Forteviot ( gd, Fothair Tabhaicht) (
Ordnance Survey
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) is a village in
Strathearn
Strathearn or Strath Earn (, from gd, Srath Èireann) is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland, extending from Loch Earn in the West to the River Tay in the east.http://www.strathearn.com/st_where.htm Derivation of name Strathearn was on ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
on the south bank of the
River Earn
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between
Dunning and
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
. It lies in the council area of
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross ( sco, Pairth an Kinross; gd, Peairt agus Ceann Rois) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Fife, Highland and S ...
. The population in 1991 was 160.
The present village was rebuilt in the 1920s by
John Alexander Dewar, 1st Baron Forteviot of the
Dewar's
Dewar's () is a brand of blended Scotch whisky owned by Bacardi, which claims the brand's "White Label" to be the top-selling blended Scotch in the US. Dewar's is also the world's most awarded blended Scotch whisky with more than 1,000 medals e ...
whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden c ...
family.
Early Bronze Age
On 11 August 2009 archaeologists announced that they had discovered a
royal tomb from the
early Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
at Forteviot. Along with the remains of the ancient ruler were found burial treasures which include a bronze and gold dagger, a wooden bowl and a leather bag. Archaeologists from
Glasgow University
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
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, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
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and
Aberdeen University
, mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
, established =
, type = Public research universityAncient university
, endowment = £58.4 million (2021)
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continue to investigate the finds.
The Pictish palace of Forteviot
Forteviot is known to have been inhabited in the 9th century. King
Cináed mac Ailpín (Kenneth mac Alpin or Kenneth I of Scotland) (d. 858), is said to have died in the 'palace' (''palacio'') there. The palace formerly stood on Haly Hill, on the west side of the modern village, overlooking the
Water of Mey.
The ruins of a castle associated with
Máel Coluim III (1058–93) were visible in the 17th century. Several pieces of early medieval sculpture are preserved in the parish church, which is dedicated to
St Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Pete ...
. The well-known 'Forteviot Arch', an early-9th century monolithic sandstone arch with figural sculpture, discovered in an old bed of the
Water of May
Water (chemical formula ) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living ...
, west of the terrace on which the village stands, is now in the
National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Scottish Museum (opened in ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. It is likely to have once adorned a royal chapel.
The village
The village was rebuilt in the 1920s as a model village designed by the architect James Miller under the instruction of
John Dewar, 1st Baron Forteviot
John Alexander Dewar, 1st Baron Forteviot (6 June 1856 – 23 November 1929) was a Scottish businessman, elder son of the founder of Dewar's Scotch Whisky and a Liberal Member of Parliament.
He is buried with his family in the family plot a ...
, influenced by the Garden City movement. The village hall sits opposite the main village square and is an especially eclectic piece of 1920s design. It is a category A
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
The present church dates from 1778 and adopts the form of a Georgian box chapel, but dates from the 13th century. Gravestones date from 1690.
Notable residents
*
Very Rev John Inglis, the son of Rev Harry Inglis, was born in Forteviot manse
References
Further reading
*
* Aitchison, Nick, ''Forteviot: A Pictish and Scottish Royal Centre.'' Tempus, Stroud, 2006.
Medieval Scotland
Villages in Perth and Kinross
Archaeological sites in Perth and Kinross
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