Hugh Miller the elder and the younger, a geological dynasty enabling a reinterpretation of the Middle Devonian fish-bearing beds of Cromarty

The Victorian stonemason and polymath Hugh Miller's seminal 1841 book The Old Red Sandstone continues to attract critical acclaim due to its engaging delivery to the reader, of the science of geology as it was then understood, in eloquent and descriptive prose. Since Miller's time the study and elucidation of geological data have become far more sophisticated and focused but, due to the comparative lack of rigour in the formative years of the science, some of his explanations of the Middle Devonian geology and palaeontology of Cromarty have either become misunderstood or would benefit greatly from a refresh. Here we provide a chronology of Miller's early discoveries and his evolving understanding of Cromarty geology and how it impacted his contemporaries, and subsequent researchers and the history of geological science. In particular, the work of his son, as a surveyor with the British Geological Survey, is described in the context of his role in Cromarty geology. We re-evaluate the literature, which, in concert with fieldwork dating back to 1991, provides an up-to-date reconciliation of the Middle Devonian geology of the Cromarty area generally, including its historically and scientifically important fossil-bearing fishbeds.