5.-COUNTY OF ROSS AND CROMARTY.

By section 39 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, (52 
and 53 Vict., cap. 60) the counties of Ross and Cromarty were "united
 for all purposes whatsoever under the name of the county of Ross &
 Cromarty." The result of this is to dispose of the various scattered
 portions of the old county of Cromarty by placing them entirely in 
the new county of Ross & Cromarty.

I.—COUNTY BOUNDARIES.

There are only two parishes which were situated partly in the 
county of Ross & Cromarty and partly in other counties, viz., Urquhart
 & Logie-Wester and Urray. Urquhart & Logie-Wester was situated
 partly in Nairnshire, the part in Nairnshire being a detached part of
 that county. Urray was situated partly in the county of Inverness-shire.

The following changes in County boundaries have been made :—

A. With the County of Inverness.

1.—Urray.

The parish of Urray was situated partly in the county of Inverness
 and partly in the county of Ross & Cromarty. No change is made in the county boundary. By Clause II. of the Order printed at p. 7
 the part of the parish of Urray previously in Inverness-shire remains 
in that county, but ceases to be part of the parish of Urray, being
 transferred to the Inverness-shire parish of Kilmorack.

For details see county of Inverness, Kilmorack, infra, p. 150, and for changes on the area of the parish of Urray see Contin, &c., infra,
 p. 136.

2.—Kilmorack.

The Inverness-shire parish of Kilmorack had a detached part
 situated in that county near Muir of Ord, presenting the appearance of a narrow wedge of the county of Inverness driven into the 
county of Ross & Cromarty. By the Order printed at p. 7 (Clause
 I.) this detached part was disjoined from the parish of Kilmorack and
 from the county of Inverness and annexed to the parish of Urray.

Accordingly the boundary between the two counties, which formerly ran from the Beauly River 
up the north-ceast and down the west boundaries of the wedge-shaped 
detached part of Kilmorack, now runs along its south boundary.
 The county boundary as altered now runs up to Beauly River to the
 mouth of the Black Burn (about 200 yards further up the Beauly
 River than the old boundary); and thence it runs up the Black Burn past Tomich till it rejoins the old county boundary, along which it
 continues westwards.

The following subjects have thus been transferred from the county
 of Inverness to the county of Ross & Cromarty (and at the same time from the parish of Kilmorack to the parish of Urray) :—

Sheet 83 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

For further changes on the parish of Kilmorack see county of 
Inverness, Kilmorack, infra, p. 150.

B. With the County of Nairn.

1.—Parish of Urquhart & Logie-Wester.

A large part of the parish of Urquhart & Logie-Wester (6,385 acres out of a total area acreage of 14,998) formed a detached part of the
 county of Nairn, marked on the Ordnance Survey maps “Nairnshire 
detached No, 5." It consisted simply of the barony of Ferintosh.
 Under various Acts, public and local, it has for some years been
 treated as part of Ross & Cromarty for most county purposes, and by
 the Order printed at p. 6 this transference is completed, the detached
 part being disjoined from Nainshire and annexed to Ross & 
Cromarty.

The following are the subjects so transferred from the county of
 Nairn to the county of Ross & Cromarty :—

Sheet 83 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

II.—PARISH BOUNDARIES.

1.—Contin, Dingwall, Fodderty, and Urray.

The parish of Fodderty had two detached parts. Fodderty 
detached No. 1 extended to 18,474 acres, and was almost surrounded by the parish of Contin. Fodderty detached No. 2, extending to
 2,720 acres, lay to the south of the main portion of the parish, and
 was separated from it by a narrow strip of the parish of Dingwall.
 Not only had the parish of Urray two detached parts in the county
 of Ross & Cromarty, but in addition part of the main portion of the
 parish was situated in the county of Inverness. Urray detached No.
1, containing 2,463 acres, was almost surrounded hy the parish of 
Contin. Urray detached No. 2, with 38,561 acres, lay in Glen Orrin 
west of the main portion of the parish, being separated from it by
 a strip of Contin and a strip of Fodderty detached No. 1. In dealing
 with these two parishes it was found necessary to effect alterations on
 the boundaries of the parishes of Contin and Dingwall. By the
 Order printed at p. 7 the following changes were decided on the four
 parishes concerned :—

(1.)—Contin.

