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Tarbat - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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"TARBAT, a parish in the district of Easter Ross, county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It comprises the villages of Portmahomach, Balnabruach, and Rockfield. It extends in length about 7½ miles from N.E. to S.W., with an extreme breadth of 4½ miles; and is bounded by the Dornoch and Moray Firths, and by the parish of Fearn. The land is of a fertile character, and the soil generally light and sandy, with a deep black loam in some parts. Tarbat Ness, the ancient Aræ Finium, is marked by a revolving lighthouse, put up in 1830; it is 175 feet above sea-level, and is visible at a distance of 18 miles. The coast, which is 15 miles in extent, is rocky, but has several natural harbours and small creeks. The village of Tarbat is about 10 miles N.E. of Tain, between Dornoch and Moray Firths. In its vicinity are ruins of several castles and of a chapel. Many of its inhabitants are employed in the fisheries, and some in a hemp factory. This parish is in the presbytery of Tain and synod of Ross. The stipend of the minister is about £270. The parish church stands in the centre of the parish. There are a Free church, also a parochial school, Gaelic school, and a private school. The principal modern seat is Geanies."

"BALNABRUACH, a village in the parish of Tarbat, in the county of Ross, Scotland, 8 miles from Tain. It is situated on the peninsula between the Moray and Dornoch Firths."

"PORTMAHOMACK, a village in the parish of Tarbat, county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, 9 miles E. by N. of Tain. It is situated on Dornoch Firth, under Tarbatness, and is a sub-port to Inverness. There is a pier of about 400 feet, extending along the shore of the harbour, which is low and sandy."

"ROCKFIELD, a hamlet in the parish of Tarbat, county Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, 5 miles S. of Tain. There are also numerous small places and private seats of this name in Ireland."

Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003