Ancient Monuments

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Dornoch Mercat Cross

A Scheduled Monument in East Sutherland and Edderton, Highland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 57.8806 / 57°52'50"N

Longitude: -4.0293 / 4°1'45"W

OS Eastings: 279756

OS Northings: 889707

OS Grid: NH797897

Mapcode National: GBR J7FW.T71

Mapcode Global: WH4DN.26K0

Entry Name: Dornoch Mercat Cross

Scheduled Date: 8 September 2003

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM10835

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Crosses and carved stones: market cross

Location: Dornoch

County: Highland

Electoral Ward: East Sutherland and Edderton

Traditional County: Sutherland

Description

The monument comprises Dornoch Mercat Cross, which is medieval or early modern in date. The monument is situated at about 10m O.D. in the centre of the small town of Dornoch adjacent to the N wall of Dornoch Cathedral graveyard.

The cross is first mentioned in 1515, the slender square-plan shaft, c. 2m high, has chamfered corners and sits on a large squared base, whose upper edges are also chamfered, on a shallow c. 1.5m square plinth. Dornoch was erected into a Royal Burgh in 1628 and the shaft may date to that time. It is likely that the monument stands in its original position next to the market place and the 1730 tolbooth, which was removed in 1818. The graveyard wall to its S dates to c. 1811.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described above and excludes the graveyard wall and the pavement surface to a depth of 30cm. It is rectangular on plan and measures 2.5m E-W and 2m N-S and is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a medieval and or early modern secular survival associated with the burghal status of this Highland market town. Its significance is increased as it appears to exist in its original location and as it now represents one of the few surviving relics of the secular history of Dornoch. It should be protected to facilitate comparison of monuments of the type on a regional and national level.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as Dornoch, High Street, Mercat Cross, NH78NE 4.

High Street Mercat Cross was Category B Listed in 1971, HB 24646.

References:

(1996) HISTORIC DORNOCH: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT, unpublished.

OPS (1855) ORIGINES PAROCHIALES SCOTIAE: THE ANTIQUITIES ECCLESIASTICAL AND TERRITORIAL OF THE PARISHES OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, Vol. 2, No. 2, 645.

RCAHMS (1911) SECOND REPORT AND INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND, Edinburgh, No. 146, 50-51.

Small J W (1900) SCOTTISH MARKET CROSSES, Stirling, pl. 107.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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