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The History Of Perth
People come to Perth today for all sorts of reasons: business, pleasure, friends, relatives, politics or simply access to the highlands. As they hurry through he streets on their important missions, few pause to contemplate that this impressive city on the banks of the river Tay has observed the scene for may centuries. Perth may be new to many visitors, but visitors are not new to Perth. They have been coming for around 10000 years.
Of course, the Perth today bears little resemblance of the settlement created to the settlement created by prehistoric man. Rubbish left behind has been found more than 20 feet below what is now street level. Remains of a canoe near the current harbour have been dated to between 8000 and 6000 BC.
Today’s visitors most commonly reach Perth via modern motorways. Many will momentarily turn their back on the Tay and enter the graceful lounge of the Royal George. As they do so they are putting behind them the great river that brought many of Perth’s first settlers, traders and visitors. The city’s importance as a former capital of Scotland and as a centre of trade and industry owes much to its position on the Tay. Prehistoric man likely made his way across the Atlantic watershed and down the Tay valley by canoe. Tradition had it that the river provided access to the Vikings for their raids in the area. And it is said that when the Roman legions first encountered the fast flowing river they exclaimed “behold the Tiber” -
Perth lies centrally in the region of Tayside, an area described as “Scotland in miniature”. For here there is a cross section of some of the most typical and outstanding scenery in the country. It is divided by the great Highland fault, the unofficial boundary between the highland and lowland, and through it urn many rivers including, of course the Tay. But the effect, which the river produced on the city, is not restricted to the early days; in the 18th century a new bridge was built across the river near the North Inch and to serve it a major new road was cut through this section of the city. Many old buildings were torn down to accommodate it, and new ones erected in their place. The central part of Perth lies between two great parks known as the North and South Inches. A local joke (perhaps lost on the younger, metricated generation) is that Perth must be the smallest city in Scotland “ because it lies between two inches”. The word “Inch” apparently derives from the Gaelic “innis” meaning island, a fitting word for a land often isolated when the Tay flooded. Th parkland is common land held in trust by the district council. It was originally given to the city through a royal charter by Robert III in 1377. A more colourful, but unconfirmed, version of their acquisition by the city suggests that the North Inch was given by a wealthy family, the Mercers of Aldie, in exchange for the right of burial in Saint John’s Kirk:
“Folk say the Mercers tried the town to cheat
when for twa inches they did gain six feet.”
…….runs an old verse.
when for twa inches they did gain six feet.”
…….runs an old verse.
The Inches of Perth, particularly the North Inch near The Royal George, have been used and abused for all sorts of purposes. Blood has been let during battles, livestock have grazed during more pastoral times, women have hung out their washing, skaters have skimmed the across a frozen pond and golfers have played there for centuries.
One of the most important events to occur on the North Inch was the so-
The Inches were often used as grazing ground for cattle and pigs, although the presence of this latter animal was actively discouraged during the 17th century. Use of the Inches for grazing coincided, somewhat surprisingly, with their use by local women for drying sheets. The wash would be done in the ancient watercourse, known as the lade, and then left to dry and bleach from the trees of the inch. Wash days in grazing seasons were always a bit of a risk, and could culminate in near disaster. It is reporter that in 1867 an Ox was being driven off the Inch when it inadvertently ran into a hanging sheet. The beast went mad with rage and fright and stampeded across the Inch, right through the groups of women with their tubs of sheets. It finally freed itself of the nuisance around its horns and calmed down, but not before a good days wash had been abruptly ruined! The practise of hanging out washing on the South Inch continued into the beginning of last century, although it was threatened in 1833 by complaints lodged which prevented the women from hanging their sheets on trees. To compensate, the women erected clothes poles and even paid an official “watcher” to keep his eye on the linen.
The Inches have always provided an excellent venue for recreation. Horse racing began on the South Inch in the 17th Century and later moved to the North Inch, where it was well established until last century. The prize animals and their riders would come to the Inch in September for several days of general revelry and racing. Local hostelries accommodated the animals and their owners. The Royal George was presumably high on the list, with stabling for twenty horses and an excellent location close to the North Inch.
