View source for Ross and Cromarty

{{Short description|Historic county and registration county of Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{infobox historic subdivision
<!-- Header -->
| Name                  = Ross and Cromarty
| subdivision_type      = [[Shires of Scotland|Historic county]]
| AltName               = {{Native name|gd|Ros agus Cromba}}
| Image                 = ScotlandRossCromarty.png
| image_caption         = ''Ross and Cromarty:''<br />County (1889–1975)
| arms_image            = <!--Coat of arms (display option 1)-->
| arms_link             = 
| flag_image            = 
| flag_link             = 
<!-- Geography -->
| Map                   = 
| map_caption           =  
| coordinates           = {{Coord|57|40|N|5|00|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title_inline}}
| AreaFirst             = <!--Use these to record the area, and any changes over time-->
| AreaFirstYear         = 
| AreaSecond            = 
| AreaSecondYear        = 
| AreaThird             = 
| AreaThirdYear         = 
| AreaLast              = 
| AreaLastYear          = 
| area_lost1            = <!--Significant areas the territory lost-->
| lost_to1              = <!--Where it transferred to-->
| area_lost_year1       = <!--The year it happened-->
| area_gained1          = <!--Significant areas the territory gained-->
| gained_from1          = <!--Where it transferred from-->
| area_gained_year1     = <!--The year it happened-->

<!-- History -->
| Origin                = <!--What caused the unit to be created, such as legislation-->
| preceded_by           = <!--Where it came from, what it replaced or was split from-->
| Start                 = <!--Start date-->
| End                   = <!--End date-->
| Replace               = <!--What replaced it-->
<!-- Demography -->
| PopulationFirst       = <!--Use these to record the population, and any changes over time-->
| PopulationFirstYear   = 
| PopulationSecond      = 
| PopulationSecondYear  = 
| PopulationThird       = 
| PopulationThirdYear   = 
| PopulationLast        = 
| PopulationLastYear    = 
| DensityFirst          = <!--Use these to record the density, and any changes over time-->
| DensityFirstYear      = 
| DensitySecond         = 
| DensitySecondYear     = 
| DensityThird          = 
| DensityThirdYear      = 
| DensityLast           = 
| DensityLastYear       = 
<!-- Governance -->
| Status                = <!--The status(es) the unit held-->
| Government            = <!--The name of the local government--> 
| government_type       = <!--The category/type of local government-->
| Arms                  = <!--Coat of arms (display option 2)-->
| arms_caption          =  
| Civic                 = <!--Civic seal, logo or other-->
| civic_caption         = 
| Motto                 =  
| HQ                    = <!--Headquarters-->
| CodeName              = <!--Reference code series name-->
| Code                  = <!--Unique reference code for unit in the series-->
<!-- Subdivisions -->
| Divisions             = <!--The name of the subdivision type it had, for example parishes or wards-->
| DivisionsNames        = <!--The names of the subdivisions-->
| DivisionsMap          = <!--Map of the subdivisions-->
| divisions_map_caption = 
<!-- Memberships -->
| membership_title1     = <!--Type of unit it was part of-->
| membership1           = <!--Name of the unit it was part of--> 
| membership_title2     = 
| membership2           = 
| membership_title3     = 
| membership3           = 
| membership_title4     = 
| membership4           = 
| membership_title5     = 
| membership5           = 
}}

'''Ross and Cromarty''' ({{langx|gd|Ros agus Cromba}}), is an area in the [[Highlands and Islands]] of [[Scotland]]. In modern usage, it is a [[registration county]] and a [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]]. Between 1889 and 1975 it was a [[Shires of Scotland|county]].

Historically, [[Ross-shire]] and [[Cromartyshire]] were separate counties, with Cromartyshire comprising a number of disconnected tracts of land scattered across Ross-shire. The two counties shared a [[Sheriff of Ross and Cromarty|sheriff]] from 1748, and were both included in the [[Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross and Cromarty constituency]] from 1832. They were formally united into a single county called Ross and Cromarty in 1889.

The mainland part of the county had a coast to the east onto the [[Moray Firth]], and a coast to the west onto [[the Minch]]. Much of the mainland is sparsely populated, including parts of the [[Northwest Highlands]] mountains. The mainland's principal towns are all on the east coast, including [[Dingwall]] (the county town), [[Alness]], [[Cromarty]], [[Fortrose]], [[Invergordon]] and [[Tain]]. The largest settlement on the west coast was the village of [[Ullapool]]. The county also covered parts of the [[Outer Hebrides]], principally the [[Isle of Lewis]], including the town of [[Stornoway]]. The neighbouring counties were [[Sutherland]] to the north and [[Inverness-shire]] to the south.

