a royal burgh of Scotland, in the county of Sutherland. It is situated on the northern coast of the Frith of Dornoch, on a low sandy beach, nearly opposite the burgh of Tain, which lies on the south side of the frith. It is of considerable antiquity, and was formerly the seat of the bishops of Caithness, who had here a spacious castle. The parish church is part of the cathedral, which is supposed to have been erected in the eleventh century. Dornoch, although the seat of the county courts, is a mere village, with little or no trade. The population of the town and parish amounted in 1821 to 3100, and in 1831 to 3380.

Dornoch Firth, an arm of the sea on the eastern coast of the Highlands of Scotland, serving as the boundary between the counties of Ross and Sutherland for several miles. It is twelve miles broad at its mouth, and here has more the character of a bay than of a frith. It gradually becomes narrower, till, within three miles west from the town of Dornoch, its breadth decreases to two miles. Above this point it becomes much broader, forming an inner harbour or bay. There are several ferries upon this frith, and near its head it is crossed by an iron bridge, where also the rivers Oykell and Shin empty their waters.