The only territory taken from Contin is the small portion of the
 parish lying to the south of the watershed between Strath Conan and 
Glen Orrin which was transferred to the parish of Urray. On the 
other hand Contin received a huge accession of territory, for there were transferred to it detached part No. 1 of the parish of Urray, and all
 of Fodderty detached No. 1 except the portion lying to the south of 
the above-mentioned watershed. The change on a westerly direction till it meets the
 boundary of Fodderty detached No. 1 at or near Meall a' Bhuie. 

From that point draw a line in a westerly or south-westerly
 direction along the watershed till it reaches the boundary of Urray 
detached No. 2 at or near Meall Giubhais. At this point the line 
meets the western part of the old southern boundary of Contin, along
 which it continues to its westmost point. This is the new southern boundary of Contin. The extreme west boundary, the north boundary, 
and the extreme east boundary remain as before, and the area within 
these forms the new parish of Contin.

The following subjects have thus been transferred :—

(a.) From the parish of Contin to the parish of Urray.—See Urray, p. 157.

(b.) From the parish of Urray to the parish of Contin (Urray
 detached No. 1) :—

(c.) From the parish of Fodderty to the parish of Contin (the whole of Fodderty detached No. 1, except what lay in the 
watershed of Glen Orrin) :—

(2.)—Dingwall.

With the view of uniting Fodderty detached No. 2 to the main
 portion of that parish, part of the parish of Dingwall has been transferred to the parish of Fodderty. The part so disjoined consisted of
 a narrow atrip of territory situated beside Loch Ussie and bounded on
 the north and north-west by the main portion of the parish of
 Fodderty, on the south-west by the parish of Urray, on the south by
 Fodderty detached No. 2, and on the east by the centre of the road
 leading north from Keithtown past Upper Bogchroe and Baddamhroy to Coill an Righe (not shown on the Ordnance Survey one-inch maps), the last-mentioned boundary has thus become part of the western
 boundary of the parish of Dingwall.

For details as to the subjects transferred, see Fodderty, infra.

(Sheets 83 and 93 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

(3.)—Fodderty.

The parish of Fodderty loses the whole of Fodderty detached 
No. 1, of which a small portion goes to the parish of Urray and the
 remainder to the parish of Contin. But Fodderty detached No. 2 is united to the main portion of the parish of Fodderty by the annexation 
to that parish of the intervening portion of the parish of Dingwall
 just described. Thus the parish of Fodderty how comprises the main 
portion of the old parish and Fodderty detached No. 2, along with
 the portion of Dingwall parish above described.

The following subjects have thus been transferred

(a.) From the parish of Fodderty to the parish of Contin.—See
 Contin, supra, p. 135.
(b.) From the parish of Fodderty to the parish of Urray.—See
 Urray, infra, p. 137.
(c.) From the parish of Dingwall to the parish of Fodderty :—

(Sheets 83 and 93 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

(4.)—Urray.

The parish of Urray has lost two portions of its old area. Urray 
detached No. 1 has been transferred to the parish of Contin, and the
 part of Urray which was situated in the county of Inverness has been transferred to the parish of Kimorack in that county. On the other 
hand the detached part of Kilmorack in the county of Inverness has been transferred to the parish and Urray and to the county of Ross & Cromarty ; and Urray detached No. 2 has been united to the main
 portion of the parish by the annexation to Urray of the  intervening 
portions of Contin and of Fodderty detached No. 1 which lay south of the watershed between Strath Conan and Glen Orrin. The change in 
boundary effected by the addition of the detached part of Kilmorack
 is described above
 (Kilmorack, p. 132). The change on the north boundary of Urray by the additions from Contin and Fodderty is the same as the change on the south boundary of Contin already
 described (p. 135).

The following subjects have thus been transferred 

(a.) From the parish of Urray to the parish of Contin.—See
 Contin, supra, p. 135.