The county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975. Since then, the mainland has been part of the [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] region, which became a single-tier [[Council areas of Scotland|council area]] in 1996. The Outer Hebrides parts of the county became part of the [[Western Isles]], which since 1998 has used only the [[Scots Gaelic]] version of its name, [[Na h-Eileanan an Iar]]. The pre-1975 county boundaries are still used for certain functions, being a registration county. There was a [[Districts of Scotland|local government district]] called Ross and Cromarty from 1975 to 1996, which was a lower-tier district within the Highland region, covering most but not all of the mainland part of the pre-1975 county.

The Ross and Cromarty [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]], which prior to 1975 had been the county, was redefined in 1975 to be the Ross and Cromarty district plus the neighbouring [[Skye and Lochalsh]] district. The registration county and lieutenancy area therefore have slightly different definitions. Notable differences are that the registration county includes the Isle of Lewis and [[Kincardine, Sutherland|Kincardine]], which are not in the lieutenancy area, whereas the lieutenancy area includes the [[Isle of Skye]], which is not in the registration county. The lieutenancy area is {{convert|8019|km2|sqmi|abbr=off}} in extent.

==History==
===Before 1889===
The mainland part of Ross and Cromarty broadly corresponds to the [[Provinces of Scotland|ancient province]] of [[Ross, Scotland|Ross]]. This area was claimed by the [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scottish crown]] from 1098, having previously been under [[Scandinavian Scotland|Norwegian]] overlordship. It was initially included within the [[Inverness-shire|shire of Inverness]] following its incorporation into Scotland.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Alexander |editor1-last=Cowan |editor1-first=Edward J. |editor2-last=McDonald |editor2-first=R. Andrew |title=Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages |date=2000 |publisher=Tuckwell Press |location=East Linton |isbn=1-86232-151-5 |pages=98–110 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/albacelticscotla0000unse/page/98/mode/2up |access-date=28 August 2024 |chapter=The Province of Ross and the Kingdom of Alba}}</ref>

By the mid-13th century there were [[Sheriff principal|sheriffs]] based at Cromarty and Dingwall, both within the province of Ross, but each appears to have had only a small area of jurisdiction around those towns, rather than the larger territories usually given to sheriffs. The [[Sheriff of Inverness]] was therefore still responsible for most of Ross. The position of [[Sheriff of Dingwall]] did not endure.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alice |title=The Shape of the State in Medieval Scotland, 1124–1290 |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=9780198749202 |pages=144, 234–235 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XvnCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 |access-date=30 August 2024}}</ref> After a couple of abortive attempts, the rest of Ross was eventually separated from Inverness-shire in 1661, being given its own [[Sheriff of Ross]] and becoming Ross-shire.<ref name=Kennedy2014>{{cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Allan D.|title=Governing Gaeldom: The Scottish Highlands and the Restoration State, 1660-1688|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UjJnAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA155|access-date=30 August 2024 |date=2014|publisher=Brill|isbn=9789004269255|pages=155–156}}</ref>