In describing the various events, which took place on the inches, one must remember that many of these occurred simultaneously. Cattle grazing, weekly washing, horse racing and if that were not enough to create a conflict of interest, there were also cricket matches, archery and golf. Golf was and still is a prime source of recreation for those who live in and visit Perth. It was played as early as 1613 on the South Inch, and that later moved to the North Inch, where it is still played today. Participants now have a few challenges compared to the irritations encountered by their predecessors, who had to share a course with cows, cricketers and washer women. Special rules were developed to allow for this: if a ball stopped within a club’s length of a wash tub, the obstacle could be moved. And if a ball landed on clothes it could be picked up and dropped behind him. All this sounds eminently sensible for the golfer
For many centuries Perth was one of the strongest and wealthiest cities in Scotland, commanding an important strategic point on the Tay. Her richness in the 12th century was poetically summarised by Alexander Neckham, Abbot of Cirencester, who wrote: “Go on great Tay, through fields, towns and through Perth whose wealth supports the kingdom”.
From being one of the greatest cities in Scotland. Perth was soon to become one of the most distressed. In the late 13th century Edward I laid claim to Scotland and Perth was occupied by the English until 1313. Edward ordered the fortification of Perth, which helped repel Scottish advances. The ditch and accompanying wall surrounded the city and it is on that line that The George was built many centuries later. Perth was finally recaptured by the Scots under Robert the Bruce, who ordered that the walls be demolished, never to be used against him again. He spent a considerable time in Perth thereafter, accompanied by his pet lion. After the death of Bruce, Perth once again fell into English hands. This time, Edward III saw to it that the walls were made stronger than ever and this fortification lasted for several hundred years. The English invaders, however, were not as unmoveable and were ousted again by the Scots in 1339.
Throughout that century Perth was an important meeting place for councils of the king, of parliament and the church. In 1437 it became the scene of one of the most notorious moments in Scottish history when James I met his end at Blackfriars Monastery. That January he had been spending a quiet holiday with his Queen and their royal court when his enemies caught up with him. James had ruled with a heavy hand which did much to lose him popularity among his countrymen and kinfolk. A plot to kill him was launched by Robert Stewart of Atholl and Robert Graham. Stewart was then Chamberlain and therefore had ready access to the king’s quarters. On the fateful night he made sure that all the locks on the doors had been broken so that when the time came, the king could not lock himself away. At about midnight Graham and 300 men entered the friary and found the king getting ready for bed and only dressed in his nightshirt, cap and slippers. The queen and her attendants tried to lock the doors against the invaders but Stewart’s work had rendered this impossible. The windows had been barred as well, but the resourceful James thought he had found a way to escape under the floor. He lifted up the floorboards with a fire iron and lowered himself into the privy. His idea had been to escape through the outlet, but this plan was foiled when he found the outlet had been blocked up. This time he had no one but himself to blame-
While James hid below, the invaders wreaked havoc and devastation upstairs. Many of the queen’s ladies in waiting were wounded, and even the queen herself was wounded, but left alive while the traitors went off in hot pursuit of the king. They could not find him and he probably would have escaped had he not made the mistake of thinking the coast was clear and calling to the ladies to help him out. Just as they were complying, a citizen of Perth, Thomas Chamber, returned to the room having remembered the privy and led the final and fatal attack on the king. The body was described later as having sixteen wounds in the chest alone, with many others over the rest of the body.
The other infamous event in Perth’s history, still shrouded in mystery and confusion, is what is known as the Gowrie Conspiracy of 1600. Gowrie House no longer stands where it did in Speygate, for this house built in 1520 was demolished in about 1809. In its time it was described as the most magnificent building in Perth and was temporary residence for Charles I and Charles II, as well as many other notable guests. But it was the murder of the Earl of Gowrie and his brother in 1600, which made the house so famous and cast a dark shadow on James VI. James frequently went to Perth and therefore it was not improbable that he would accept an invitation by the provost, the Earl of Gowrie, to visit Perth on 5th August 1600, supposedly to get hidden treasure -
Fifty years later, Scotland was once again taken over by the English when Oliver Cromwell successfully negotiated the terms of Perth’s surrender. The following 50 years were not prosperous for Perth and, in an attempt to recreate its earlier prosperity, the city tried for the second time to have the University of St Andrews moved there. In this it failed, and it is on this that some blame the demolition of Gowrie House, for if the university had moved this building would have been used as part of its centre.
