Fortrose/Rosemarkie Timeline
Dates and events specific to the Parish of Rosemarkie and the Burgh of Fortrose are in black, events outside the area which have had an impact on the parish are highlighted in red.
1124 First documentary evidence of Rosemarkie, Seat of the Bishop of Ross, in the Sheriffdom of Inverness
C1214-1286 An ecclesiastical burgh erected in Rosemarkie
c1250 The See transferred to Fortrose, Cathedral of St Peter and St Boniface begun
c1300 Ferry from Chanonry to Ardersier
1455 Earliest documentary evidence of Fortrose. Fortrose annexed to Rosemarkie and erected a royal burgh
1485 Fortrose Cathedral completed
1503 Creation of the Sheriffdom of Ross-shire
1550-1650 The Government of Scotland permits the levying of troops to fight in continental Europe
1572 Dilapidation of the Cathedral begins following the Reformation (1560)
1574 First documentary evidence of Fortrose Grammar School
1579 Scottish Parliamentary Statute making provision for the Poor Rate. The Relief of the Poor to be administered by the kirk session and heritors
1590 Chanonrie (Fortrose) erected a royal burgh
1592 Fortrose and Rosemarkie re-united as the Royal Burgh of Fortrose
1603 The Crowns of Scotland and England united
1652 Fortrose Cathedral partly demolished by Cromwell’s troops
1661 The rights of the united burghs of Rosemarkie and Fortrose transferred to Fortrose
1661 New burgh of Fortrose enrolled in the Convention of Royal Burghs
1667 Commissioners of Supply established in Sheriffdom of Ross
1670 Union of the Parishes of Rosemarkie and Chanonrie
1686 Act of Parliament stipulating the use of Scottish Linen Shrouds in Scotland
1687 Commissioners of Supply take responsibility for repairs of highways and bridges
1707 The Union of Scotland and England to form the United Kingdom
1707 Inverness, Nairn, Forres and Fortrose formed into Inverness Burghs Constituency. The constituency to return one member of parliament
1707 The appointment of a ‘tidesman’ (customs officer) to ‘Fortrose and Cromarty’
1715 Post Office opened in Fortrose
1715 First Jacobite Rising
1727 Creation of the Board of Trustees for Fisheries, Manufactures and Improvements in Scotland
1745 Second Jacobite Rising
1746 Battle of Culloden
1746 Establishment of the British Linen Company
1748 Documentary evidence of a linen cloth inspection Stamp House in Fortrose
1748 The construction of Fort George, boosting the economy of Fortrose
1750 New Post Office opened at Ferry carrying mail north from Ardersier
1755 Watson’s Census of Scotland
1772 Documentary evidence of a flax lint mill in Fortrose
After 1776 Fishing and trading harbour built at Ferry (?)
1791 Foundation of Fortrose Academy
1793 Fortrose Golf Society founded
1793 The 78th (Highlanders) Regiment raised at Fort George
1794 Old Statistical Account Fortrose noted for the production of coarse linen cloth, 35 weavers and their apprentices in Rosemarkie
1794 Ross-shire Farming Society founded in Fortrose
1813-17 Construction of Telford Harbour at Fortrose
1819/1821 Rosemarkie Parish Church rebuilt
1823 State regulation of the linen industry abolished
1825 Invention of the wet flax spinning process
1827 Erection of St Andrew’s Episcopal Church
1830 Rosemarkie market cross knocked over and never replaced
1831 Establishment of the Fortrose and Rosemarkie Friendly Society
1832 Reform Act (Scotland), extends the parliamentary franchise in Scottish Burghs to all householders paying a yearly rental of £10
1832 Scottish Reform Act; Report on and Map of the Burgh of Fortrose
1832 Commissioners of Supply raise ‘rogue money’ for the ‘keeping of the peace’
1833 Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1833, enabled existing royal burghs, burghs of regality, and burghs of barony to adopt powers of paving, lighting, cleansing, watching, supplying with water and improving their communities.
1833 Abolition of Slavery in Britain
1834 Veto Act (Scotland) gave parishioners the right to reject a minister nominated by their patron.
1835 Report by the Commissioners on Municipal Corporations on the actions of the Fortrose Burgh Council
1836 Launch of The Black Isle Farmers Society and the first Black Isle Show at Fortrose
1837 Accession of Queen Victoria
1841 Quoad Sacra Parish Church of Scotland built. The new quoad sacra parish of Fortrose had ecclesiastical but no local government functions. The church is now Fortrose Town Hall
1843 The Great Disruption and establishment of the Free Church of Scotland
1845 The Poor Law (Scotland) Act. Parochial Boards to administer Indoor and Outdoor Poor Relief
1845 The New Statistical Account reported on ‘considerable improvement in agriculture’ and ‘a want of regular employment in the absence of manufactories of any sort’
1846 Failure of the Scottish potato crop due to blight
1846 Lighthouse illuminated at Chanonry Point
1846/7 Meal riots in Rosemarkie, civil unrest in Fortrose
1850 The removal of the Brick Tax
C1850 Fortrose loses its Quoad Sacra status
1857 The Police (Scotland) Act, Commissioners of Supply to establish a County Police Force
1861 Opening of Combination Poor-house
1867 Creation of the Fortrose Police Burgh
1868 Reform Act (Scotland), Franchise extended to householders not in receipt of Poor Relief
1868 Fortrose Gaslight Company formed
1871 Ordnance Survey mapping of Black Isle
1872 Education Act (Scotland) Mandatory education for all children aged 5-13. Women, owning or occupying lands or house worth £4 annual value, given the right to vote in and stand for election to School Boards
1873 Rosemarkie School Board sets up a Public School in Rosemarkie
1873 Fortrose Gaslight Company declared bankrupt
1873 Fortrose regains its Quoad Sacra status
1876 Rosemarkie Coal and Clothing Club established
1881 Telford Harbour repaired
1881 Childers Army Reforms, creation of volunteer battalions in new ‘county’ infantry regiments. 72nd Regiment of Foot amalgamated with the 78th Regiment of Foot to form the Seaforth Highlanders
1881 Volunteers Drill Hall erected (MacKerchar Hall)
1882 Black Isle Steam Ship Company
1884 Reform Act (Scotland), Burgh franchise extended to householders
1888 Founding of The Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club
1889 Amalgamation of the Counties of Ross and Cromarty. Women ratepayers given the right to vote in County Council Elections
1891 Fortrose Academy moved to present site
1893 New Jetty at Telford Harbour
1894 Highland Railway Fortrose Branch line opened
1894 Abolition of Parochial Boards and election of Parish Councils. Women qualified and registered in County Council and Burgh Electoral Registers are given the right to vote and stand in Parish Council Elections
1898 New Free Church in Fortrose
1898 Black Isle Steam Ship Company liquidated
1900 Union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church
1901 Death of Queen Victoria
1914-1918 First World War
1918 The Fortrose component of the Inverness Burghs Constituency merged into the Ross and Cromarty County Constituency
1930 Fortrose classed as a small burgh
1975 Fortrose Town Council abolished
