In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Chanonry like this:
Chanonry, a town and the seat of a presbytery in Rosemarkie parish, Ross-shire, on the Moray Firth, at the E side of the Black Isle peninsula, ½ mile SW of Rosemarkie town, and 10½ NNE of Inverness. It commands an extensive view of the waters and shores of the Moray Firth; adjoins a tongue of land, called Chanonry Point, projecting into the Firth to within 7 furlongs of Fort George on the opposite shore; and took its name from being the Canonry of Ross and the residence of the bishop. ...
Constituted a royal burgh by Alexander II., it became united in burgh privileges with Rosemarkie town, under the common name of Fortrose, by charter of James II. in 1444; and now, except for being the seat of a presbytery, is known only as a constituent part of Fortrose. A chief feature in it is the remnant of its ancient cathedral, but that and other matters connected with it will be noticed in our article on Fortrose. A lighthouse on Chanonry Point was built in 1846 at a cost of £3571, and shows a fixed light, visible at the distance of 11 nautical miles. The presbytery of Chanonry comprehends the quoad civilia parishes of Rosemarkie, Avoch, Cromarty, Killearnan, Resolis, and Knockbain, the quoad sacra parish of Fortrose, and the Gaelic church of Cromarty; is in the synod of Ross; and meets at Chanonry on the last Tuesday of March, the first Tuesdays of May and of October, and the last Tuesday of November. Pop. (1871) 10,403, (1881) 9405, of whom 266 were communicants of the Church of Scotland in 1878. The Free Church also has a presbytery of Chanonry, with congregations at Fortrose, Avoch, Cromarty, Killearnan, Knockbain, and Resolis, which together had 2683 members and adherents in 1880.
Chanonry through time
Chanonry is now part of Highland district. Click here for graphs and data of how Highland has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Chanonry itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Chanonry, in Highland and Ross and Cromarty | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21369
Date accessed: 14th May 2024
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