Tomnacross is a small hamlet and part of the village of Kiltarlity, about 20 km west of the city of Inverness in the Highland Council area of Scotland. It is the location of the Kiltarlity village school (Tomnacross Primary), Kiltarlity Church, and a cemetery. There are also several houses in the area. The Tartan Heart Festival takes place nearby on the Belladrum Estate.

Tomnacross
Tomnacross is located in Inverness area
Tomnacross
Tomnacross
Location within the Inverness area
OS grid referenceNH512413
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBeauly
Postcode districtIV4
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°26′16″N 4°28′48″W / 57.43772°N 4.48008°W / 57.43772; -4.48008

The name "Tomnacross" is a 19th-century anglicisation of "tom na croiche", Scottish Gaelic for "knowe of the gallows". This refers to the gallows which were on a stepped hill in the churchyard.[1]

For most of its history, Tomnacross has been little more than a few crofts above the village of Kiltarlity. In 1766 however, the area's ecclesiastical establishment (i.e. manse, glebe, and church) moved from just south of the River Beauly to what is the present-day kirk.[2]

Tomnacross Primary School was built in 1875, though has been extended several times over the years. Originally also a secondary school, it became solely a primary school in about 1970. The current school roll is 90, plus 28 in the nursery. Secondary school pupils travel to Charleston Academy in Inverness.[3][4]

Kiltarlity Church is part of the Church of Scotland. The modern church was built in 1829, on the site of a previous incarnation built the century before, and is a Category B listed building.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Beauly, The Aird and Strathglass Place-Name Survey (North-East Inverness-shire)
  2. ^ Kyd, J. G. (September 1953). "The third statistical account of Scotland". Scottish Geographical Magazine. 69 (2): 64–66. doi:10.1080/00369225308735541. ISSN 0036-9225.
  3. ^ "School information". Tomnacross Primary School. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Tomnacross Primary School". Highland Council. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  5. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Kiltarlity Parish Church of Scotland and Burial Ground, Tomnacross (Category B Listed Building) (LB8078)". Retrieved 25 March 2019.