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MHG38934 - Pond, between Fortrose & Rosemarkie

Summary

Retting pond, Rosemarkie

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OSA records a pond that naturally formed in this general area as the road causeway prevented drainage downslope. Area now used as farmland. OSA states that pond was up to 4' deep and the locals steeped lint in it - Rosemarkie reputedly had a a lot of weavers making linen (Osnaburghs) using imported flax from boats from Aberdeen, but had no lint mill. The minister records that he held that Glebe land opposite and was responsible for draining the area (as it was a risk to health) - HAW 05/2005

"Very near the manse, on the other side of the public road to Fortrose, there was a lake covering between 3 and 4 acres, in winter filled with water running down from a hill above it and kept in by rising ground on the side contiguous to the king's highway. Owing to this, it was in the middle at least 4 feet deep and a small boat has been seen paddling through it with persons in quest of wild ducks. By the stagnation of the water in the heat of summer and the steeping of lint by the people (which raised a most disagreeable and unwholesome smell), it was often an intolerable nuisance. Many schemes had been formed for draining it but they were generally thought impracticable. However, the writer of this, considering that his glebe, which lay directly opposite to it on the other side of the road, was upon a bank of gravel, determined to cut a very deep drain across the road into his glebe so as to command the level of the water (which required about 14 feet in depth), and then to let it off by degrees, in hopes the gravel bank might swallow it. The experiment answered his expectations and in the course of less than a month there was not a drop left in it". Old Statistical Account of Rosemarkie 1790. Rev Alexander Wood. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7323 5720 (20m by 20m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH75NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	ROSEMARKIE

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