In the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, Perth once again played an important part in Scottish history, when it was used for as a camp for the Jacobites. In 1716 the “Old Pretender”, and the hopeful James VIII, stayed in Perth for three weeks, waiting to be crowned at Scone. His hopes were dashed and, after walking across the frozen Tay, James left for France where he remained in exile. Perth was then occupied by the Hanoverian troops commanded by the Duke of Argyll and grew into a military city, supporting a garrison of soldiers. In 1745, Prince Charles Edward, know as the “Young Pretender”, stayed in Perth for eight days. The following year Perth was visited by both the Jacobites and the forces under the Duke of Cumberland. He was given Gowrie House by the local magistrates, who were trying to win favour, and the house became a military barracks. The North Inch was then used to support the Hessian troops kept in Perth for several years to keep order in the area. The people got on well with these soldiers and daily life began to settle down in Perth to some semblance of stability. This period also began the great burst of energy, which gave Perth much of the features known today. Perth began to grow rapidly outside its city walls and a great reconstruction project began which transformed the city and gave it The George Hotel.
The push was on after 1750 to revitalise Perth. One of the first priorities was to give the city a decent bridge -
Around the corner from The Royal George on Charlotte Street is the Fair Maid’s House, formerly the Glovers’ Hall and now a craft centre and art gallery. The little house achieved international fame through Sir Walter Scott’s novel the Fair Maid of Perth, published in 1828. The book is about Catherine Glover, the “Fair Maid”, and daughter of Simon Glover whose house once stood on the site of the present Fair Maid’s house. It is also said that the current building stands over the archway of one of the original gates, which led into the Dominican monastery of Blackfriars. In the 17th Century the building was used for Glovers hall, a function which continued for 150 years. The Fair Maid’s house is, of course, most famous for its literary immortalisation by Sir Walter Scott. But it s existence did not go unnoticed by another of Scotland’s well know writers, the Dundee poet William McGonagall, who was moved to write in his unwittingly humorous style:
“All ye good people, of far and near,
To my request pray lend an ear.
I advise you all without delay to go
And see the Fair Maids house - it is rare show.”
McGonagall goes onto describe vividly important historical associations:
“King James I of Scotland was murdered there.
And his cries for mercy rent the air,
But the highland robbers only laughed at him
And murdered him in the dungeon and thought it no sin.”
McGonagall is good enough to entice us further with detailed descriptions of the house:
“The interior of the House, is magnificent to be seen.
And the wood panelling, I’m sure would please the Queen.
And the old fire place, with its big fire,
Is all that visitors could desire.”
McGonagall concludes that:
“The mistresses of the House are very kind,
more affable women would be hard to find,
and to visitors they are very good,
and well versed in history be it understood.”
To my request pray lend an ear.
I advise you all without delay to go
And see the Fair Maids house -
McGonagall goes onto describe vividly important historical associations:
“King James I of Scotland was murdered there.
And his cries for mercy rent the air,
But the highland robbers only laughed at him
And murdered him in the dungeon and thought it no sin.”
McGonagall is good enough to entice us further with detailed descriptions of the house:
“The interior of the House, is magnificent to be seen.
And the wood panelling, I’m sure would please the Queen.
And the old fire place, with its big fire,
Is all that visitors could desire.”
McGonagall concludes that:
“The mistresses of the House are very kind,
more affable women would be hard to find,
and to visitors they are very good,
and well versed in history be it understood.”
More poetic gems from William McGonagall may be found in a 19th Century publication of the same title.
This corner of Perth, therefore, is rich in historical detail. But it is by no means the only interesting historical area in the city. In the centre is the church of St John The Baptist, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is known, however, that a church existed on the same site since 1126, when David I of Scotland gave the church and its endowments to the Benedictine monastery of Dunfermline. The most famous event in the church was when John Knox preached a powerful sermon against idolatry in May 1559. This so incited the congregation that they left the service and went out to wreck the church and nearby monastic houses. Amongst the kirk’s interesting features is its prize communion silver, including four 16th and 17th century cups. The most famous of these is known as the Mary Cup, due to the tradition that it was presented by Mary Queen of Scots. Another unsubstantiated story about the cup is that it was thrown out into the street during the riots following Knox’s sermon and found by a woman who hid it for safe keeping in a newly dug grave in Greyfriars Churchyard.
On their way through Perth, visitors will come across small alleys, or vennels as they are know here. There are not as many as once there were, development through the ages having eliminated many of these ancient passageways. Each one had a name which reflected its name in medieval times. Therefore Cal Vennel was the passageway used by farmers to take their cattle out of the city onto the South Inch pasture for grazing. Guard Vennel was the route the city’s guard took when marching to the city’s north wall in medieval times. The Kirk Vennels were the streets on which citizens would travel on their way through the city to St Johns Kirk. Although much of the city has been modernised there are still a few places, thanks to these Vennels, where visitors may pick up the flavour of earlier days. One of these is the small passageway leading from the High Street onto the Square at St Johns Kirk. The best time to appreciate this is an hour or two after the shops have closed, preferably in the summer when the weather is still fine in the early evening. There, one can stand in the quiet square at St John’s and, if the time is right, be treated to a private concert courtesy of the bell ringers.
