Arbroath or Aberbrothock (Scottish Gaelic: Obair Bhrothaig which translates literally as at the mouth of the Brothock[2]) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of approximately 23,000 people.[1] It lies on the North Sea coast, around 17 miles north-east of Dundee and 51 miles south of Aberdeen.
Its history begins, like nearby Dundee, with the Picts in the Iron Age, and remained a small village until 1178, when King William the Lion founded an Abbey, which was completed in 1233. During the medieval period, the Abbey fell into disuse and eventually disrepair, with the lead from the roof rumoured to have been used in the manufacture of bullets for the civil wars during the reign of King James VI. During the industrial revolution the jute industry caused Arbroath to expand just as it had done in Dundee, a new harbour was built in 1839 and by the 1900s, Arbroath had become one of the larger fishing ports in Scotland and continues to be known as the home of the Arbroath Smokie.[3]
The town is internationally famous as the home of the Declaration of Arbroath, the statement of Scottish independence signed by the nobility in the 14th century. The town's ancient ruined abbey is central to the story of the declaration and remains a key Scottish tourist attraction today. Arbroath was the birthplace of postal reformist James Chalmers[4] and David Dunbar Buick, founder of Buick and inventor of the overhead valve engine.[5] Arbroath is also well known both at home and overseas at home to 45 Commando of the Royal Marines.[6]
GeographyArbroath is located at on the North Sea coast of Scotland. Geologically, Arbroath sits predominantly on Old Red Sandstone with the lower lying parts of the town having previously been below sea level during and immediately after the last ice age.[14] To the north-east lies the fishing village of Auchmithie (2 miles), Montrose (13 miles) and Aberdeen (50 miles), to the south-west, there is Dundee (17 miles), Perth (37 miles) and Edinburgh (77 miles), whilst to the west lies Forfar (15 miles) and Brechin (14 miles). Glasgow is 98 miles to the south west and London is 490 miles to the south.
The outlying areas of Carmyllie, Friockheim, Colliston and Inverkeillor are considered part of Arbroath with regards to council representation, and together with Carnoustie, share the 01241 telephone area code with Arbroath.
Residents of Arbroath are called Arbroathians, or Red Lichties. Arbroath has one of the highest rates of unemployment in Scotland, around 4.5% of the population are claiming unemployment related social welfare benefits.[15] The population of Arbroath, as of the 2001 census was 22,785. The population, by country of birth, is predominantly Scottish born (88.9%) combined with people born within the UK as a whole, this figure rises to (97.7%). Migrant workers having settled in Arbroath account for 2.14% of the population, although this looks set to grow further as Arbroath and the surrounding areas have seen a significant influx of Czech and Slovenian workers over the past 10 years and most recently they have been joined by Polish workers following Polands accession to the European Union in 2004. It is expected Bulgarian workers will also migrate to Arbroath following Bulgaria's accession to the European Union in 2007.[1][16] Most Arbroathians are between 16 and 65, with 19.8% under 16, 59.5% between 16 and 65 with those over 65 making up 20.7% of the population. In terms of male to female ratio, there are 47.1% males to 52.9% females.[1]
Places of worshipArbroath has several churches, serving almost all Christian denominations with Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches in the town. There are no synagogues, mosques or temples and Jewish, Muslim and Hindu worshippers travel to Dundee in order to worship.