(b.) From the parishof Urray to the parish of Kilmorack.—Kilmorack, infra, p. 150.

(c.) From the parishof Kihnorack to the parish of Urray.—See 
Kilmorack, supra, p. 133.

(d.) From the parishes of Contin and Fodderty to the parish of 
Urray :—

(Sheets 82 and 83 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

2.—Killearnan and Knockbain (Kilmuir-Wester & Suddie).

The parish of Killearnan had a detached part situated at Tore. 
It contained 2,007 acres, and was separated from the main portion of 
the parish by an intervening strip of the parish of Knockbain (Kilmuir-Wester & Suddie). It may be explained that the parish 
marked on the maps Kilmuir-Wester & Suddie is commonly known
 as the parish of Knockbain.
By the Order printed at p. 8 the following alterations were made
 on the boundaries of these two parishes : —

(1.) The main portion and the detached part of Killearnan were
 united by annexing to that parish the intervening portion of
 Knockbain. The old road from Munlochy to Redcastle runs in a
 south-westerly direction for nearly half a mile along the south-east
 boundary of the detached part of Killearnan. It leaves that boundary
 at the southmost point thereof and runs past (Hackmure to the nearest 
point of the main portion of Killearnan parish. The north fence of
 this road, from the point at which it leaves the detached part to the
 point at which it meets the main portion of Killearnan, is made the
 new boundary at this part between Killearnan and Knockbain, all 
that part of Knockbain which lies to the north of it being transferred
 to the parish of Killearnan.

(2.) Gallowhill Wood (with croft), which formerly lay partly in 
Knockbain, was placed entirely in the parish of Killearnan. The new
 parish boundary at that part is the centre of the track on the east side of Gallowhill Wood from a point on the north about 700 yards north-west of St Johns to a point on the south about 500 yards north of 
Ballagunneerie.

(3.) That part of Killearnan which lay east of the centre of the 
road loading from Allanglach put Artafallie to North Kessock was 
transferred to Knockbain.

(4.) The whole farm of Bellfield was placed in Knockbain.

The last change, however, does not involve any alteration on the boundaries as laid down on the Ordnance Survey maps.

The following subjects have thus been transferred :—

(a) From the parish of Knockbain to the parish of Killearnan.

(b.) From the parish of Killearnan to the parish of Knockbain.

3.—Applecross and Lochcarron.

The parish of  Lochcarron had four detached parts, all surrounded
 by the parish of Applecross. Lochcarron detached No. 1,containing 141 acres, was situated above a mile to the south of the southern end of Loch Damh. The other three detached parts, containing 89, 46 and 491 acres respectively, were situated at the head of Loch Kishorn and on the left bank of the River Kishorn.

By the Order printed at p. 9 the following changes were
 effected :—

(1.) That part of Applecross which lies east of the River Kishorn 
and south of the north march of Kishorn estate was transferred to Lochcarron. In this way detached parts Nos. 2, 
3, and 4 of Lochchcarron are united to the main portion 
of the parish. The new boundary between the parishes at 
this part consists of the centre of Loch Kishorn, and the medium filum of the River Kishorn from its mouth to a
 point about a quarter of a mile north of Tornapress ; from
 this point it runs in an easterly direction along the march
 between the estates of Kishorn and Lochcarron until it meets the old boundary of the parish of Lochcarron at a 
projecting point about 300 yards north of Loch na Caillich.

(2.) Lochcarron detached No. 1 and a portion of the main portion
 of Lochcarron lying to the east of this detached part were
 transferred to Applecross. The alteration on the boundary 
between the parishes due to the latter transference is fully 
described in the Order (supra, p. 9), and need not be 
repeated.

The following subjects have thus been transferred :—

(a.) From the parish of Applecross to the parish of Lochcarron.

(b.) From the parish of Lochcarron to the parish of Applecross.

(Sheet 81 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

4.—Barvas, Lochs, and Uig.

The parish of Lochs had a detached part situated at Carloway,
 and lying between the parishes of Barvas and Uig.