It would be difficult to exhaust the possibilities for historical interest in Perth. Both the Tourist Information centre and the museum have an excellent selection of small booklets and maps which can guide the visitor around the city in more detail.
Less than two miles from The Royal George is the magnificent building of Scone Palace, once the crowing place for Scottish Kings and now the home of The Earl of Mansfield. There are many important events and stories linked with Scone, perhaps the best know being the association with Macbeth, King of the Scots, who was slain there by Macduff. It was here, too, that King Robert the Bruce was once crowned the Bishop of St Andrews and where other Kings were crowned until the final coronation ceremony took place on the stone of Scone, thought to have been brought to the site in 838. In 1296 it was taken by King Edward I to Westminster Abbey.
The house and the gardens of Scone are open to the public, although the house is still used as a residence for the Mansfield family, who have occupied it for more than 500 years. Treasures include a priceless collection of Ivory, a writing table made for Marie Antoinette, a stunning collection of 18th and 19th century porcelain and an unusual display of papier mache objets d’art. Standing next to the palace is a small chapel on Moot Hill, otherwise known as Boot Hill. This latter name comes from the tradition that the emissaries who attended the crowning ceremonies came with the earth of their own lands in their boots or foot bindings. This was a gesture to show how they were united in the coronation. Little remains of what was the Abbey of Scone, destroyed by the rioting crowds who had been inflamed by John Knox’s sermon. In the Pinetum, an extraordinary garden of pine trees, some of the old masonry from the Abbey can be seen. One famous fir was cultivated from a seed sent by David Douglas, who was born at Scone in 1798 and who worked there as a gardener. He rose quickly to fame and it was he who discovered in North America the Douglas Fir which bears his name. He met a bloody death when he fell into a pit which had been dug to catch wild bison. Unfortunately it was occupied at the time by a bison which immediately gored him to death.
There are many important castles and stately homes in the Perth vicinity, including Loch Leven Castle just south of Perth, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567. She escaped 11 months later with the help of Willie Douglas, who locked everyone in the Great Hall and dropped the keys in the Loch. The keys were found there in the 19th century.
As a touring centre for Tayside, or as an access point to the Highlands, Perth is unrivalled in the area. One can go east to the startling beauty of places like the Sma’ Glen, Aberfeldy and its Birks of Aberfeldy. A bridge near there with five arches extends over the Tay and was built by General Wade in 1733 in an attempt to mollify the Highlanders, following the Jacobite uprising of 1715. North of here is Loch Rannoch, famous for its beauty and good fishing. The path of Killiecrankie is nearby and its spectacular beauty is protected by the National Trust.
Just North of Perth are Dunkeld and Birnam, joined by a seven arch bridge designed by the famous Scottish engineer, Thomas Telford. Important attractions in Dunkeld include the magnificent Cathedral, the 17th and 18th century little houses and the Dunkeld Larches.
A short walk from Dunkeld will bring the visitor to the Briman Oak, the last remaining tree of Great Birman Wood which so relentlessly marched in defiance of Macbeth’s ambition. Only half a mile north of Dunkeld is the Hermitage, a National Trust property since it was given by the Duke of Atholl in 1943.
Carrying on the same road north one comes to Pitlochry, otherwise know as “the centre of the highlands”. This delightful stone built town -
Another source of entertainment in Scotland is the tours which can be arranged to many of the distilleries. It’s a fascinating process and one which gives insight into Scotland’s most famous export. After the tour one can sample, purely in the interest of historical research, some of the product of that process. Both tours of distilleries, Scottish Castles and other scenic trails may be arranged with Royal George Carriages. You can contact George directly on 01738 459019 or via reception.
One can see then the vast attractions which bring people to and through the fair city of Perth. Through wartime and peace, harsh times and prosperity, Perth has been the venue for many of the country’s most important events. During the last two centuries The Royal George has played an important part in serving those who have come to The Fair City of Perth.
The Royal George Hotel
Tay Street, Perth PH1 5LD, Scotland
Telephone : +44(0) 01738 624455 Fax : +44(0) 01738 630345
E-Mail : info@theroyalgeorgehotel.co.uk
Tay Street, Perth PH1 5LD, Scotland
Telephone : +44(0) 01738 624455 Fax : +44(0) 01738 630345
E-