Government and politicsArbroath was made a royal burgh in 1178 by King William the Lion at the same time as the Abbey was established. The burgh of regality permitted the monks to hold a weekly market, dispense basic justice and to establish a harbour. In 1559, the town's burgh of regality was reconfirmed in 1559 by King James VI of Scotland. A provost and a town council were appointed and it was at this point Aberbrothock became a fully fledged royal burgh.[3]
Arbroath was traditionally controlled by Arbroath Town Council from the time of King James VI through to 1975, when Arbroath (and the county of Angus) were amalgamated with the counties of Perthshire and Dundee City into Tayside, under the control of Tayside Regional Council. Angus, together with Dundee City and Perth & Kinross were re-established following reorganisation under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.[17]
Local GovernmentArbroath is a constituent town of Angus Council, one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Angus Council represents Arbroath and comprises 29 elected councillors each representing one ward. Arbroath comprises seven individual wards and seven councillors are elected directly by the residents of that ward using a first past the post system. The council is controlled by the Scottish National Party who have the most councillors (17) and have a clear majority. The Liberal Democrats (three councillors), the Scottish Conservatives (two councillors) and the Labour Party (one councillor) are also represented on the council together with six independent candidates.[18]
Following the 2006 boundary changes the seven wards representing Arbroath and the surrounding area will be amalgamated into two large wards (Arbroath West & Letham and Arbroath East & Lunan, each returning four councillors, elected through the Single Transferable Vote system. This system will be introduced for the 2007 local government elections which are due to be held on May 3, 2007.[19]
Westminster and HolyroodFor elections to the House of Commons, Arbroath forms part of the Angus constituency, presently represented by Michael Weir (SNP) who held the seat with a small majority of 1200 votes (4.2%) at the 2005 General Election.[20] In the Scottish Parliament, Arbroath forms part of the Angus Scottish Parliamentary constituency, represented by Andrew Welsh (SNP). Arbroath also forms part of the North East Scotland electoral region and is represented by seven members of the Scottish Parliament who are elected through a Single Transferable Vote system from votes placed in the individual constituencies which make up the North East Scotland electoral region. The representatives for the Angus Westminster and Angus Scottish Parliament constituencies are elected through a first past the post system.[21]
Peter Fraser was previously the local member of parliament representing the former Angus South (later Angus East constituency which became the Angus Constituency following devolution in 1997). Peter Fraser was made a life peer and appointed Lord Advocate by Margaret Thatcher in 1989. Peter Fraser was responsible for preparing much of the prosecution case against the Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi.[22] Mr Fraser was recently arrested over an alleged 'air-rage' incident at Dundee airport.
Arbroath has no twin town however Arbroath Academy has twinned with Friedensburg-Oberschule, a secondary school in Germany.[23] The first exchange taking place in 1987, on the 750th Anniversary of the foundation of Berlin. As part of this celebration, the mayor of Berlin paid for the schools trip.
EconomyArbroath has no sizeable employers outside of the public sector, with most workers commuting to Dundee.[24] Arbroath itself has an economically active population of 9,192 people, with the public sector (21.8%) the largest employer of Arbroath residents closely followed by the manufacturing (16%) and retail sector (15.4%). The fishing industry accounts for 0.4% (fewer than 50 people) although the processing sector is considered separately under manufacturing and the figure of 50 people relates directly to the catching and support sectors.[25][26]
MilitaryArbroath is home to 45 Commando of the Royal Marines, who have been based at the Condor Barracks since 1971. The Condor Barracks were originally built in 1940 and commissioned as RNAS Arbroath / HMS Condor, a Royal Naval Air Station with Blackburn Buccaneers stationed at the base until 1971. The Royal Marines moved to Arbroath in 1971 and remain a major contributor to the local economy, in addition to the Marines stationed at Arbroath, with around 600 residents employed by the Ministry of Defence.[26] The Royal Marines from 45 Commando are presently engaged on operations in Afghanistan and have deployed in support of operatins in Iraq and the Falklands War.[32] In 2004, there was speculation that the Condor Barracks would be transferred to the Army as a replacement for Fort George and that the Condor Barracks would become a permanent base for a battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. These plans never went beyond the planning stage and in 2005 it was confirmed the Royal Marines would remain based at the Condor Barracks.[33]