By the Order printed at p. 11 this detached part has been divided
 between the parishes of Barvas and  Uig by a line fully described in 
the Order, which, however, there may be some difficulty in tracing 
on the map for the first part of its course. The starting-point, Geodha
 Shealaiga (which is not marked on the one-inch Ordnance survey maps)
 lies on the coast nearly due north of Carloway between two points which are marked on the map, Aird Ghoudhann and Rudhe an Trilleachain. The starting point once obtained, the line may readily be traced (running always
 in a generally south-easterly direction) by the direction of Lochs through which it passes, viz., Loch Langabhat, 
Loch Ghleadhairean, Loch Shanndabhat, Loch Mor Connaidh, Loch Airidh Soibh, till it reaches the Glean Eiracleit. All to the west of this line goes to Uig, and all to the 
east to Barvas.

The following subjects have thus been transferred :—

(a.) From the parish of Lochs to the parish of Barvas.

(b.) From the parish of Lochs to the parish of Uig.

(Sheet 105 of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland, one-inch scale.)

EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. The counties are arranged in the order as in the Census returns, "such that a zig-zag line beginning at the north of Scotland and carried to the south passes successively through every County". The counties have the same numbers as in the Census returns.

2. The subjects transferred are enumerated under the head of the County or Parish to which they are transferred. Thus when an area has been transferred from County A to County B, the subjects affected are enumerated under County B, and a cross reference is given under County A.

3. The names of subjects are those contained in the Valuation Rolls. In the description of subjects the term "farm" includes the farm-house and servants' houses, and the term "croft" includes the house. But where any of the servants' houses on the farm have distinctive names, such houses are detailed separately. "House" includes "cottage", and "land" includes gardens, yards &c.

4. The names of proprietors are in almost all cases those given in The Valuation Rolls of 1890-91. It is therefore to be borne in mind that those who are described as proprietors may be limited owners only, such as liferenters or leaseholders.

5. Where villages or towns are affected, the names of the subjects and proprietors are not usually given. The description of the area transferred is in such cases quite sufficient to show whatever and to what extent any subject in the village or town has been affected by the Order.

6. The Ordnance Survey maps referred to are those published by the Ordnance Survey Department on the scale of one inch to the mile. Those published down to this date (1891), show the Counties and Parishes as they were before the Order of the Commissioners came into operation. It is expected that, when the work of the Commissioners is completed, revised maps will be issued to show the altered boundaries, but the sheets of the revised maps will bear the same numbers as the present maps. The Orders and the explanations can be followed readily on the maps as published at present.

7. An ampersand (&) has been used wherever a County or a Parish has a double name, e.g. "Ross & Cromarty" or "Fetlar & North Yell".

8. In most cases it is necessary to read the text of the order along with the explanation, because the full descriptions contained in the Orders are, as a rule, not repeated in the explanation.

SCOTTISH BOUNDARY CHANGES, 1899-92 — EXPLANATORY NOTES

In 1889-1892 many county and parish boundaries were amended as a result of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889.

The boundary changes changes are described in the "Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland as Settled By 
the Boundary Commissioners Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889" by Hay Shennan, which was
 published by William Green and Sons, Edinburgh. The changes 
affected the boundaries of most Scottish counties, parishes, and burghs.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. The counties are arranged in the order as in the Census returns, "such that a zig-zag line beginning at the north of Scotland and carried to the south passes successively through every County". The counties have the same numbers as in the Census returns.

2. The subjects transferred are enumerated under the head of the County or Parish to which they are transferred. Thus when an area has been transferred from County A to County B, the subjects affected are enumerated under County B, and a cross reference is given under County A.

3. The names of subjects are those contained in the Valuation Rolls. In the description of subjects the term "farm" includes the farm-house and servants' houses, and the term "croft" includes the house. But where any of the servants' houses on the farm have distinctive names, such houses are detailed separately. "House" includes "cottage", and "land" includes gardens, yards &c.

4. The names of proprietors are in almost all cases those given in The Valuation Rolls of 1890-91. It is therefore to be borne in mind that those who are described as proprietors may be limited owners only, such as liferenters or leaseholders.