[[File:Ross-shire and Cromartyshire 1861 map.png|thumb|1861 map of Cromartyshire and mainland Ross-shire]]
The interests of landowners led to some variations in the 1661 definition of Ross-shire from the old province of Ross. In particular, the Isle of Lewis had not been in Ross but was included in Ross-shire on account of being owned by [[Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth]], a major landowner in Ross. Conversely, an area north of the [[River Beauly]] including [[Beauly]] and [[Kilmorack]] had been in Ross but was excluded from Ross-shire on account of being owned by [[Clan Fraser of Lovat]], based in Inverness-shire. Likewise the [[Ferintosh, Black Isle|Ferintosh]] estate on the Black Isle was made an exclave of [[Nairnshire]] on account of being owned by the Forbes family. The small shire of Cromarty (which still just covered that town and its immediate vicinity) retained its independence.<ref name="rps_1661_1_197">{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act anent the shire of Ross |website=The Records of the Parliament of Scotland to 1707 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1661/1/197 |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=30 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=MacKenzie |first1=George Steuart |title=A General View of the Agriculture of the Counties of Ross and Cromarty |date=1810 |publisher=Richard Phillips |location=London |pages=3–4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U0ND8c7rpg4C&pg=PA3 |access-date=30 August 2024}}</ref> Cromartyshire was significantly enlarged in the late 17th century to gain numerous separate tracts of land scattered across Ross-shire which were owned by [[George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie|George Mackenzie, Viscount of Tarbat]], who owned the barony of Cromarty.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act dissolving the barony of Tarbat from the shire of Ross, 4 June 1685 |url=https://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1685/4/66 |website=Records of the Parliament of Scotland |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=6 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act in favours of my lord advocat, 4 June 1685 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/mss/1685/4/67 |website=Records of the Parliament of Scotland |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=6 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act in favour of [George MacKenzie], viscount of Tarbat, 19 July 1690 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1690/4/108 |website=Records of the Parliament of Scotland |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Mackenzie |first1=George Steuart |title=General View of the Agriculture of the Counties of Ross and Cromarty |date=1810 |pages=15–19 |url=https://archive.org/details/generalviewagri13britgoog/page/n32/mode/2up |access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref>

Following the [[Jacobite rising of 1745]], the government passed the [[Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746]], returning the appointment of sheriffs to the crown in those cases where they had become hereditary positions, as had been the case for the [[Sheriff of Cromarty]].<ref name=whetstone>{{cite journal |last1=Whetstone |first1=Ann E. |year= 1977|title=The Reform of the Scottish Sheriffdoms in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries |journal=Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=61–71 |doi=10.2307/4048219 |jstor=4048219}}</ref> The scope for a major landowner or clan chief to control the office of sheriff, which had been the major cause of Cromartyshire being separated from Ross-shire, was therefore greatly reduced. From 1748 the government merged the positions of Sheriff of Ross and Sheriff of Cromarty into a single position.<ref>[[Sheriffs (Scotland) Act 1747]]</ref>

Despite sharing a sheriff from 1748, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire remained legally separate counties. They retained separate [[Commissioners of Supply]] (established in 1667),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Keith |title=Act of the convention of estates of the kingdom of Scotland etc. for a new and voluntary offer to his majesty of £72,000 monthly for the space of twelve months, 23 January 1667 |url=http://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1667/1/10 |website=Records of the Parliament of Scotland |publisher=University of St Andrews |access-date=25 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Counties and Parishes: their history and boundaries on maps |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/boundaries/history.html |website=National Library of Scotland |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref> and from 1794 each appointed their own [[lord-lieutenant]]s. From 1860 the commissioners of supply for the two counties were directed to work together on delivering some functions, notably relating to prisons.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Collection of the Public General Statutes |date=1860 |page=784 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cGFFAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA784 |access-date=6 September 2024}}</ref>

===County===
[[File:Dingwall Sherrif Court (geograph 2996545).jpg|thumb|[[Dingwall Sheriff Court]]]]
The county of Ross and Cromarty was created under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]], covering the combined area of the two former counties of Ross-shire and Cromartyshire. The new county came into being on the passing of the act on 26 August 1889, from when the previously separate commissioners of supply for each former county merged into a single body, and the last [[Lord Lieutenant of Ross-shire]], [[Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 6th Baronet|Kenneth Smith Mackenzie]], became the first [[Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. 50) Section 39 |date=1889 |page=228 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-D0wAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA228 |access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref>

The act also established elected county councils, which came into effect in 1890, taking over most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930). The new Ross and Cromarty County Council held its first official meeting on 8 May 1890 at [[Dingwall Sheriff Court]], which had been built in the 1840s as the main courthouse for Ross-shire and had also served as the meeting place for the commissioners. Kenneth Smith Mackenzie, already the lord lieutenant and a major landowner in the county, was also appointed the first [[convener]] of the county council.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB24500|desc= Dingwall Sheriff Court including former police station, prison, gatepiers and railings, Ferry Road, Dingwall |access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=First meeting of Ross-shire County Council - yesterday |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=Ross-shire Journal |date=9 May 1890 |location=Dingwall |page=3}}</ref>