HousingHouse Prices in Arbroath are very close to the national average and in April-June 2006 were £99 below the national average, local prices averaging £113,646 compared to the national average of £113,745.[34] The average house price across Angus has risen by 14.9% in the past year (to November 2006) and now stands at £124,451.[35] Angus Council suggests the recent upgrading of the A92 between Arbroath and Dundee to dual carriageway has lured Dundonians to Arbroath and this may be driving up house prices.[36]
TourismTourism plays a vital part in the Arbroath economy, with over Arbroath Abbey attracting 14,000 visitors each year.[37] Major attractions during the summer months include the Seafront Spectacular, which includes an airshow, and the Seafest which is themed around Arbroath's maritime heritage, both events drawing crowds in the order of tens of thousands. There is also a re-enactment of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath (the declaration of Scottish independence) and in past years there has been a mock Viking invasion culminating in the burning of a longship.[38]
Arbroath is home to Kerr's Miniature Railway, the oldest miniature railway in Scotland, which has been operating since 1935 and which at it's height, in 1955, saw 60,000 visitors. Today, the railway is operated as a hobby by a group of volunteers, instead of a commercial basis as it was in 1955, and remains popular with locals, tourists and railway enthusiasts.[39]
TransportArbroath is served by the A92 road which connects the city to Dundee and Fife to the south west, and Stonehaven in the north east. The A92 joins the A90 north of Stonehaven and leads to Aberdeen further north. The A92 is dual carriageway from the southern outskirts of Arbroath to the northern outskirts of Dundee, the A92 proceeds through Dundee before crossing the Tay estuary into Fife via a toll bridge, although tolls are only charged for southbound traffic heading into Fife. The A90 can also be reached at Dundee heading both north (to Aberdeen) and south (to Perth and Edinburgh).
Arbroath has an extensive public bus transport system, with the Arbroath Bus Station serving as the town's main terminus. Strathtay Scottish and G&N Wishart (part of Travel Dundee) operate most of the local services, with most rural services operated by Strathtay Scottish. Arbroath has one railway station, a short walk from the bus station, with local trains to the east coast of Scotland, Perth and Glasgow whilst intercity services operate to Newcastle, York and London in England. Passenger services at Arbroath are provided by First ScotRail, Virgin Cross Country and Great North Eastern Railway. Dundee has a regional airport which offers commercial flights to London City Airport five times a day.[40] The airport has a 1,400-metre runway capable of serving small aircraft and is located 3 kilometres west of the city centre, adjacent to the Tay river. The nearest major international airports are in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Arbroath has a sizeable airfield at the Royal Marines military base on the western outskirts of the town, but this remains a dedicated military airfield.
CultureArbroath is home to the Webster Theatre, well known in Scotland as a venue which regularly saw Harry Lauder perform and was the first venue The Alexander Brothers, a Scottish easy listening act, performed as a professional duo.[41] Jimmy Tarbuck is also famous for having performed at the Webster Theatre.[42] Charlie Landsborough, The Illegal Eagles and the Drifters are also regulars at the venue. The Webster Theatre is undergoing £2.8 million redevelopment and is due to officially reopen in January 2008.[43]
There are several amateur theatre and musical companies based in and around Arbroath, the most well known being the Angus Minstrels group, the last group in Britain to regularly perform blackface. In 2005, following pressure from Angus Council, who feared legal action, the show is now performed without any makeup, and the group was renamed from 'The Angus Black and White Minstrels' to simply 'The Angus Minstrels'. The decision to stop performing the show in blackface received widespread press coverage in the UK.[44][45]
Since 1947, a pageant commemorating the signing of the Declaration has been held within the roofless remains of the abbey. This is run by the local Arbroath Abbey Pageant Society, and re-enacts the story of the signing.[46]
The author Sir Walter Scott is famous for the Waverley series of novels, including Rob Roy and Ivanhoe. Scott is known to have visited Arbroath three times, and his personal favourite in the series, The Antiquary (1816) features affectionately fictionalised versions of both Arbroath ('Fairport') and Auchmithie ('Musselcrag').[47]
Arbroath has one museum, the former Bell Rock Lighthouse Signal Tower. In 1807 Arbroath became the base of operations for the building of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. The shore station for the lighthouse - the Bell Rock Signal Tower - was completed in 1813 and acted as a lifeline for the keepers offshore. The Signal Tower Museum was opened in 1974 as a visitor centre detailing the history of the lighthouse and the town of Arbroath.[30]
Arbroath SmokiesArbroath Smokies, for which Arbroath is well known nationally and internationally are made solely in Arbroath following the award of Protected Geographical Indication in 2004, which limits Arbroath Smokie production to within 4 km of Arbroath.
