[5] The Greco-Roman astronomer and geographer Ptolemy (c. 90 – c. 168), describes in chapter two of his Geographa entitled Albion Island of Britannia the mouth of the River Lossie as ostium Loxa Fluvius.

The rocky promontory is recorded in the Chartulary of Moray as Holyman's Head and it is said that Gervadius (St Gerardine as he became known in later times) would walk around the headland with a flaming torch to warn ships away from the dangerous rocks.

That same year of 1383, the Earl wrote to the Elgin burgesses offering them the use of his port at the mouth of the River Spey with no duties, in an attempt to take trade from the Bishop.

It is documented that in 1609, to avoid flooding, the post-Reformation Protestant Bishop Alexander Douglas took steps to exclude the River Lossie from the loch.

A Pictish settlement occupied the area and large numbers of carved stones, now held in Elgin Museum, were found.

In 1308, Robert the Bruce, taking advantage of King Edward II's preoccupation with matters in England and France, started capturing and usually destroying castles that were either English garrisoned or controlled throughout Scotland.

King David I introduced settlers from other parts of the kingdom as a way of reducing the powers of the lords who had ruled large territories as independent provinces.

The Session do þrfore (therefore) ordain John Edward in Stotefold to satisfy in Sacco on day & to pay 20s[6] James Jafray in Cousea to satisfy in the Joges two dayes, Wm Innes Wm Hesbein Thomas Edward & John Thome all of þm (them) to testify þr (their) Repentance by standing at þe pillar And ilk ane of þm to pay 20s.

In regard that they had not restrained this abuse Conform to þr (their) engagement before þe Presbetry in Ano 66 (year 1666) The fors (four) psons (persons) all of þ snd Compeiring þr sentence being intimated unto þm they accepting & submitting to disciplin were sharpely rebuked exhorted to serious Repentance & enjoyned to satisfy conform to þe ordinance The next Lords day."

[8] At the time that the new river mouth harbour was being constructed, so too was a more planned development laid out in streets running parallel and right angles to each other.

Later, a canal cut to drain Loch Spynie, would present a physical barrier to the two communities and entered the River Lossie in this area.

That same year, The Inverness Courier carried the following: "A paragraph is quoted from an Elgin paper under the heading "unexampled economy worthy of imitation."

The two senior bailies of the burgh went on behalf of the town to Lossiemouth to meet the gentlemen appointed to stake off the ground for a proposed new harbour.

Colonel James Brander of Pitgaveny, the proprietor of the site, with the assistance of the Trinity Lodge of Freemasons, and in presence of the Chairman and shareholders of the Harbour Company, and representatives of the burgh of Elgin."

Branderburgh, with its characteristic wide streets, continued to push its boundaries westward and by the early 20th century finally joined with Stotfield.

A substantial amount of sandstone was quarried from the east side of the town to accommodate this rapid house building project.

[12] The boats used at Stotfield, Seatown and finally Branderburgh were the same as those found across the entire Scottish east coast fishery.

The Morayshire Railway was officially opened at ceremonies in Elgin and Branderburgh on 10 August 1852, the steam engines having been delivered to Lossie by sea.

It was the Morayshire Railway that persuaded Col Brander, of Pitgaveny, to build the bridge from the Seatown to the east beach to encourage more day tripping in the summer months.

To the west of the town are a sandy beach, golf links and the Royal Air Force station, RAF Lossiemouth.

Lossiemouth Beach is a large strip of dunes separated from the rest of the town by the River Lossie, creating a useful sheltered expanse of water.

The town looks down onto this natural harbour with a plain promenade street from which the East Beach Bridge leads onto the sands.

Ringed plover, grey heron, black-headed gull, oystercatcher, curlew, mallard and other waders feed under the bridge and are easy to watch from the street, and there are vast numbers of water birds in the more rural area further east.

Also in the calcareous band of the Stotfield rock there is limestone with nodular masses of flint, crystals of galena (lead ore) and iron pyrites.

Unlike other sizable towns in the area, Lossiemouth has not attracted the large supermarket groups due to its proximity to Elgin, which also provides employment to a significant proportion of the working population.

The former railway route has been turned into a footpath, and the edge of the station platform is visible in the main car park near the harbour.

The following religious denominations have places of worship in Lossiemouth: Church of Scotland United Free Church of Scotland Baptist Plymouth Brethren Scottish Episcopal Roman Catholic The town's main football club is Lossiemouth F.C., nicknamed "The Coasters", who play in the Highland Football League.

The local derby had been against Elgin City FC; however their promotion to the higher Scottish leagues in recent years has reduced the frequency of the matches.

Two Royal Navy vessels, both named after the River Lossie, were involved in rescues following torpedo sinkings during the Second World War.

Lossiemouth was mentioned in Yes, Prime Minister; character Bernard Woolley thought it was a type of dog food.