Rosemarkie (Scots: Rossmartnie,[2] from Scottish Gaelic: Ros Mhaircnidh meaning "promontory[3] of the horse stream") is a village on the south coast of the Black Isle peninsula in Ross-shire (Ross and Cromarty), northern Scotland.

Rosemarkie
Rosemarkie seen from the beach
Rosemarkie is located in Ross and Cromarty
Rosemarkie
Rosemarkie
Location within the Ross and Cromarty area
Population640 (2022)[1]
OS grid referenceNH736577
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townFortrose
Postcode districtIV10 8
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°35′30″N 4°06′55″W / 57.59162°N 4.11516°W / 57.59162; -4.11516

Geography

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Rosemarkie lies a quarter of a mile east of the town of Fortrose. The pair make up the Royal Burgh Of Fortrose and Rosemarkie, situated either side of the Chanonry Ness promontory, about 12 miles (19 km) north-east of Inverness. Close to the village the Markie Burn has its mouth in the Moray Firth. The stream runs into the Fairy Glen, a small and steep-sided valley established as a RSPB nature reserve. [4]

Rosemarkie fronts on a wide, picturesque bay, with views of Fort George and the Moray coastline across the Moray Firth. It has one of the finest beaches on the Moray Firth Coast Line.[citation needed] At the southern end of the beach is Chanonry Point, reputed to be the best location on the United Kingdom mainland from which to see dolphins.[citation needed]

The village is linked to Inverness by broadly hourly bus services, which are provided by Stagecoach Group.[5][6][failed verification]

Pictish stones

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Rosemarkie is probably best known for its collection of finely carved Pictish stones, which is one of the largest in Scotland at a single site. These 8th-9th-century sculptures, found in and around the town's churchyard, are displayed in the Groam House Museum, a converted 18th-century town-house on the High Street. The house is open in summer and charges a small entrance fee. These carved stones are evidence for a major early monastery at Rosemarkie, founded by, or associated with, Saint Moluag (d. 592) and Boniface, otherwise known as Curetán (fl. early 8th century). The sculptures include cross-slabs, shrine fragments and architectural pieces. One small fragment of a stone from Rosemarkie is in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Notable people

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See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ The Online Scots Dictionary
  3. ^ Watson WJ Celtic Placenames of Scotland Blackwood 1926
  4. ^ "Fairy Glen". RSPB. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  5. ^ Your personalised timetable - Download a full timetable Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  6. ^ Full timetable. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
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