Greetings from The Royal Burgh of Tain - the oldest royal burgh in Scotland (charter granted by Malcolm Canmore in 1066). Meikle Ferry is about two miles north west of Tain and is on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Dornoch Firth. This was the southern side of the old ferry crossing. This ferry was probably in use for centuries as the most convenient way of travelling from Ross-shire to Sutherland. The roads were poor or nonexistent and use of the ferry avoided the long journey to Ardgay where the Dornoch Firth narrowed to give the next crossing over to Bonar. On 16 August 1809, disaster struck. The ferryboat was crowded with over 100 people on board making their way to the market at Tain. The boat, dangerously loaded to the gunwales, was halfway across the firth when a heavy swell caused it to capsize and sink. 99 people were drowned and only 12 were saved. That was more or less the end of the ferry and an iron bridge designed by Telford was built in 1813 between Ardgay and Bonar. That iron bridge took away the traffic from Meikle Ferry but ironically, a new bridge was built in 1991 immediately beside Meikle Ferry and that is used by road traffic heading north to East Sutherland and Caithness leaving the successor bridge to Telford's bridge at Bonar Bridge to be used only by traffic heading for the West. The query was re Meikleferry farmhouse. It is doubtful if there ever was a Meikleferry farm as such. The spit of land leading out to Meikle Ferry is only rough grazing land and I understand that it is very stony and unlikely to have ever been arable. The ordinance survey map of 1896 shows a couple of dots on the "spit" but with no names attached. Am I correct in thinking that the ancestor being traced was probably described as being a crofter at Meikle Ferry? If that is the case, he would not have aspired to such a grand abode as a farmhouse. In the present day the nearest farm is Ardjackie situated between Meikle Ferry and Glenmorangie Distillery. Incidentally, meikle or muckle is Scots for big. I believe that the landing point on the Northern side was called Little Ferry. Lawrence Allan Tain, Ross-shire

Hello, Laurence, The discussion on Meikle Ferry has caused me to wonder if you would know of Bridgend? My gggrandfather Alexander McDONALD, born about 1820, eldest son of Donald McDONALD and Mary CAMPBELL, gave his birthplace as Bridgend, Rosshire. His next two brothers,Charles MCDONALD born 1822, and Donald MCDONALD born 1823, appear to have been christened at Fearn. I haven't found baptisms for the next two girls, Sophia MCDONALD about 1830 and Isabella MCDONALD about 1832, but the youngest, Jane Spence MCDONALD, was baptised in 1835 in Inverness, Rosshire. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who knows Bridgend, or who knows anything of this family who emigrated to New South Wales in 1839. Mary At 06:14 AM 17/05/01 -0400, [email protected] wrote: >Greetings from The Royal Burgh of Tain - the oldest royal burgh in Scotland >(charter granted by Malcolm Canmore in 1066). > Meikle Ferry is about two miles north west of Tain and is on a >narrow spit of land jutting out into the Dornoch Firth. This was the >southern side of the old ferry crossing. > This ferry was probably in use for centuries as the most convenient >way of travelling from Ross-shire to Sutherland. The roads were poor or >nonexistent and use of the ferry avoided the long journey to Ardgay where >the Dornoch Firth narrowed to give the next crossing over to Bonar. > On 16 August 1809, disaster struck. The ferryboat was crowded with >over 100 people on board making their way to the market at Tain. The boat, >dangerously loaded to the gunwales, was halfway across the firth when a heavy >swell caused it to capsize and sink. 99 people were drowned and only 12 >were saved. > That was more or less the end of the ferry and an iron bridge >designed by Telford was built in 1813 between Ardgay and Bonar. That iron >bridge took away the traffic from Meikle Ferry but ironically, a new bridge >was built in 1991 immediately beside Meikle Ferry and that is used by road >traffic heading north to East Sutherland and Caithness leaving the successor >bridge to Telford's bridge at Bonar Bridge to be used only by traffic heading >for the West. > The query was re Meikleferry farmhouse. It is doubtful if there > ever >was a Meikleferry farm as such. The spit of land leading out to Meikle Ferry >is only rough grazing land and I understand that it is very stony and >unlikely to have ever been arable. The ordinance survey map of 1896 shows a >couple of dots on the "spit" but with no names attached. Am I correct in >thinking that the ancestor being traced was probably described as being a >crofter at Meikle Ferry? If that is the case, he would not have aspired to >such a grand abode as a farmhouse. In the present day the nearest farm is >Ardjackie situated between Meikle Ferry and Glenmorangie >Distillery. > Incidentally, meikle or muckle is Scots for big. I believe that the >landing point on the Northern side was called Little Ferry. > > Lawrence Allan > Tain, Ross-shire Mary Herbert email to [email protected] snail mail to "Slimbridge" Bedgerebong NSW 2871