Discovering old Rosemarkie

Welcome to Rosemarkie whose peaceful presence hides a distinguished past. Here Stone Age man left behind his middens. Bronze Age bones were buried in a stone cist. Local Picts were evangelised by saints and raided by Vikings who allegedly fought a great battle at Blackstand above the town.When King David I established the Diocese of Ross in 1125, the first Medieval Cathedral Kirk is thought to have been the original Pictish stone church. For over a hundred years Rosemarkie was the most important ecclesiastical site in the Black Isle until c1250 when the great new custom-built cathedral was built in what is now Fortrose.The name Rosemarkie used to apply to the whole of the area now occupied by Rosemarkie, Fortrose and the area behind Fortrose, and what is now Fortrose was more commonly referred to as Chanonry.Start your journey of discovery at Groam House Museum in the High Street, and follow this tour to learn about our historic and wonderful place.