History, Antiquities, d-c.—In Kincardine and Fearn parishes are several circles and standing stones; and on the eastern shore of Loch Roig, in Lewis, are the almost perfect remains of a circle of rough stories. There are cairns in different places on the summits of hills. In several parte of the counties are dana, or donne. (or Picts' houses, as they are termed); and also stone coffins, vitrified ruins, and atone obelisks. The earliest separate history of Ross shows it to have been an earldom, which was united with the lordship of the isles by the marriage of a lord of the isles with the daughter of the earl. In 1476 the earldom of Roes, the lands of ICnapdale and Kintyre, and the shrievalty of Inverness and Nairn, were annexed to the crown, in return for which the Earl of Rosa was created a peer of Parliament During this period lion gave title to a bishopric, erected by David L, king of Scotland : the cathedral was at FoRTaOst.
There are several remains of the feudal period in Ron-shire. Lochlin Castle, on an eminence 6 miles E. from Tabs, consists of two square towers 60 feet high, with large turrets raised upon the towers. Craighonse Castle, on the southern shore of Cromarty Frith, Is an ancient tower of five stories. The castles of Killcoy and lierleastle are on the shore of Loch Beauly. Some rains of Cadbole Castle are
on the east coast, between Cromarty and Moray friths, and of Donan Castle, on the shore of Loch Alsh, on the west coast. There are also some ecclesiastical ruins. Lochlin (or Fearn) Abbey is near Lochlin Castle, east of Tab ; and there are the ruins of a number of ancient chapels in Lewis, especially of St. Mulvay's chapel, in the north part of the island.
Religious Worship and Edscation---Aecording to the Returns of the Census in 1851, there were then in the two counties 83 places of worship, of which 43 belonged to the Free Church, 35 to the Established Church, 5 to the Episcopal Church, 2 to United Presby terians, and one each to Independent& Baptista, and Roman Catholics. The number of sittings provided in 75 of these places of worship was 44.644. Of day-schools there were 167, of which 148 were public schools, with 9379 scholars, and 19 were private schools, with 600 scholars. There were 70 Sabbath schools, with 5243 scholars ; and one evening school, with 22 scholars. Tire Taira and Easter Ross Mechanics Institution had 173 members in 1951, and 633 volumes in its library.
Saying, Banks.—In 1851 the county possessed two savings banks, at Diogwall and Tale. The amount owing to depositors on Novem ber 20th 1853 was 63231. 9s. Id.