[[File:Highland Council Offices (geograph 3388848).jpg|thumb|left|[[County Buildings, Dingwall]], built 1965 as headquarters of Ross and Cromarty County Council]]
The act also led to a review of boundaries, with [[exclave]]s being transferred to a county they actually bordered, and parish and county boundaries being adjusted to eliminate cases where parishes straddled county boundaries. The main exclaves in the area prior to the act had been the many parts of Cromartyshire scattered across Ross-shire, which were resolved as a result of the two counties merging into one. After the merger, there still remained an exclave of [[Nairnshire]] at the [[Ferintosh, Black Isle|Ferintosh]] estate on the [[Black Isle]], whilst the parish of [[Urray]] straddled [[Inverness-shire]] and Ross and Cromarty. Ferintosh was transferred to Ross and Cromarty, and the parts of Urray in Inverness-shire were transferred to the Inverness-shire parish of [[Kilmorack]]. These boundary changes (and others to eliminate exclaves in parish boundaries) took effect in 1891.<ref name=Hay>{{cite book |last1=Shennan |first1=Hay |title=Boundaries of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 |date=1892 |publisher=W. Green |location=Edinburgh |page=132 |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_meygAAAAMAAJ/page/n169/mode/2up |access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref>

Despite the creation of Ross and Cromarty in 1889, the [[Royal Mail]] used 'Ross-shire' as the name of the [[postal county]] for the mainland part of Ross and Cromarty, including the parts which had been in Cromartyshire.<ref>{{cite book |title=Post Office Guide |date=1911 |page=245 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8ZAAQAAMAAJ&dq=cromarty&pg=RA1-PA245 |access-date=14 September 2024 |last1=Post Office |first1=Great Britain }}</ref> Postal counties were officially discontinued in 1996.

Although the county was officially called Ross and Cromarty, the names 'Ross County Council' and 'Ross-shire County Council' were both also used for its county council in the media.<ref>{{cite book |title=Municipal Law Reports |date=1905 |page=173 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y3EoAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Ross%20County%20Council%22 |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Surveyor and Municipal and County Engineer |date=1950 |page=571 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cZlVAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Ross-shire%20County%20Council%22 |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> Ross and Cromarty County Council built itself a new headquarters at [[County Buildings, Dingwall|County Buildings]] in Dingwall in 1965.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/public-urged-to-attend-dingwall-meeting-165145/  |title=Public urged to attend Dingwall meeting|date=28 October 2014|newspaper=Ross-shire Journal|access-date=19 July 2021}}</ref>

===Since 1975===
Local government was reformed in 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which replaced Scotland's counties, [[burgh]]s and [[landward district]]s with a two-tier structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts for most of Scotland. A single-tier structure of island areas was used for [[Orkney]], [[Shetland]] and the [[Western Isles]]. The mainland of Ross and Cromarty became part of the [[Highland Region]], whilst the Outer Hebrides parts (the landward district of [[Isle of Lewis|Lewis]] and burgh of [[Stornoway]]) became part of the Western Isles.<ref name=1973act>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=17 April 2023}}</ref><ref name=OSsheet2>{{cite web |title=Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps: Scotland, Sheet 2, 1968 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/222075446 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

The part of Ross and Cromarty which went to the Highland region was split between three lower-tier [[Districts of Scotland|districts]].<ref name=1973act/><ref name=OSsheet3>{{cite web |title=Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps: Scotland, Sheet 3, 1968 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/222075455 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=14 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=14590|page=1188|date=11 October 1929|city=e}}</ref>
*Ross and Cromarty district, covering most of the mainland of the pre-1975 county, and the nearby islands that were not transferred to the Western Isles.
*[[Skye and Lochalsh]] district, covering the [[Isle of Skye]] district from [[Inverness-shire]] plus the South West District from Ross and Cromarty (comprising the parishes of [[Glenshiel]], [[Kintail]], and [[Lochalsh]]).
*Sutherland district, covering most of the pre-1975 county of [[Sutherland]], plus the parish of [[Kincardine (Ardgay and District)|Kincardine]] from Ross and Cromarty.

