytery of Locharron, and in the patronage of the crown. The stipend of the minister is about £120. The church was erected in 1829. There is also a Free church. The parochial school is about 9 miles from the village."

"VRINE, a small loch in county Ross, Scotland, 4 miles N.W. of Loch Fannick."

"WESTER ROSS, a district in county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland."

Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003