Forres, an ancient Royal Burgh Town, is situated in the North of Scotland on the Moray Coast. The Royal Burgh of Forres is thought to be the "Varris" shown on maps by Ptolemy almost 2,000 years ago. There was a Royal Castle here from at least 900AD and in around 1140AD it became a Royal Burgh. Royal Burghs were founded by the Kings of the 12th century to encourage trade and economic improvement. The local abbey which was a powerhouse of growth soon took a hit as the infamous local warlord the Wolf of Badenoch was plundered.

On 23rd June 1496 King James IV of Scotland issued a Royal Charter laying down the rights and privileges which the town's people are believed to have held by an earlier charter since the reign of King David I some 300 years earlier.

Forres has grown much in recent years and now has over 9,000 inhabitants. Sitting between the floodplain of the River Findhorn and the wooded slopes of Cluny and Sanquhar Hills, Forres is well known for its award wining floral sculptures and is steeped in local history and traditions.

The town is the location of Sueno's Stone, an enormous carved stone, probably created by Pictish peoples to commemorate a battle against Norse settlers. Brodie Castle lies near the town.

Shakespeare's play Macbeth locates Macbeth's castle here, although there is little historical evidence of him living in the town.

External links

• Census data