TAIN, a royal burgh and county town of the shire of Ross, is situated on the south side of the firth of Taira or Dornoch, which separates Ross from Suth erland. It is conjectured that the name is derived from the term Thane, as the Thanes of Ross are said to have occupied the adjacent lands. As the town is situated in a Gaelic district, it has also a particular name in that ancient language. Some derive its appellation in Gaelic, haldhuich or Built Dhuthuich, from baffle, a town with a combination of letters resembling the names of Duthas or Du thac annexed, and literally signifies the town of Duthas. This derivation is rendered probable from the ruins of a small chapel in the immediate neighbourhood, called St. Duthas Chapel. To this chapel it is said "king James IV., in •way of pen ance, travelled on foot from Falkland, with uncom mon expedition, resting only a short while at the monastery of Pluscardine, near Elgin." Others spell the name of the town Bairn 'dhuic, which literally signifies the county town. But the Gaelic tongue seems so flexible, that derivatives from it cannot be much depended on. The oldest char ter extant, confirming the rights of Taira, and dated 1587, was given by king James VII., and it is there stated that the ancient charters of the burgh were burnt by some Irish rebels. From an inquest dated 20th April 1939, held for the special purpose of ascertaining the antiquity and liberties of the burgh of T ain, it " was found that all the inhabi tants within the aforesaid liberty of Tain, and all their goods whatsoever, are under the special pro tection of the Apostolical See, and that the said immunity was first founded by the deceased most illustrious king of Scots, Malcolm Canmoir of blessed memory." The town is small, and, like most old towns, is built without much regard to regularity. The population is at present somewhat
less than 2000, but is gradually increasing. There are no manufactures of any consequence carried on in the town, and the trade consists chiefly in supplying the country with goods brought from a distance. This want of manufactures may, in some measure, be accounted for, from the want of a proper pier where goods might be landed with safety. Notwithstanding this want of trade, the state of the town and country is such as to support two thriving branches of the British Linen Co. and Commercial banks. There is a good jail here, and an excellent building for debtor's rooms and courts of justice have lately been annexed to it. There is a large and commodious church here, sufficient to accommodate all the regular hearers in the parish. The people are very much attached to the estab lished church; and what is very singular, there is scarcely a dissenter in the whole parish. In the old church, which is still a fine old building, there is a very curious carved pulpit which was presented by the regent Murray to the town of 'rain.
By the exertions of a few public spirited gentle men connected with the county, an excellent acade my was, in 1813, established by royal charter at Tairi, in which the fundamental branches of classi cal literature and science are taught by a rector and three teachers. It is impossible to observe the numerous and great improvements which have taken place in Tain within the last sixteen years, without connecting them with the establishment of this institution, which will prove one of the great est blessings conferred on this part of the country, and will transmit to posterity the names of its founders as the greatest benefactors of the county of Ross. (w. R.)