As part of the 1975 reforms, the last lord lieutenant of the county of Ross and Cromarty, Alexander Francis Matheson, became lord lieutenant of the new Ross and Cromarty [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]], which was defined as the combined area of the new Ross and Cromarty district plus the Skye and Lochalsh district.<ref name=1975order>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975|year=1975|number=428|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

The Ross and Cromarty District Council was based at the former county council's headquarters at County Buildings in Dingwall.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23941|page=423|date=23 February 1996|city=e}}</ref> Throughout the district's existence from 1975 to 1996, a majority of the seats were held by [[Independent politician|independent]] councillors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre |access-date=14 September 2024}}</ref>

Further local government reforms in 1996 under the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]] saw the regions and districts created in 1975 abolished and replaced with single-tier [[council area]]s. The former Highland region became one of the new council areas.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=17 April 2023}}</ref> The lieutenancy areas continue to be defined as they had been in 1975 despite the abolition of the districts on which they were based.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996|year=1996|number=731|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Lord-Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty |url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/homepage/85/the_lord_lieutenant_of_ross_and_cromarty |website=The Highland Council |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> The boundaries of the historic county of Ross and Cromarty (as it was following the 1891 boundary changes) are still used for some limited official purposes connected with land registration, being a [[registration county]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ros.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/14921/LandMassCoverageReport2015-proofed.pdf |title=Land Mass Coverage Report |publisher=Registers of Scotland |access-date=2015-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232505/https://www.ros.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/14921/LandMassCoverageReport2015-proofed.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1998 the Western Isles Council formally changed the English language version of the area's name from Western Isles to ''Na h-Eileanan an Iar'' (Scots Gaelic for 'Western Isles'), to be used in both English and Gaelic contexts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Historical information from 1973 onwards |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ordnancesurvey.co.uk%2Fdocuments%2Fboundary-legislation-changes-from-1973.xls&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK |website=Boundary-Line support |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:Sgurr fiona.jpg|thumb|300px|Sgurr Fiona and the Corrag Bhuidhe pinnacles on [[An Teallach]] in Wester Ross]]
{{Main|Ross, Scotland|Isle of Lewis}}

The western part of the county of Ross and Cromarty, also known as [[Wester Ross]], is typified by its mountainous Highland scenery, especially the [[Torridon Hills]] which includes such peaks as [[Beinn Eighe]] and [[Liathach]]. The highest point in the county is [[Càrn Eighe]] at {{convert|1183|m|ft|abbr=off}}.

The west coast of the mainland onto [[The Minch]] and [[Inner Sound, Scotland|Inner Sound]] (opposite [[Skye]]), is heavily indented with [[sea lochs]] and peninsulas. From north to south the chief of these are the [[Coigach]] peninsula, [[Loch Broom]], the [[Scoraig]] peninsula, [[Little Loch Broom]], Gruinard Bay, [[Rubha Mòr]] peninsula, [[Loch Ewe]], Rua Reidh/Melvaig peninsula, [[Loch Gairloch]], [[Loch Torridon]], [[Applecross peninsula]], [[Loch Kishorn]], [[Loch Carron]], [[Lochalsh]] peninsula, [[Loch Long]], [[Loch Duich]] and the [[Glenelg, Highland|Glenelg]] peninsula which is shared with Inverness-shire.<ref name=OSsheet3/>

The eastern part ([[Easter Ross]]) is generally flatter, and consists of  towns, villages and farmland bordering the [[Moray Firth]]. In the north [[Dornoch Firth]] separates the county from Sutherland. In the north-east can be found the hammerhead-shaped [[Tarbat]] peninsula; across [[Cromarty Firth]] lies the [[Black Isle]] (actually a peninsula not an island). To the south-east [[Beauly Firth]] forms the border with Inverness-shire.<ref name=OSsheet3/>

The county contains numerous lochs, some of which have been enlarged to use as reservoirs. The larger inland lochs are:{{efn|Being the lochs (excluding sea lochs) shown on modern Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps labelled in all capital letters.}}
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*Fionn Loch
*[[Loch Cluanie]]
*Loch Damh
*[[Loch Fannich]]
*Loch Glass
*[[Loch Langabhat]] (on Lewis)
*[[Loch Loyne]]
*Loch Luichart
*[[Loch Maree]]
*[[Loch Mullardoch]]
*Orrin Reservoir
{{div col end}}

