Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1861

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Slaters
DINGWALL,
D STRATHPEFFER, MARYBURGH, CONAN BRIDGE. AND NEIGHBOURHOODS.
INGWAtiLisa parish, royal bnrgh, and market | another tittle village. In the former village <g h™d-
row n , the latter 178 miles n.n.w. from Edinburgh, 23 Nome Free church and manse were erected in 1850.
M w. from Inverness, 20 s.w. from Cromartv, 13 s.w. The market of Dingwall is held every alternate Satur-
from lnvergordon, aod 9 n. from Beanly ; pleasantk day ; and the fairs on the third Wednesday in January ; 1
situated in the eastern part of Ross-shire, on a fertile the third Wednesday in February ; the first Wednesday ]
plain, near the western extremity of the beautiful (in Jmie; the first Tuesday in July; the first Wed ties- j
frith of Cromarty, which is navigable at high water ' day in September, and io November, and the Tuesday]
for I'gfit craft as far as thetown. The burgh authors- 1 next before Christmas (new style),
ties have constructed, about three-quarters of a mile j The mineral wells of Strath puffer, situate at tlie j
from the town, a pier, or jetty, for the convenience of I ripper extremity of a fertile valley of that name, which 1
vessels in discharging their cargoes or taking in freight, j sirrtche* a^evt three miles due west from Dingwall, 1
It is supposed that at some remote period Dingwall havooncBsioned the erection of some twenty or thirtjB
was much more extensive thaD it now is, as caeseways j neat vtillas or cortaaes around them for the accom-]
and foundations of buildings have been found some i nn-dation of invalid visitors, and two good hotels, J
hundreds of yards from the site of the present town, j sahsequently added. The small hnmlet of Auchter- I
As it now exists, Dingwall is neat and well built, and l head, about two miles distant from the pump-room g
consists of one main street, well paved, and a few : {or public lounge) attached to the principal well, and!
smaller ones; it is copiously snpplied with excellent many of the adjacent form houses, likewise furnish j
water from springs above the town, into which it is ; lodgings to strangers when their influx is great, as is]
conveyed by means of pipes. The town-house, near , generally is during the months of June, July audi
the centre of the bnrgh, is a curious olrlbnil ding, with August. The situation of these wells is romantic— the I
a spire andclork ; and the church is a plain structure, uei$nbouring country fertile, and exceedingly beautiful] i
on the north side of the town. _ In the neighbourhood j The spring?) seem to rise through the porous red sand- '
of the latter edifice is an obelisk, fifty-seven feet in i stone which is prevalent in this district, and at no great i
height, erected to the memory of George, first Earl of j distance from the lofty mountain, Ben Wyvis, one ofl
Cromarty, who, eccentric at death as in life, in accor- the most conspicuous eminences in the north of Scot-
dance with his last injunctions was buried here. Near ) land. The waters have long been known as medicinal,
the town formerly stood the mansion of the powerful and an analysis of their composition was published by ]
and noble family of Ross; a rude fragment in the Mr. Donald Monro in the Philosophical Transactions I
for 1772: they were brought int > cmss-hierable celebrity
by Dr. Morrison, an Aberdeenshire gentleman, who'
was an enthusiast for their sanitary virtues, affirming
them to be the strongest and most salubrious in Great
Britain; (hey have subsequently been visited by various
scientific individuals, particularly by Dr. T. Thompson J
in May, 1828, who analysed iln waters with the mo«t|;
scrupulous exactness. Strathpeffer is bounded on the '
north by a high sandstone ridse, and on the south it is ■
skirted by the steep.green wooded acclivities of Knock-
Farrel, one of the most extensive and strongly vitrified
forts (or ancient beacon hills) in the country. The
public road through the valley passes along the property, ,
almost, exclusively; of the Marchioness of Stafford, ,
sole heiress of the estates of Cromertie, a>id bounds
the grounds of the ancient seat, of the Cromertie,Castle •
Lend, a castellated mansion, still inhabited; the same :
mad, on quitting the strath, runs by the romantic and !
