Cromarty

Cromarty (Gael. Crombathi, Crooked Bay), a county and its capital in the N. of Scotland. The county was formerly split up into twenty detached portions, which were scattered about Ross-shire, and mostly incorporated in that county for administrative purposes. Originally the name applied only to the small tract on the S. shore of Cromarty Firth, but the Earl of Cromarty in 1685 and 1698 procured the annexation of all his outlying estates to this nucleus, and thus brought about the absurd geographical anomaly. This, however, was done away with in 1889. and the county is now united with Ross. The total area is about 345 square miles. Cromarty Firth, expanding into Cromarty Bay, affords one of the safest anchorages on the E. coast, and is protected by the mountain ranges known as the North and South Soutars. The municipal town of Cromarty stands at the entrance of the Firth, 19-1/2 miles N.E. of Inverness. It combines, with Wick and other boroughs, to return one member to Parliament. The chief industry is fishing, but sail-cloth, cordage, and sacking are manufactured. Cromarty House occupies the site of the old castle of the Urquharts, and there is a good lighthouse. Hugh Miller, the geologist, was born here.