===Islands===
The county of Ross and Cromarty includes the northern parts of the [[Outer Hebrides]], in particular the [[Isle of Lewis]]. Lewis is not an island on its own but forms part of the larger island of [[Lewis and Harris]], which is the largest island of the Outer Hebrides and the third largest in the British Isles after Britain and Ireland. Harris is in [[Inverness-shire]]. Due to its flatter, more fertile land, Lewis contains three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles, and the largest settlement, [[Stornoway]]. The only other island in the Outer Hebrides that is in the county of Ross and Cromarty and was inhabited at the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]] was [[Great Bernera]], which is linked to Lewis by a bridge.<ref name=2011census>{{cite web |title=2011 Census: First results on population and household estimates for Scotland - Release 1C (Part two) |url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/media/oksbv0u5/rel1c2sb.pdf |website=National Records of Scotland |access-date=2 September 2024 |pages=12–13 |date=2013}}</ref> Ross and Cromarty also included some small and now uninhabited islands, including the remote [[Flannan Isles]] to the west of Lewis. About {{convert|71|km|mi|abbr=off}} north of the [[Butt of Lewis]] lie [[North Rona]] and [[Sula Sgeir]], a remote group of islands which were included within Ross and Cromarty.<ref name=OSsheet2/>

The county also includes numerous smaller islands closer to the west coast of the mainland. Only three were inhabited at 2011, being [[Dry Island]] in [[Loch Gairloch]], the [[Isle of Ewe]] in [[Loch Ewe]], and [[Tanera Mòr]] in [[Loch Broom]].<ref name=2011census/><ref name=OSsheet3/>

The [[Isle of Skye]] and several of its smaller neighbouring islands form part of the Ross and Cromarty lieutenancy area, but they form part of the registration county and historic county of Inverness-shire.<ref name=1975order/><ref name=OSsheet4>{{cite web |title=Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps: Scotland, Sheet 4, 1969 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/222075461 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" class="center">
File:Eileanban.jpg|[[Eilean Bàn]] from the [[Skye Bridge]], looking towards [[Kyle of Lochalsh]]
File:Longashags.jpg|Shag birds on [[Longa Island]]
File:View towards Isle of Ewe - geograph.org.uk - 1167340.jpg|The [[Isle of Ewe]]
File:Cave on Garbh Eilean, Shiant Isles - geograph.org.uk - 85271.jpg|Cave on Garbh Eilean, [[Shiant Islands]]
File:Calanais Standing Stones 20090610 01.jpg|The [[Callanish Stones]] on Lewis
</gallery>

==Economy and population==
The main economic activities in Ross and Cromarty are [[crofting]], [[fishing]] and [[tourism]].

The parishes which make up the registration county (being the pre-1975 county) had a population of 77,382 at the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]]. The lieutenancy area (including Skye but excluding Lewis and Kincardine) had a population of 67,253.<ref>{{cite web |title=2011 census table data: Civil Parish 1930 |url=https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/2011-census-table-data-civil-parish-1930/ |website=Scotland's Census |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref>

==Civil parishes==
Parishes existed from medieval times. From 1845 to 1894 they had parish boards and from 1894 to 1930 they had parish councils. They have had no administrative functions since 1930, but continue to be used for the presentation of statistics.<ref>{{cite web |title=Civil Parishes |url=https://spatialdata.gov.scot/geonetwork/srv/api/records/d93dbde9-6936-4245-9938-0ef41a5cc0e4 |website=National Records of Scotland |access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref>

Following the 1891 boundary changes, the county of Ross and Cromarty contained the following civil parishes:<ref name=OSsheet2/><ref name=OSsheet3/>

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
# [[Alness]]
# [[Applecross]]
# [[Avoch]]
# [[Barvas]] (on Lewis)
# [[Contin]]
# [[Cromarty]] (included burgh of same name)
# [[Dingwall]] (included burgh of same name)
# [[Edderton]]
# [[Fearn, Highland|Fearn]]
# [[Fodderty]]
# [[Gairloch]]
# [[Glenshiel]]
# [[Killearnan]]
# [[Kilmuir, Easter Ross|Kilmuir Easter]]
# [[Kiltearn]]
# [[Kincardine (Ardgay and District)|Kincardine]]
# [[Kintail]]
# [[Knockbain]]
# [[Lochalsh]]
# [[Lochbroom, Highland|Lochbroom]]
# [[Lochcarron]]
# [[Lochs, Outer Hebrides|Lochs]] (on Lewis)
# [[Logie Easter]]
# [[Nigg, Highland|Nigg]]
# [[Resolis]]
# [[Rosemarkie]] (included burgh of [[Fortrose]])
# [[Rosskeen]] (included burgh of [[Invergordon]])
# [[Stornoway]] (included burgh of same name, on Lewis)
# [[Tain]] (included burgh of same name)
# [[Tarbat]]
# [[Uig, Lewis|Uig]] (on Lewis)
# [[Urquhart and Logie Wester]]
# [[Urray]]
{{Div col end}}

==Transport==
[[File:Cromarty Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 595994.jpg|thumb|left|Cromarty Bridge]]

The [[Kyle of Lochalsh line|Kyle of Lochalsh railway line]] traverses the county west–east, terminating at [[Inverness]]. The [[Far North Line]] goes north–south along the east coast, connecting Inverness in the south with [[Thurso]] and [[Wick, Caithness|Wick]] in the north.

