Cromarty Courthouse

The Courthouse at Cromarty was built in 1771-73 by George Ross, laird of the Cromarty Estate. Since becoming owner of the estate in 1767, Ross had embarked on a series of improvements in the area. He was responsible for many new buildings including a hemp factory which became a major employer in the town.

The Courthouse accommodated the county and burgh councils. The cell block at the rear of the building was added in 1845. It had an exercise gallery for the prisoners and a document store in the attic. The documents were hung on hooks to keep them safe from rats and damp!

The front façade of the courthouse has hardly changed since George Ross's time. It was he who had the Mercat Cross moved from the old tollbooth site in the Causeway to its position in front of the courthouse. The cross has an early date of 1378 inscribed on it, as well as the date 1773 or 1778. However, it is said to date from 1578, having replaced the earlier 14 ^th-century model.

Over time the courthouse became too expensive to run and it was eventually closed in 1872. It functioned for a while as a police lock-up and was also used by the navy.

Today the courthouse is an award-winning museum. In it you can see a reconstructed trial, video presentations and various artefacts and displays. You can get access to over 50 archives and databases on different aspects of Cromarty's past. You can even take an audio tape tour of Cromarty, at your own pace!