CROMARTY, a town of Scotland, capital of the county of the same name. The town is small, and situated upon a rock or point of land, which overhangs the sea in a romantic manner, and is much exposed to the east wind; it was formerly a royal borough, but was disfranchised by an act of the privy council of Scotland, in consequence of a petition for that purpose presented by Sir John Urquhart, proprietor of the estate of Cromarty; it is now under the baronial jurisdiction of the earl of Cromarty. The parish extends about seven miles in length, and from one to four in breadth, bounded by the frith of Cromarty on the north. On the banks of the frith the surface is level, and covered with verdure. A bank about two miles from the coast, extends the whole length of the parish, above which the ground is covered with heath and moss. The soil is everywhere wet and moorish, which makes the seasons late, and the crop uncertain. The coast towards the east is bold and rocky, some of the cliffs being nearly 250 feet perpendicular to the sea; the rest is flat and sandy. After every storm a great quantity of sea weed is thrown ashore, which is partly used as a manure, and partly burnt into kelp. The harbour of Cromarty is inferior, perhaps, to none in Britain for safety; and at the commodious quay, built at the joint expence of government and the proprietor of the estate of Cromarty, vessels of 350 or 400 tons may lie in perfect security. A considerable trade in the hempen or sack-cloth line has been long established in Cromarty and the neighbourhood. Population of the town and parish in 1811, 2413.