OS1/33/9/128

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 128
Parish of Dornoch Co. [County] of Sutherland ------- Examiners Replies to each of the underlined portions

Extracts from the Old Statistical Account Vol. [Volume] 8. page 1
The Town and parish of Dornoch derive their name from the Gaelic
words Dorn-Eich, which signifies a horse's foor or hoof; concerning which
the current tradition is as follows: About the year 1259, the Danes and
Norwegians, having made a descent on this coast; were attacked by
William, Thane or Earl of Sutherland, a quarter of a mile to the eastward ------- The place where this
of this town. Here the Danish general was slain, and his army beaten, and forced ------- engagement took
to retire to their ships, which were not far distant. The Thane of Sutherland ------- place cannot be
contributed very much to determine the fate of the day. While he singled out ------- ascertained but
the Danish general, and gallantly fought his way onward, the Thane being, by ------- the tradition is that
some accident, disarmed, seized the leg of a horse, which lay on the ground, ------- the common on
and with that despatched his adversary. In honour of this exploit, and of ------- which the Earl's
the weapon with which it was atchieved, ? this place received the name of ------- Cross stands is the
Dorn-eich, or Dornoch, as it is now called. This tradition is countenanced ------- site of the battle.
by the horse-shoe, which is still retained in the Arms of the Burgh. In memory
of the same event, a stone pillar was erected on the spot supporting at the top ------- Vide Name Book
a cross, encompassed by a circle, which went under the name of the Earl's ------- and trace.
Cross. Standing on a sandy hillock, it was gradually undermined by the
winds; several years ago it tumbled down, and was broken to pieces; at
present, only scattered fragments of it remain. Fullarton says "This cross
has recently been repaired and re-erected".
Not Far from the Earl's Cross just mentioned, is the spot where an unhappy
creature was burned in 1722 for the imaginary crime if witchcraft, ------- Vide name Book
in transforming her daughter into a pony and getting her shod by the ------- and trace.
devil! This was the last instance of these frantic executions in the North
of Scotland.
Three computed miles to the Westward of the town of Dornoch, where
the frith becomes very narrow; is the Meikle Ferry, so called in contra- ------- Vide name Book
distinction to another arm of the sea called the Little Ferry. On each side of ------- and Traces
the former, there is a large boat for transporting carriages, horses and other
cattle; as also a yawl for the accommodation of foot passengers; but at
the Little Ferry these are found on the east side only. At the Little Ferry ------- Harbour
there is an excellent harbour whose ships lie in perfect security, after having ------- Written and Described (Written on Golspie Ph [Parish] and
[continued on page 129] ------- Described on both Golspie & Dornoch)