NIGG, a parish, in the county of Ross-and-CroMARTY, 2 miles (N.) from Cromarty; containing, with the village of Shandwick, 1426 inhabitants. The name appears to have been corrupted from the word ll'igg, by which the parish is called in some ancient records; and this word is thought to be a derivation of the Saxon H'ich, signifying " a bay or harbour". From the relics of antiquity, and the names attached to them, we may conclude that in the tenth or eleventh century the Danes effected a settlement here; and in 1 179, William, King of Scotland, erected a castle on the top of a rock opposite Cromarty, the site of which still remains, and which is said to have been raised as a security against robbers, and hence to have received its name of Dunskeath Castle. In the sixteenth century, the bishops of Ross resided during the summer in the vicinity of the present church, and enjoyed, as a glebe, nearly the whole of the parish lands. At the present time, indeed, all the lands of Nigg, with the exception of the estate of Dunskeath, pay bishop's rents to the Crown amounting to £200 or £300 per annum. The PARISH is nearly six miles long and from two to three broad, and contains 5000 acres. It is bounded on the north by the parishes of Logie-Easter and Fearn, on the south and west by the Firth of Cromarty, and on the east by the Moray Firth. The general appearance of the surface is broken and rugged, and the aspect of the shores abrupt and rocky. About one-third of the parish is occupied by the hill of Nigg, formerly called the Bishop's forest, which runs from the north Sutor of Cromarty along the Moray Firth for about five miles; its breadth is about a mile, and its height from 300 to 500 feet, the hill commanding a view of nine counties, easily discernible with the naked eye, viz., Sutherland, Ross, Caithness, Inverness, Nairn, Cromarty, Moray, Banff, and Perth. The remaining portion of the parish consists of an extensive declivity ou the western side of the hill, and a plain commencing at its base, and reaching to the parishes of Logie-Easter and Fearn. There is a curious rock projecting from the shore, and rising to a perpendicular elevation of 300 feet; it is indented with caves, and covered in many places with ivy of an unusual size. In different parts are excellent springs, and several wells of some note; but the only conspicuous piece of water is the bay of Cromarty, which resembles an inland lake, and which was called by the Romans Portus Salutis. The SOIL varies considerably. In the neighbourhood of the hill of Nigg, which is partly planted with Scotch firs, it is poor and wet; in other parts, clayey; while in the western quarter is a deep layer of light sand, which is said to have been cast by some marine convulsions over the bed of clayey loam that is found beneath it. The larger portion, however, of the arable land is a fine loam, from one to four feet in depth, and resting on red sandstone. About 2.500 acres are in tillage; 100 are under fir wood; 1000 are waste capable of profitable cultivation; and 100 in common. Great quantities of wheat are now grown; and the parish was famous some years ago for its large supply of barley, very little of which is at present raised: Chevalier barley has been recently introduced, and is gaining ground. Angus and potato oats are freely cultivated, and the Hopetoun are incr^sing in favour. Beans, potatoes, and turnips are also raised in considerable quantities; the last attain a fine size by the use of bone-dust manure. Lime and sea-weed are likewise extensively employed in agriculture. Much land has been recovered within the last twenty or thirty years by embankments, and great improvements have been made in other parts by draining and trenching; the size of the farms is from thirty to 400 acres, and generally the buildings are in good condition. There is still, however, considerable room for improvement. The few sheep reared are South-Downs and Cheviots; black-cattle are but little attended to. Numerous goats are to be seen feeding upon the herbage of the rocks of Castle-Craig, at a height beyond the reach of other animals. In this parish the strata are of very different kinds, consisting of granitic gneiss, conglomerate, red and white sandstone, belemnites, shale, and limestone. The only seat of note is the mansion-house of Bayfield, built about half a century ago, but which, though a good building, is destitute of ornamental grounds and picturesque scenery. There are four thrcshinp- mills worked by water, and three mcal-mills. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agricultural |)nrsuits; but there are several families of fishermen, by whom the two small villages of Balnabruach and Balnapaling, in the western extremity of the parish, seem to be inhabited. In the eastern part, at Shandwick, is also a fishing settlement. Both of the firths are well stocked with almost every kind of white fish, and the rocks afford crabs, lobsters, and oysters: in the Moray Firth, during the season, is also a regular herring-fishery, in which about sixteen boats have been employed, but which is now in a declining state. There is no harbour; but ic a large bay of the Firth of Cromarty, called the Sands of Nigg, small craft discharge lime, slate, and coal, and take back cargoes of timber and potatoes. About thirty-two boats are used for fishing. The roads from Cromarty Ferry to Tain and Tarbat pass through the parish. A fair is held in November for general purposes. Ecclesiastically this place is within the bounds of the presbytery of Tain, synod of Ross, and the patronage is vested in the Crown: the stipend of the minister is about £234, with a manse, and a glebe of four acres and a half, valued at £10 per annum. Nigg church, built in 1626, underwent extensive repairs in 1*25 and 1/86, and accommodates 425 persons. The members of the Free Church and United Presbyterian Church have places of worship. There is also a parochial school, the master of which has a salary of £34, and £5 fees, with a house and garden. Another school is partly supported by a society, who allow the teacher a salary of £10 per annum. At the village of Nigg is a monumental stone, in the churchyard j the top is of a triangular form, and on the stone are depicted two figures in the attire of priests, with books in their hands, over whose heads a dove is hovering, ready to take away the sacrifice from an altar below. Crosses and various sacred hieroglyphics appear on the other parts of this monument, which has always strongly excited the curiosity of strangers, and is evidently of great antiquity. There is a monument at Shandwick, somewhat similar to the former, called the Stone of the Burying-ground. Of the several chalybeate springs in the parish, the most esteemed is one at Wester Rarichie, called " the Cow's Eye": it is impregnated with sulphur and magnesia.