Tarbat

Tarbat
Location of Tarbat parish in Highland
Area10.7 sq mi (28 km2) [1]
Population870 (2011)
• Density81/sq mi (31/km2)
OS grid referenceNH9148584020
Civil parish
  • Tarbat
Community council
  • Tarbat
Council area
Lieutenancy area
  • Ross and Cromarty
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTain
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°49′58″N 3°49′46″W / 57.832662°N 3.8294612°W / 57.832662; -3.8294612

Tarbat (Gaelic tairbeart, meaning 'a crossing or isthmus'[2]) is a civil parish in Highland, Scotland, in the north-east corner of Ross and Cromarty.

Old parish church of Tarbat

The parish is a promontory between Dornoch Firth to the north-west and Moray Firth to the east, while to the south it borders the parish of Fearn.[3] The peninsula is relatively flat, the highest point being the hill adjacent to Geanies House which reaches 86 metres (283 feet), on the southern border of the parish.[4][5][6] The coast along the Dornoch Firth is about eight miles (thirteen kilometres) in length, while the Moray Firth coast is about seven miles (eleven kilometres). The latter coast has a rock-bound front, with progressively higher cliffs south of Rockfield, reaching 100–200 feet (30–60 metres). Along the Dornoch Firth the shore is not steep and near Inver the foreshore is almost 1 mile (1.5 kilometres) wide. The village of Portmahomack, the main settlement in the parish, is sited on the Dornoch Firth 9 miles (14 kilometres) northeast of Tain.

Tarbat Ness, the headland of Tarbat separating the Dornoch and Moray Firth coasts, lies three miles (five kilometres) northeast of Portmahomack. It is 15 metres (50 feet) high and the site of Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, which dates from 1830.[3] Just over one mile (1.5 kilometres) west-southwest of Tarbet Ness lighthouse, is the site of Castlehaven fort, by a creek of that name (Port-Chasteil is Gaelic). Although there is no building remaining, the foundation of a considerable wall is traceable, which defended the fort on the landward side. The title Baron Castlehaven is named after this fort and is held as a subsidiary title by the Earls of Cromartie.[7][8][9]

The hamlet of Wilkhaven lies on the east coast 1⁄2 mile (800 metres) southwest of Tarbet Ness lighthouse. The area to its north is known as Wilkhaven Muir.[10]

Situated north of Rockfield on the east coast, Ballone Castle, which was also known as Tarbat castle, was reputedly built by the Earls of Ross, but came into possession of the family of Viscount Tarbat and the Earl of Cromartie.[11][12] Previously a ruin, it has recently been restored as a private house.[13]

The Geanies House, the only mansion house in the parish, is situated on the eastern coast close by the southern border with the parish of Fearn. Here, coastal cliffs rise from the shore to a height of around 200 feet (60 metres).[4][11][14][5]

In the west of the parish near Inver is Arboll, an area of scattered farms and the site of a former township or hamlet.[15] Arboll is dissected by Arboll Burn, which forms the community council boundary at this point.[16][17]

At the last census (2011), the population of the civil parish was 870.[18] The area of the parish is 2,760 hectares (6,820 acres).[1] Tarbat parish is also a Community Council area (excludes part of the parish next to Inver).[17][19]

  1. ^ a b Census of Scotland 1931. Preliminary Report. Table 17 - Population and Acreage of Civil Parishes alphabetically arranged. Publ. H.M.S.O. 1931
  2. ^ Place-names of Ross and Cromarty, by W J Watson, publ. The Northern Counties Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd., Inverness 1904; p.45
  3. ^ a b Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A survey of Scottish Topography statistical biographical and historical, by Francis H. Groome; publ. Thomas C. Jack, Edinburgh, 1882 - 1885. (Article on Tarbat)
  4. ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland Portal website (Article on Geanies House) portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/GDL00217 Retrieved April 2021
  5. ^ a b Ordnance Survey series 1 in. to 1 mile Sheet 22 - Dornoch, Publ. 1965
  6. ^ Note: Nigg Hill, 203 m (666 ft), is the highest point in the Easter Ross peninisula between Dornoch Firth and Cromarty Firth, but it lies outside the parish, 10 km (6 mi) further southwest
  7. ^ Historic Environment Scotland website (article on Castlehaven) canmore.org.uk/site/15627 retrieved April 2021
  8. ^ Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A survey of Scottish Topography statistical biographical and historical, by Francis H. Groome; publ. Thomas C. Jack, Edinburgh, 1882 - 1885. (Article on Castlehaven)
  9. ^ Ordnance Survey Sheet NH98 in the 1:25,000 series, published 1963
  10. ^ Gazetteer for Scotland website (supported by the School of GeoSciences of Edinburgh University and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society) www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst1665.html Article on Wilkhaven. Retrieved April 2021
  11. ^ a b New Statistical Account Vol 14, publ. William Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh, 1845; p.461
  12. ^ Historic Environment Scotland website (article on Ballone) canmore.org.uk/site/75455 and portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB14104 retrieved April 2021
  13. ^ Gazetteer for Scotland website www.scottish-places.info/scotgaz/features/featurefirst6603.html Retrieved April 2021
  14. ^ Historic Environment Scotland website (article on Geanies House) canmore.org.uk/site/106911 Retrieved April 2021
  15. ^ Historic Environment Scotland website (article on Arboll) canmore.org.uk/site/15318 retrieved April 2021
  16. ^ Historic Environment Scotland website (article on Mains of Arboll) canmore.org.uk/site/15308 retrieved April 2021
  17. ^ a b Highland Council web site - www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/4419/tarbat_community_council.pdf Retrieved April 2021
  18. ^ Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scotland, web site www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk - See "Standard Outputs", Table KS101SC, Area type: Civil Parish Retrieved April 2021.
  19. ^ Gazetteer for Scotland www.scottish-places.info/parishes/parmap161.html Retrieved April 2021