Crotal Bells
Cromarty Courthouse

Crotal bells, also known as rumble bells, were used on horses and horse-drawn vehicles from the early medieval period.  

They were hung on the horse harness in order to tell other vehicles that they were coming and were therefore an important safety feature.  

They had a small iron ball inside that rang the bell when it moved. This bell was found in the fields where Cromarty’s medieval fair was held.