beautifully wooded knolls of Coul, the property of Sir
William Mackenzie, Bart, and the manse, village, atid
island plain of Contin, beyond which the visiter of this
district may either wander along uhe picturesque shores
of Loch Echiltie, and the sheep-walks of Com rie to
the cascades of the Conan— or, holding more to the
north, he will be delighted with the falls of Rogie, on
the Blackwater, which Hows from the upland lake and
moors ot Strathgarye. .Nearer to the mineral spa, he
may likewise be gxatified by a walk through the lawns
and pleasure grounds of Brahan Ca«tle, the ancient,and
princely residence of the Seaforth family; this beauti-
ful seat is situated below the southern slope of Knock
garden attached to a villa is now all that remains of
that once princely domicile. Dingwall was erected a
royal burgb by Alexander II., and its charter was re-
aewed by James IV.; it is governed by a provost, two
bai I lies, a dean of gui I d, a t? easurer, and ten councillors,
and joins with Cromarty, Tain, Dornock, Wick, and
Kirkwall, in returning one member to parliament.
The town is eligibly situated for the purposes of a
more exten B ive trade than it at present enjoys; its
business is chiefly of a local character, manufactures
not having as yet found a seat here. In the High-street
of the town is a new, handsome, and spacious hotel,
the National, built by Mr. Robertson, where the best
of accommodation may be obtained. The Caledonian
is also a comfortable commercial hotel. In the same
street are branches respectively of the National Bunk
•if Scotland, the Caledonian Bank, and the City of
Glasgow Bank. A little to the west of the town
stand the County Buildings, forming a very conspicu-
ous feature in the general appearance of it: they were
completed in 1845, at a cost of £5 0(j0, and contain a
county room, a sheriff's court room, and county clerk's,
and other offices, together with one of the most com-
plete prisons fcr its size in the kingdom.
Dingwall is surrounded by some of the most heauti-
fnl scenery in Scotland. The valley of Strathpeffer
recedes to the westward, and is as lovely as any Low-
land vale ; while the mountains at its head present all
the rude grandeur of the Highlands. The hill on the
north side of the town, a beautiful woody declivity,
will remind the traveller of the ^celebrated hill of Kiti-
noul, near Perth. About a mile and a half from Ding- Farrel, and commands an extensive, magnificent and
wall, on the road to Beatify, is the small village of j pleasingly varied prospect, comprehending the partially
Maryburgh, seated on the left bank of the Conan, i wooded and cultivated courses of the river3 Conan
on the opposite side of which river is Conan Bridge, ami Orrin.
POST OFFXCS, Dingwall, Frank Harper, Post Master.— Letters from all parts South arrive at
twenty minutes past ten, night; and are despatched at ten minutes before three in the morning.
Letters from all parts North arrive at ten minutes before three in the morning; and despatched
at twenty minutes past ten, night.
_ Letters from Skye, the Lewis, and the West Coast [via Loch Carron, Kyle, and Poolewe)
arrive every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdav, at twenty minutes before eiidit, evening; and despatched
every Monday, Wednesday, aud Friday, at a quarter before six in the morning.
Motiey Orders are issued and paid at this office.
Post Office, Strahpeffer, Colin Beihnne, Post" Master— Letters from all parts arrive (from Ding-
wall) at twenty minntes before eight in the morning," and are despatched at twenty-five minutes before
six in the evening.
Davidson Duncan, Esq. Tulloch
Douglas Ronald, Esq. j. p. Conan
village
Dudgeon James, Esq. Fodderty
Duncan George H. Esq. Greenhill
, Falconer Robert, Esq. High st
GENTRY & CLERGY.
.'.Binning John, Esq. Tulloch
Bissell Rev. Wm. John, Mill st
Cameron George, Esq. (sheriff sub
Sti lute), Castle st
Chisholm Mrs. Janet, High st
1178
Gillanders James F. Esq. High field
Giigor Alexander, Esq. Hill st
Hay Alexander, Esq. Mill st
Ilosack WillianvEsq. Dochcarty
Kennedy Rev.Jonn, MaHse,Castle"sU ]
M'DonaldHev.Jas.Mause.OrdUnay
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