Ben Wyvis and west end of Dingwall

Ben Wyvis and west end of Dingwall

ID: QZP40_CARD_0380 DESCRIPTION: At 3430 ft, Ben Wyvis is the largest and highest mountain on the east side of Scotland to the north of Inverness. Wyvis possibly derives from the Gaelic "fhuathais" which could have a number of meanings - terror, awesome, high, noble, spectral. The mountain is all of these. In the eastern corries snow lies for many months and when the Mackenzies held the land from the King it was on the condition that they could produce a snowball whenever it was demanded. Dingwall, the county town for Ross and Cromarty, is situated at the head of the Cromarty Firth. Macbeth is believed to have been born in the castle here in 1005. The Norse leader Thorfin established his "seat of justice" or "thing vollr" here and gave Dingwall its name. Alexander II created Dingwall a royal burgh in 1227. The Earls of Ross ruled here until the 15th century, when the last Earl was involved in a failed attempt to overthrow the throne and the title reverted to the Crown. Dingwall declined in the 17th century and the castle was demolished in 1818, though fortunes improved with the building of a harbour by Thomas Telford. A canal was also built but quickly fell in to disuse, after which the coming of the railway in 1862 brought prosperity. The town developed as a market town and agricultural centre, with a permanent livestock mart. PLACENAME: Dingwall OLD COUNTY/PARISH: ROSS: Dingwall SOURCE: Highland Libraries COLLECTION: Highland Libraries' Postcard Collection Asset ID: 32297 KEYWORDS: