Methven (; gd, Meadhainnigh) is a large village in the

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

region 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 ...

, on the A85 road due west of the town of Perth. It is near the village of Almondbank. The village has its own primary school, church, bowling club, community halls, playing field with sports facilities and skate-park, and a variety of businesses. There is a local primary school in the village, and a large co-educational boarding and day

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British Eng ...

nearby, called Glenalmond College, described by '' The Good Schools Guide'' as providing an "outstanding" quality of education.

Etymology

A Brittonic name, ''Methven'' is thought to be derived from words equivalent to

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

''medd'' "mead", and ''maen'' (in this case, mutated to ''faen'') "stone".

Businesses

To the south of the village, along Station Road, a small industrial estate occupies the former site of

Methven Station Methven railway station served the village of Methven, Perth and Kinross, Scotland and was located between the city of Perth to the east and the town of Crieff to its west. It was the western terminus of the Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Rai ...

. Closed since 27 September 1937, the station was originally the western terminus of the

Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway The Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Railway was a Scottish railway line that connected Methven with Perth. It opened in 1858. A line onwards to Crieff was built from a junction on the line south of Methven; that line opened in 1866. The Met ...

Local Issues

Work began on a new pedestrian crossing in the village in 2008, but was slow to progress, with it not completed until August 2009. Locals had campaigned for a crossing for years because of the busy main road that cuts through the village. The work to install it (as well as nearby works to upgrade the gas pipe network in the village) caused some disruption.

History and legacy

The

Battle of Methven The Battle of Methven took place at Methven, Scotland on 19 June 1306, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The battlefield was researched to be included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and protected by Historic Sco ...

took place in 1306 between Scottish forces (led by newly crowned king Robert the Bruce) and English forces (led by

Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (c. 127523 June 1324) was an Anglo-French nobleman. Though primarily active in England, he also had strong connections with the French royal house. One of the wealthiest and most powerful men of his age, ...

) and resulted in a resounding win for the English. This was part of the Scottish Wars of Independence. There used to be a Royal Air Force station nearby called

RAF Methven Royal Air Force Methven, or more simply RAF Methven, was a World War 2 Royal Air Force Satellite Landing Ground (SLG) located south east of Methven, Perth and Kinross, Scotland and west of Perth, Perth and Kinross. Station history * No. 652 ...

. Smiddy House, at 42–44 Main Street, was built around 1840. It is now considered at-risk due to its condition.

Notable people

Very Rev Dr James Oswald was minister of Methven from 1750 to 1783. He served as

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...

in 1765. Dr William Marshall born 26 Aug 1834 in Methven was appointed Queen Victoria's resident doctor at Balmoral in 1871. He was a royal physician until 1881. He died in Crieff on 22 Dec 1884. A note of his Royal service is made on his headstone erected by his father and in the Methven cemetery.British Newspaper Archives: The Evening Telegraph
Dec 16, 1884, 2nd Edition. Sir Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch, a military hero, was born and raised at the family home of Balgowan House in the area and is buried in the large stone vault south of the main church. Methven is the birthplace of the Reverend Dr Robert Stirling, inventor of the Stirling engine and of the banker Sir

Alexander Kemp Wright Sir Alexander Kemp Wright KBE DL LLD (1859–1933) was a Scottish banker mainly associated with the Royal Bank of Scotland but with multiple banking roles. He founded the National Savings Movement. Life He was born in Methven in Perthshi ...

References

External links

Methven Online
{{authority control Villages in Perth and Kinross