Townapedia
Fortrose Cathedral Ross & Cromarty - Black Isle - Scotland
Fortrose Cathedral Ross & Cromarty - Black Isle - Scotland · dave conner, CC BY 2.0
Fortrose Cathedral west 2013
Fortrose Cathedral west 2013 · DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fortrose Cathedral - 51893008254
Fortrose Cathedral - 51893008254 · itmpa, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fortrose Cathedral - 51892760148
Fortrose Cathedral - 51892760148 · itmpa, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fortrose Cathedral, Christmas Eve Carols, 2025
Fortrose Cathedral, Christmas Eve Carols, 2025 · Lirazelf, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fortrose Cathedral Christmas Carol Singing, 2024
Fortrose Cathedral Christmas Carol Singing, 2024 · Lirazelf, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fortrose, United Kingdom

Fortrose is a town of 1,400 people in Scotland, United Kingdom, founded in 1444.

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Population1,400 GeoNames
RegionScotland
Elevation82 ft 25 m
Founded1444
Time zoneEurope/London
Nearest airportInverness Airport (INV) 4 mi
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Why visit Fortrose

Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Chanonry Point Lighthouse, Chanonry Lighthouse, Fortrose Cathedral and Groam House Museum.

About Fortrose

Fortrose is a town and former royal burgh on the Black Isle in the Highland council area of Scotland, about six miles (ten kilometres) northeast of Inverness. The town is known for its ruined 13th-century cathedral, and as the home of the Brahan Seer. Chanonry Point, a nearby headland projecting into the Moray Firth, is a popular location for dolphin spotting.

From the Wikipedia article Fortrose (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do3

Chanonry Point Lighthouse

Lighthouse · 1.6 mi

Lighthouse in Highland, Scotland, UK

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Chanonry Lighthouse

Lighthouse · 1.6 mi

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Hill of Fortrose

Scenic view · 0.8 mi

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Museums and landmarks8

Fortrose Cathedral

Monument and historic site

Church in Highland, Scotland, UK

Apr 01-Sep 30 09:30-17:30; Oct 01-Mar 31 10:00-16:00; Dec 25-26...

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Groam House Museum

Museum · 1.0 mi

Museum in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom

Mo, Tu 13:00-16:00; We-Su 10:30-16:00

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Brahan Seer's Stone

Monument and historic site · 1.5 mi

Brahan Seer memorial

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Fortrose War Memorial

Monument and historic site

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Mackerchar Hall Garden of Remembrance

Monument and historic site

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Mercat Cross

Monument and historic site

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Grave of William Brydon

Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds6

Fairy Glen, Rosemarkie

Park · 0.9 mi

RSPB reserve in Scotland

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Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club

Golf course · 1.1 mi

18 hole Par 69/71

Ness Road East, Fortrose

Open in Google Maps · +44 1381 620529

Rosemarkie Beach

Beach · 1.2 mi

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Rosemarkie park field

Park · 0.8 mi

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Rosemarkie playpark

Playground · 0.9 mi

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The Orchard

Park · 0.7 mi

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Restaurants and cafes11

The Anderson

Bar and pub

Union Street, Fortrose

Mo-Su 16:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +44 1381 620236

Bakhoos

Bakery

85 High Street, Fortrose

Th-Su 08:00-15:00

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Cromarty Bakery Shop

Bakery

49 High Street

Mo-Fr 08:00-16:00; Sa 08:00-15:00; Su off

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Crofters Bistro

Restaurant · 1.0 mi

11 Marine Terrace

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The Plough Inn

Bar and pub · 1.0 mi

48 High Street, Fortrose

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Plough Bistro Lounge

Restaurant · 1.0 mi

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McGintys

Fast food · Burger, Fish And Chips, Ice Cream, Pizza

High Street, Fortrose

Mo-Su 16:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +44 1381 622333

Tweedy Pie

Fast food · Pizza

37 High Street

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Rosemarkie Bay Beach Cafe

Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi

A social enterprise cafe run by Rosemarkie Amenities Association set in a nice green field right beside a sandy beach.

Mill Road

Apr-Oct Mo-Su 10:30-15:30; Nov-Mar Sa,Su 10:30-15:30

Open in Google Maps · +44 7923 402647

Union Tavern

Bar and pub

29 High Street

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History

Archaeological investigations, by Headland Archaeology, in 2013, as part of a planning condition for the creation of a housing development found domestic activity dating from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age. There was evidence of cereal production and the gathering of wild resources. The archaeologists also found that funerary practices change on the peninsula during that time from stone cist burials to cremation burials.

In the Middle Ages it was the seat of the bishopric of Ross, and formerly called Chanonry, for being the Chanory of Ross. Fortrose owes its origins to the decision by Bishop Robert in the 13th century to build a new Cathedral of Ross there. This was to replace the Church of St Peter in nearby Rosemarkie. The cathedral was largely demolished in the mid-seventeenth century by Oliver Cromwell to provide building materials for a citadel at Inverness. The vaulted south aisle, with bell-tower, and a detached chapter house (used as the tollbooth of Fortrose after the Reformation) remain. These fragments, though modest in scale, display considerable architectural refinement, and are in the care of Historic Scotland (no entrance charge).

Read more of the history

Fortrose was a parliamentary burgh, combined with Inverness, Forres and Nairn, in the Inverness Burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. The constituency was abolished in 1918 and the Fortrose component was merged into the then new constituency of Ross and Cromarty.

From the History section of Fortrose on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Notable people from Fortrose

Born in Fortrose, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.

Where to stay2

Churches and places of worship5

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Shopping2

Schools, colleges and libraries1

Healthcare1

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Map of Fortrose

39 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Inverness Airport (INV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.

  • North Kessock 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
  • Inverness 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
  • Nairn 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
  • Strathpeffer 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
  • Golspie 28 mi north, about 45 min by car
  • Elgin 31 mi east, about 49 min by car
  • Kingussie 35 mi south, about 56 min by car
  • Rothes 35 mi east, about 56 min by car
  • Newtonmore 36 mi south, about 57 min by car
  • Ullapool 44 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Towns near Fortrose

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Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.