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Dingwall
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| Town androyal burgh | |
 Looking across Dingwall to theCromarty Firth | |
  Dingwall Location within theRoss and Cromarty area | |
| Population | 5,360 (2020)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NH550587 |
| • Edinburgh | 122 mi (196 km) |
| • London | 453 mi (729 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DINGWALL |
| Postcode district | IV7, IV15, IV16 |
| Dialling code | 01349 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
| Website | www |
| 57°35′49″N4°25′41″W / 57.597°N 4.428°W /57.597; -4.428 | |
Dingwall (Scots:Dingwal,[2]Scottish Gaelic:Inbhir Pheofharain[3][ˈiɲɪɾʲˈfjɔhəɾɛɲ]) is a town on theCromarty Firth in the Easter Ross of theScottish Highlands. It has enjoyed the status ofroyal burgh since the 13th century, and its local government is theHighland Council. The town has a population of 5,491, and though today it lies inland, its topography used to be that of an east-coastharbour. At one time, it was a significant medieval port, a hub of foreign trading and customs collection.[4] Dingwall’s medieval history affirms its status as an important country town and administrative centre,[5] an extension perhaps of its history as a Viking settlement as evidenced by the Norse origin (Þingvöllr) of its name.
The royal burgh is also the site of historic castles and clan skirmishes.Dingwall Castle was once the biggestcastle north ofStirling. On the town's present-day outskirts liesTulloch Castle, parts of which may date back to the 12th century. In 1411 theBattle of Dingwall is said to have taken place between theClan Mackay and theClan Donald.
Its name, derived from the ScandinavianÞingvöllr (field or meeting-place of thething, or local assembly; compareTynwald,Tingwall,Thingwall in theBritish Isles alone,[6] plus many others across northern Europe), preserves theViking connections of the town; Gaels call itInbhir Pheofharain (pronounced[iɲɪɾʲˈfjɔhəɾɛɲ]), meaning "the mouth of the Peffery" orBaile Chàil meaning "cabbage town".[7][8]
The site of theÞingvöllr, and of the medieval Moothill, thought to have been established by the Vikings after they invaded in the 8th century, lies beneath the Cromartie memorial.[9]
In the early Middle Ages Dingwall Castle, which was established in the 11th century, was reputed to have been the largest castle north of Stirling.[10] KingAlexander II created Dingwall aroyal burgh in 1226, the burgh becoming the seat of the Earls of Ross.James IV renewed its royal burgh charter in 1497.[11] On the top ofKnockfarrel (Scottish Gaelic:Cnoc Fhearghalaigh), a hill about three miles (five kilometres) to the west, stands a large and very completevitrified fort with ramparts.[12]
Anobelisk, 51 feet (16 m) high, was erected over the grave ofGeorge Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie, near the parish church of St Clement after he died in 1717. It was affected by subsidence, becoming known as the "Leaning Tower", and was later replaced by a much smaller replica.[13]Dingwall Town Hall, which dates back to 1745, still survives.[14]
On 6 August 1904 a large memorial to theSeaforth Highlanders killed in theBoer War was unveiled in Dingwall.[15] It is a 24 foot high Ionic cross in pale pink Granite.[15] TheFerry Road drill hall was completed in 1910.[16] Dingwall formerly served as the county town ofRoss and Cromarty: the headquarters of Ross and Cromarty County Council, established in 1889, wasCounty Buildings in Dingwall.[17]
James Gillanders of Highfield Cottage near Dingwall, was theFactor for the estate of Major Charles Robertson ofKincardine and, as his employer was then serving with theBritish Army inAustralia, Gillanders was the person most responsible for themass evictions staged at Glencalvie,Ross-shire in 1845. A Gaelic-language poem denouncing Gillanders for the brutality of the evictions was later submitted anonymously to Pàdraig MacNeacail, the editor of theCanadian Gaelic column in which the poem was later published in theNova Scotia newspaperThe Casket. The poem, which is believed either to be or to draw upon eyewitness accounts, is believed to be the only Gaelic language source of information relating to the evictions in Glencalvie.[18]
The town has a pedestrian Heritage Trail, which launched in March 2023, with information boards at key historical sites around the town.
As a result of storms in late October 2006, Dingwall was subject to widespread flooding the aftermath of which left the town and much of the Highlands north of Inverness, including theA9 andFar North Line, cut off for a time[19] In August 2019 the town was once again flooded.[20]
Dingwall's Post Office was named the UK's most improved delivery office of the year in Royal Mail's 2021 Awards.[21]
Dingwall lies near the head of theCromarty Firth where the valley of the Peffery unites with the alluvial lands at the mouth of the Conon, 14 miles (23 km) northwest ofInverness. The town contains a particularly short canal, theDingwall Canal, also known locally as the River Peffery.[22]Dingwall railway station has been on what is now called theFar North Line since about 1865. It also serves theKyle of Lochalsh Line.[23]
Dingwall is on the former main road route to the north Highlands (A9). Since the completion of theCromarty Bridge in 1979, the main road has bypassed Dingwall. Heading west, the A834 joins theA835 road which is the main route to the north west Highlands, includingUllapool.[24]
Dingwall is the home offootball teamRoss County, who won promotion to theScottish Premier League in 2012, finished the 2012–13 season in fifth place and currently play in theScottish Championship. Despite the town's small population, Ross County attract sizeable crowds toVictoria Park from across the whole surrounding area. The team reached the2010 Scottish Cup Final, having knocked outCeltic in the previous round.[25] Ross County won their first piece of major silverware in 2016, winning theScottish League Cup by beatingHibernian 2–1 in thefinal.[26]
Television signals are received from theRosemarkie TV transmitter[27] and the local relay transmitter situated inFodderty.[28]
Radio stations are provided byBBC Radio Scotland on 94.0 FM andBBC Radio nan Gàidheal (forGaelic listeners) on 104.9 FM,MFR Radio on 96.7 FM and Highland FM on 107.1 FM which is an all-volunteer based community radio station.[29]
The town is served by the local newspaper,Ross-shire Journal.[30]
Dingwall has a primary school, Dingwall Primary, serving the town.[31]
Dingwall Academy is the secondary school serving the town and the wider area, including communities such asStrathpeffer,Contin,Conon Bridge,Maryburgh andMuir of Ord.[32]
Dingwall is also home toFèis Rois,[33] a dynamic centre for education in Gaelic and traditional music and culture, with an extensive programme of outreach, not only within the Highlands and throughout Scotland, but also beyond, with international partners in Australia, France, and Vietnam. It is now in its 21st year of producing the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail,[34] a summer tour and professional development opportunity for outstanding young traditional musicians aged 16 to 25.
TheHighland Theological College is located within the town, housed in a formerScottish Hydro Electric office. It is part of theUniversity of the Highlands and Islands. Its focus is upon Theological Education, and is an accredited university for training Church of Scotland andUnited Free Church ministers and workers.[35]
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Dingwall was aparliamentary burgh, combined withDornoch,Kirkwall,Tain andWick in the Northern Burghsconstituency of theHouse of Commons of theParliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of theParliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.Cromarty was added to the list in 1832. The constituency was adistrict of burghs known also asTain Burghs until 1832, and then asWick Burghs.
It was represented by oneMember of Parliament (MP). In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Dingwall component was merged into thecounty constituency ofRoss and Cromarty which was itself abolished in 1983.[36]
Churches include:[37]
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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