NAIRN, a county of Scotland, comprehending the western part of the province of Murray. It is bounded on the north by the Murray frith, on the west and south by Inverness, and on the east by Elgin. The length is about 18 miles, and the breadth about 14. The air is temperate and salubrious, and the winters are remarkably mild. The face of the country is rough and mountainous: yet there are some fruitful valleys which produce good crops of oats and barley; but in general the country is much better adapted for pastu-
rage. Here are also large woods of fir, and other trees, that afford shelter to the game, of which there is great plenty. The most remarkable straths or valleys in this county, are Strathnairn, on the river of that name, in the south-west part of the shire; and on the south-east side, Strathrin, on both sides of Findhorn river. Nairn is well watered with streams, rivulets, and lakes abounding with fish. In the southern part there is a small lake, called Moy. The greater part of the shire is peopled by the Frazers, a warlike Highland clan, whose chief, the lord Lovat, lost his life on the scaffold for having been concerned in the rebellion of 1745. Here are a great number of villages; but no towns of note except Nairn, supposed to be the Tuasis of Ptolemy, situated at the mouth of the river which bears the same name; a royal borough, which gave the title of lord to an ancient family, forfeited in the rebellion of 1715. The harbour, which opened in the Murray frith, is now choked up with sand; and the commerce of the town is too inconsiderable to deserve notice. About four miles from Nairn stands the castle of Calder on the river of that name, belonging to a branch of the family of Campbell; and six miles to the north-west of Nairn stands Fort George.
The following is the population of the parishes of this county, according to the Statistical History of Scotland.
| Parishes. | Population in 1755. | Population in 1790-1795. |
|---|---|---|
| Ardelach | 1163 | 1186 |
| Auldearn | 1951 | 1406 |
| Calder | 882 | 1062 |
| Nairn | 1698 | 2400 |
| 5694 | 6054 | |
| 5694 | ||
| Increase | 360 |
Population in 1801, including part of some other Parishes.
| Ardelach | 1256 |
| Auldearn | 1401 |
| Calder | 1179 |
| Croy (Nairn division) | 562 |
| Moy do. | 34 |
| Nairn do. | town 2215 |
| Urquhart (do.) | 1610 |
| 8257 |
In the returns for 1811 the population of Nairn is stated to be 8251. See NAIRN, SUPPLEMENT.