Smokies are made from haddock using traditional methods dating back to the late 1800s where the fish are first salted overnight to preserve them, before being left tied in pairs to dry. Next, the dried fish are hung in a special barrel containing a hardwood fire and covered with a lid. After around an hour of smoking, the fish are golden brown and ready to eat.[48]
The preparation of Smokies remains a cottage industry in Arbroath, centred almost exclusively at the harbour area, though one larger processor, RR Spink, supplies Arbroath Smokies to several UK supermarket chains, and to HM Queen Elizabeth II for which the company holds a Royal Warrant.[49][50]
SportArbroath has one professional football team, Arbroath, presently playing in the 3rd division of the Scottish Football League. Arbroath play their home matches at Gayfield Park, which holds the record for being the closest stadium to the sea in European football (around five metres from the high tide line).[51] Arbroath F.C. holds the world record for the largest winning margin in a senior football match, 36-0, in their Scottish Cup match against Bon Accord (a scratch team from Aberdeen) on September 12 1885.[52] Further goals were disallowed either for offside, or because it was not clear whether the ball had gone into the goal.[53] For this reason the AFC supporters' club is called the 36-0 club in memory of this event. Arbroath F.C. are nicknamed The Red Lichties due to the red light that used to guide fishing boats back from the North Sea to the harbour (Lichtie being a Scots word for light). Arbroath and the surrounding areas are home to several amateur senior and junior teams competing in the various amateur leagues.
Arbroath also has a cricket club, Rugby union club and several bowls clubs, with the present (2006) World and British singles champion Darren Burnett a native of Arbroath. Darren also works as a police officer with Tayside Police.[54]
EducationArbroath has one further education college, Angus College which is based in the former Arbroath High School buildings. There are two secondary schools and 11 primary schools. One primary school is Roman Catholic, the remaining schools are non-denominational. There are 2260 pupils in primary school education in Arbroath with a further 1720 pupils in secondary education.[55]
Secondary schoolsArbroath has two secondary schools, Arbroath High School and Arbroath Academy. The High School (the older of the two), was originally a grammar school and the Academy a comprehensive. The Academy is located near the Mayfield area and the High School near Keptie Pond. Both schools are well regarded with exam results along reading and writing performance indicators above the national average.[56]
Noted former pupils of Arbroath High School include Michael Forsyth, former Scottish Secretary[57] and Andrew Webster, a professional footballer who is on loan at Rangers from Wigan Athletic football club.
Further educationAngus College, a further education college, has around 8500 students, with 80% of passing the course for which they enrol. There are around 1700 full time students with part-time students making up the majority of the student population. Arbroath is not a student town and there are no student residences in the town. The student population is made up solely of local students living within commuting distance of the college. Angus College offers courses up to Higher National Diploma (HND) level in a variety of trade related disciplines such as agriculture, business, management, tourism, communication, languages, construction, joinery, engineering, arts, crafts and Design, hospitality and catering, hairdressing, care, and has a sizeable number of programs relating to computing, information technology and office administration. A large number of the student body are mature students taking evening classes related to computing, digital photography and various software packages.[58]
School leavers going onto study at university have the choice of several local institutions - the University of Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee, the University of St Andrews and the University of Aberdeen all within around one hour's travel from Arbroath.
Notable Arbroathians