5. Where villages or towns are affected, the names of the subjects and proprietors are not usually given. The description of the area transferred is in such cases quite sufficient to show whatever and to what extent any subject in the village or town has been affected by the Order.

6. The Ordnance Survey maps referred to are those published by the Ordnance Survey Department on the scale of one inch to the mile. Those published down to this date (1891), show the Counties and Parishes as they were before the Order of the Commissioners came into operation. It is expected that, when the work of the Commissioners is completed, revised maps will be issued to show the altered boundaries, but the sheets of the revised maps will bear the same numbers as the present maps. The Orders and the explanations can be followed readily on the maps as published at present.

7. An ampersand (&) has been used wherever a County or a Parish has a double name, e.g. "Ross & Cromarty" or "Fetlar & North Yell".

8. In most cases it is necessary to read the text of the order along with the explanation, because the full descriptions contained in the Orders are, as a rule, not repeated in the explanation.

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889

Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, the following issues were to be addressed:

Areas and Boundaries

• The counties were initially to have the same boundaries as those already existing with some stated exceptions:
  • The county of Lanark was to be united. Previously, for some administrative purposes it comprised three counties, known as the counties of the lower, middle or upper ward of Lanark.
  • The counties of Ross and Cromarty were to be united "for all purposes whatsoever" as the county of Ross and Cromarty.
  • The boundaries of the counties of Dumbarton and Stirling were to be adjusted, so that the entire parishes of Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch were to be in Dunbartonshire. This area remained an exclave of Dunbartonshire until the county council's abolition in 1975. Stirling was to gain the lands north of Endrick Water as far as the centre-line of Loch Lomond.
  • Part of the county of Banff was transferred to the county of Aberdeen; and part of the county of Elgin (Moray) was transferred to the county of Banff. These areas had already been administered by the counties in question under highways legislation.
  • The county of Orkney and lordship of Zetland (Shetland) were separated to form two counties with those names.
     

Boundary Changes

• It was recognised in the Act that the boundaries of the counties (and parishes) would need to be altered.
  • Accordingly, section 45 established a body styled the "Boundary Commissioners for Scotland" to form county electoral divisions, and to simplify the boundaries of counties, burghs and parishes, so that
    (1) each burgh and county would be, if expedient, within a single county,
    (2) no part of a county would be detached therefrom, and
    (3) no part of a parish would be detached therefrom, and to arbitrate disputes between local authorities arising from boundary changes.
  • All boundary changes made by the Boundary Commissioners came into full effect on 15 May 1892. For most purposes, however, the bulk of the changes became effective a year earlier, on 15 May 1891.

Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland as Settled By the Boundary Commissioners Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889

The book "Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland as Settled By the Boundary Commissioners Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889" by Hay Shennan was published by William Green and Sons in Edinburgh, 1892.

Here you can find information on the boundary changes that took places in Scotland in 1889. Such changes affected the boundaries of counties, parishes, and burghs.

The "Explanation of the Orders" effected by the Boundary Commissioners have now been transcribed, and for convenience, the counties can be selected from the list below.

"Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland as Settled By the Boundary Commissioners Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889 ", by Hay Shennan, (William Green and Sons, Edinburgh, 1892) describes the boundary changes that took place in Scotland in 1889-90. Such changes affected the boundaries of many counties, parishes, and burghs.

• Aberdeenshire
• Angus
• Argyll
• Ayrshire
• Banffshire
• Berwickshire
• Bute
• Caithness
• Clackmannanshire
• Dumfriesshire
• Dunbartonshire
• East Lothian
• Fife
• Inverness-shire
• Kincardineshire
• Kinross-shire
• Kirkcudbrightshire
• Lanarkshire
• Midlothian
• Morayshire
• Nairnshire
• Orkney
• Peeblesshire
• Perthshire
• Renfrewshire
• Ross and Cromarty
• Roxburghshire
• Selkirkshire
• Shetland
• Stirlingshire
• Sutherland
• West Lothian
• Wigtownshire