The Black Isle is connected by bridge to the 'mainland' - [[Cromarty Bridge]] in the north-west and the [[Kessock Bridge]] in the south-west. At the tip of the peninsula a ferry provides access to the Tarbat peninsula. The [[Skye Bridge]] links Kyle of Lochalsh to the isle of Skye.

Various buses operated by [[Stagecoach Group]] link the major towns of the east coast, with the 61 bus connecting Ullapool to Inverness.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/North%20Scotland/Highlands/Black%20Isle%207th%20Jan%20updated%2027%20Dec%2018%20Web.pdf |title=Stagecoach North Scotland - Black Isle and Easter Ross Travel Guide from 07 January 2019 |access-date=23 June 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The latter route is also served by [[Scottish Citylink]] in the summer, continuing on to Glasgow.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables/Summer2019/GlasgowInvernessUllapool.pdf |title=Citylink Timetable - Glasgow to Ullpool |access-date= 23 June 2019}}</ref> Various independent bus companies link the smaller towns of Wester Ross, though online information is limited.

A ferry connects Stornoway on Lewis with Ullapool on the mainland, taking about three hours.

The county contains one airport - [[Stornoway Airport|Stornoway]] - which provides passenger flights to destinations within Scotland as well as [[London Southend Airport|London Southend]].

==Settlements==
===Mainland===
[[File:View over Dingwall to Ben Wyvis, from Alcaig.jpg|thumb|right|Dingwall, with Ben Wyvis in the distance]]
[[File:Shieldaig north.jpg|thumb|right|Shieldaig]]
[[File:Ullapull 2.jpg|thumb|right|Ullapool]]

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Achnasheen]]
*[[Achiltibuie]]
*[[Alness]]
*[[Altandhu]]
*[[Applecross]]
*[[Ardgay]]
*[[Aultbea]]
*[[Avoch]]
*[[Badenscallie]]
*[[Balintore, Easter Ross|Balintore]]
*[[Barbaraville]]
*[[Conon Bridge]]
*[[Contin]]
*[[Cromarty]]
*[[Culbokie]]
*[[Culrain]]
*[[Diabaig]]
*[[Dingwall]]
*[[Dornie]]
*[[Dundonnell]]
*[[Edderton]]
*[[Evanton]]
*[[Fearn, Highland|Fearn]]
*[[Fortrose]]
*[[Garve]]
*[[Gairloch]]
*[[Hill of Fearn]]
*[[Inver, Highland|Inver]]
*[[Invergordon]]
*[[Inverinate]]
*[[Inverness]]
*[[Jemimaville]]
*[[Kildary]]
*[[Kilmuir, Black Isle]]
*[[Kilmuir, Easter Ross]]
*[[Kinlochewe]]
*[[Kyle of Lochalsh]]
*[[Laide]]
*[[Lochcarron]]
*[[Marybank]]
*[[Maryburgh]]
*[[Milton, Easter Ross|Milton]]
*[[Muir of Ord]]
*[[Munlochy]]
*[[Nigg, Highland|Nigg]]
*[[North Kessock]]
*[[Polbain]]
*[[Polglass]]
*[[Poolewe]]
*[[Portmahomack]]
*[[Rosemarkie]]
*[[Shieldaig]]
*[[Strathcarron, Highland|Strathcarron]]
*[[Strathpeffer]]
*[[Stromeferry]]
*[[Tain]]
*[[Torridon]]
*[[Ullapool]]
{{Div col end}}

===Isle of Lewis===
[[File:Stornoway from Cuddy Point.jpg|thumb|right|Stornoway]]

