Place:


Ardersier  Inverness Shire

 

In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Ardersier like this:

Ardersier (Ardrosser in 1266-Gael. ard-ros-iar, `high western promontory '), a coast parish at the NE corner of Inverness-shire. It contains the fishing village of Campbelltown, Fort George, and a post office of its own name, with money order, savings' bank, and telegraph departments; ¾ mile beyond its southern border is Fort George station on the Highland railway, 10½ miles NE of Inverness, and 15¼ W by S of Forres. ...


Bounded W and N by the Moray Firth, E by Nairnshire, and S by Petty, Ardersier has an extreme length from E to W of 4, and a breadth from N to S of 3¼ miles; its land area is 3824 acres. The shore is sandy and flat (etymology notwithstanding), and to the W has suffered considerable encroachment from the sea; inland the surface is generally tame, nowhere attaining 200 feet of altitude above sea-level. In 1792 the rental of this parish amounted to only £365, but a vast improvement has been carried out, acres on acres of barren moor or moss having been added to the arable area since 1845, whilst in the E an extensive tract is occupied by woods. The roads are exceedingly good, that to Fort George being one of General Wade's. Antiquities are the hillfort of Tom Mhoit or Cromal (Cromwell's Mount), behind Campbelltown, and the ` Cabbac Stone,' 6 feet high and 3 broad, on the boundary with Nairnshire, which tradition asserts was reared over a chieftain slain at Inverness in an affray about a cheese; and a curious sword and spear head-Roman according to Roy-have also been discovered. Anciently divided between the Bishops of Ross and the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, Ardersier is now chiefly the property of the Earl of Cawdor, one other landowner holding an annual value of between £100 and £500, and three of from £20 to £50. It is in the presbytery of Nairn and synod of Moray; and its church, built in 1802, with over 500 sittings, stands ¾ mile NE of Campbelltown. The minister's income is £191. There are, besides, a Free church, a U.P. church at Campbelltown, and a public school, which in 1879 had accommodation for 200 children, an average attendance of 95, and a grant of £72,18s. Valuation (1881) £4386,8s. 10d. Pop. (1831) 1268, (1861) 1239, (1871) 1284, (1881) 2084.—Ord. Sur., sh. 84,1876.

Ardersier through time

Ardersier is now part of Highland district. Click here for graphs and data of how Highland has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Ardersier itself, go to Units and Statistics.

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Ardersier, in Highland and Inverness Shire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/16707

Date accessed: 28th March 2024


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