FORRES, a town of Scotland, in the province of Mo ray, is situated on a rising ground, about a mile to the east of the river Finch horn, and two miles from its mouth. The houses are well built, but the town seontains no public buildings of importance. On the summit of Cluny-hill, a quarter of a mile to the east of the town, a monument has been recently erected to the memory of Lord Nelson. It is a lofty octagonal tower, about 70 feet high, and having a base 24 feet in diameter. It is surmounted by a battlement and a flag-staff. The castle of Forres was situated at the west end of the town. About a quarter of a mile to the north-east of Cluny-hill, on the road to Findhorn, stands the celebrated obelisk called Sweno's Stone, which is com posed wholly of sand stone, though it is said that there is no quarry of the same stone nearer than fifteen miles. It is about 23 feet high, 3 feet 10 inches broad, and 1 foot 3 inches thick, and is said to be 12 or 15 feet below the ground. " On its east side," says the author of the Anti quities of the Province of Moray, " arc several divisions, each occupied by variously sculptured ornaments. At the top are a number of beautiful Gothic ornaments ; and in the first division underneath, are nine horses, with riders, marching in order. In the next is a line of warriors brand ishing their weapons. The figures of the third arc now much defaced. In the fourth, several men, armed with spears, seem to guard a number of human heads under a canopy; the bodies appearing to be piled upon the left of the division. A body of horse appears in the fifth division, and these are followed by men on foot ; the first line hav ing bows and arrows, the other three swords and targets. In the lowest division now visible, the appearance is of horses seized, their riders beheaded, and their heads thrown under an arched cover. The west side of the obelisk is chiefly occupied by a magnificent cross, and covered over with an uniform figure, elaborately raised, and interwoven with great art and accuracy, haring the appearance of Runic knots. Under the cross are two figures, supposed to re present personages of distinction, in an attitude of friendly salutation. On the north edge, are some curious carvings, below which are rows of human figures, hand in hand, in apparent amity and confidence." In order to prevent this monument from falling down, several freestone steps were lately built round its base. The Rev. Mr Cordiner, who has published an engraving of this monument, supposes it to have been erected in com memoration of the peace concluded between Malcolm, king of Scotland, and Canute, the Danish king of England, in 1002. Others have imagined, that it was erected in memory of the assassination of King Duff ; and this opinion is con ceived to be strengthened by the discovery of eight human skeletons laid along a trench, in a little green mount close by the obelisk, supposed to be the assassins of the king.
On the declivity of Cluny's•bill, looking towords Sweno's stone, there are obvious remains of extensive entrench ments.
The corporation of Forres is governed by a provost, two bailies, and a dean of guild, who are elected annually ; and it enjoys the privilege, conjointly with Inverness, Nairn, and Fortrose, of sending a'member to Parliament.—Within these few years, a subscription library has been instituted by the inhabitants, and now contains a considerable number of volumes.—The scenery on the river Findhorn, extend ing from the vicinity of Forres for nearly 20 miles up wards, is remarkable for its grandeur and beauty. The banks are for the most part rocky, and richly wooded, with every variety of form, and height, and inclination. For two or three miles below, the rock is sandstone on each side, and to this succeeds above gneiss and granite. The forest of Darnaway forms the chief part of this scenery on the left bank of the river ; and opposite to it, on the right, are the properties of Relugas, and Logic, and Altyre. The first of these is matchless for its natural beauties, and has been adorned with singular taste.
Three miles north of Forres, close to the shore of the Moray Frith, there is one of the best examples of an inun dation of sand which is to be seen in the island. The sand drifted from the shores of the Frith above, by the strong west winds, is accumulated in bills of considerable size, forming a chain about a mile, or a mile and a half in length, and at some parts nearly a quarter of a mile broad. The hills are often undergoing changes of form and height, but have not for many years exhibited any tendency to general diminution. About 60 or 70 years ago their increase was very great, and very sudden, the inundation burying com pletely, in the course of a few days, the estate of Cubin.
Five miles cast of Forres, is the heath which Shak speare is supposed to have intended as the scene of the first interview between Macbeth and the weired sisters.
There are few places in Scotland better adapted for a cheap and pleasant residence than this small town. Its climate is excellent ; its markets are good ; it is abundantly supplied with a variety of fish from the neighbouring sea port of Findhorn, which is only five miles distant, and the surrounding country is rich and luxurious, and abounds in game.
The following is the population of the burgh and parish in 1811 : Number of inhabited . .
.
. .
.
.
.
Ditto employed in 108 .
Ditto employed in trades, Scc.. 295 .
Males . . 1225 . .
.
Females. 1700 .
.
.
. .
Total population. . 2925 . .
See Account of the Antiquities, Esc. of the Province of Moray, p. 33. (j)