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Achmore, Lewis|Achmore]]
*[[Adabrock]]
*[[Aignish]]
*[[Aird, Lewis|Aird]]
*[[Aird Uig]]
*[[Arnol]]
*[[Back, Lewis|Back]]
*[[Balallan]]
*[[Ballantrushal]]
*[[Barvas]]
*[[Borve, Lewis|Borve]]
*[[Bragar]]
*[[Branahuie]]
*[[Brue]]
*[[Breaclete]]
*[[Breanish]]
*[[Breasclete]]
*[[Calbost]]
*[[Callanish]]
*[[Carloway]]
*[[Cliff, Lewis|Cliff]]
*[[Coll, Lewis|Coll]]
*[[Cromore]]
*[[Cross, Lewis|Cross]]
*[[Crossbost]]
*[[Dalbeg]]
*[[Eorodale]]
*[[Eoropie]]
*[[Fivepenny]]
*[[Flesherin]]
*[[Garynahine]]
*[[Gisla]]
*[[Gravir]]
*[[Gress]]
*[[Habost]]
*[[Holm, Lewis|Holm]]
*[[Kirkibost]]
*[[Kneep]]
*[[Knockaird]]
*[[Laxdale]]
*[[Leurbost]]
*[[Lionel, Lewis|Lionel]]
*[[Lower Bayble]]
*[[Marybank, Lewis|Marybank]]
*[[Melbost]]
*[[Newmarket, Lewis|Newmarket]]
*[[Newvalley, Lewis|Newvalley]]
*[[North Dell]]
*[[North Tolsta]]
*[[Orinsay]]
*[[Parkend, Lewis|Parkend]]
*[[Plasterfield]]
*[[Portnaguran]]
*[[Port of Ness]]
*[[Portvoller]]
*[[Sandwick, Lewis|Sandwick]]
*[[Shader]]
*[[Shawbost]]
*[[Shulishader]]
*[[Skigersta]]
*[[South Dell]]
*[[South Galson]]
*[[Steinish]]
*[[Stornoway]]
*[[Swainbost]]
*[[Timsgarry]]
*[[Tong, Lewis|Tong]]
*[[Upper Bayble]]
{{Div col end}}

==Parliamentary constituency==
The name Ross and Cromarty was first used for the [[Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross and Cromarty county constituency]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] from 1832 to 1983. As created in 1832, the constituency merged two former [[county constituency|county constituencies]]: the [[Ross-shire (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross-shire constituency]] and the [[Cromartyshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Cromartyshire constituency]], and it elected a [[Member of Parliament]] to represent the counties of [[Ross-shire]] and [[Cromartyshire]], minus their [[parliamentary burghs]], [[Dingwall]], [[Tain]] and [[Fortrose]], which were represented as components of the [[Wick burghs constituency]] and the [[Inverness burghs constituency]].

Constituency boundaries were altered in 1918, by the [[Representation of the People Act 1918]], and the Ross and Cromarty constituency acquired the boundaries of the county of Ross and Cromarty, including the former parliamentary burghs, but minus [[Stornoway]] and [[Isle of Lewis|Lewis]], which became part of a new constituency, the [[Western Isles (UK Parliament constituency)|Western Isles constituency]].

In 1983, the [[Ross, Cromarty and Skye (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross, Cromarty and Skye constituency]] was created to represent the then Ross and Cromarty district and [[Skye and Lochalsh]] district. The [[Kincardine (Ardgay and District)|Kincardine]] area joined the [[Caithness and Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency)|Caithness and Sutherland constituency]].

==See also==
* [[List of counties of Scotland 1890–1975]]
* [[Diocese of Ross (Scotland)|Medieval Diocese of Ross]]
* [[Politics of the Highland council area]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

*D. Alston, ''Ross and Cromarty : a historical guide'' (Edinburgh : Birlinn, 1999 {{ISBN|1-874744-48-3}}), which, however, restricts itself to coverage of the mainland county;
*R. Bain, ''History of the Ancient Province of Ross'' (Dingwall, 1899);
*J. H. Dixon, ''Gairloch'' (Edinburgh, 1888);
*F. N. Reid, ''The Earls of Ross'' (Edinburgh, 1894);
*W. C. Mackenzie, ''History of the Outer Hebrides'' (Paisley, 1904).

== External links ==
{{oscoor gbx|NH 21156 68047}}
{{Commons category|Ross and Cromarty}}

*[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9064139/Ross-and-Cromarty Encyclopædia Britannica, Ross and Cromarty]

{{Scotland counties}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Portal bar|Scotland|United Kingdom|History}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ross and Cromarty| ]]
[[Category:Lieutenancy areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:Former counties of Scotland]]


{{purge}}