 In 1578, John Leslie the Bishop of Ross produced a map of Scotland, which was published in Rome.Dingwall was of sufficient importance to be included on the map, and when James VI awarded it a burgh charter in 1587, it mentioned cobles and small boats.However, there was a problem caused by the deposition of alluvium from the rivers Conon and Orrin, which made access more difficult, and by 1773 the burgh was in a depressed state.