A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, b ...

. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.Select Committee on Privileges Second Report, September 1999
/ref> Most royal burghs were either created by

the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has differ ...

, or upgraded from another status, such as

burgh of barony A burgh of barony was a type of Scottish town ( burgh). Burghs of barony were distinct from royal burghs, as the title was granted to a landowner who, as a tenant-in-chief, held his estates directly from the crown. (In some cases, they might also ...

. As discrete classes of burgh emerged, the royal burghs—originally distinctive because they were on royal lands—acquired a monopoly of foreign trade. An important document for each burgh was its burgh charter, creating the burgh or confirming the rights of the burgh as laid down (perhaps verbally) by a previous monarch. Each royal burgh (with the exception of four 'inactive burghs') was represented in the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

and could appoint bailies with wide powers in civil and criminal justice.George S Pryde, ''The Burghs of Scotland: A Critical List'', Oxford, 1965. The four inactive burghs were Auchtermuchty, Earlsferry, Falkland and Newburgh By 1707 there were 70 royal burghs. The Royal Burghs Act 1833 reformed the election of the town councils that governed royal burghs. Those qualified to vote in parliamentary elections under the Reform Act 1832 were now entitled to elect burgh councillors.

Origins

Before the reign of David I Scotland had no towns. The closest thing to towns were the larger than average population concentrations around large monasteries, such as Dunkeld and St Andrews, and regionally significant fortifications. Scotland, outside Lothian at least, was populated by scattered hamlets, and outside that area, lacked the continental style nucleated village. David I established the first burghs in Scotland, initially only in Middle-English-speaking Lothian (note: Tain claims a charter dating from 1066 under Malcolm III) . The earliest burghs, founded by 1124, were Berwick and Roxburgh. However, by 1130, David had established burghs in Gaelic areas: Stirling, Dunfermline,

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 ...

and Scone, as well as

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 ...

. The conquest of Moray in that same year led to the establishment of burghs at Elgin and

Forres Forres (; gd, Farrais) is a town and former royal burgh in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately northeast of Inverness and west of Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions. There a ...

. Before David was dead, St Andrews, Montrose, and

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

were also burghs. In the reigns of Máel Coluim IV and William, burghs were added at Inverness, Banff, Cullen, Auldearn,

Nairn Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...

, Inverurie, Kintore, Brechin, Forfar, Arbroath, Dundee, Lanark, Dumfries and (uniquely for the west coast)

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

. New Lothian burghs also came into existence, at Haddington and Peebles. By 1210, there were 40 burghs in the Scottish kingdom.

Rosemarkie Rosemarkie ( sco, Rossmartnie, from gd, Ros Mhaircnidh meaning "promontory of the horse stream") is a village on the south coast of the Black Isle peninsula in Ross-shire (Ross and Cromarty), northern Scotland. Geography Rosemarkie lies a quart ...

, Dingwall and Cromarty were also burghs by the Scottish Wars of Independence. David I established the first burghs, and their charters and ''Leges Burgorum'' (rules governing virtually every aspect of life and work in a burgh) were copied almost verbatim from the customs of

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

. He essentially imported the burgh into his "Scottish" dominions from his English ones. Burghs were for the most part populated by foreigners, rather than native Scots or even Lothianers. The predominant ethnic group were the

Flemings The Flemish or Flemings ( nl, Vlamingen ) are a Germanic ethnic group native to Flanders, Belgium, who speak Dutch. Flemish people make up the majority of Belgians, at about 60%. "''Flemish''" was historically a geographical term, as all in ...

, but early burgesses were also English, French and German. The burgh's vocabulary was composed totally of either Germanic terms (not necessarily or even predominantly English) such as ''croft'', ''rood'', ''gild'', ''gait'' and ''wynd'', or French ones such as ''provost'', ''bailie'', ''vennel'', ''port'' and ''ferme''. The councils that governed individual burghs were individually known as ''lie doussane'', meaning the dozen.

List of burghs

The list is based on the following references.

By 1153 (royal)

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census re ...

(before 1124) * Dundee * Lanark (1140) *

* Dunfermline * Elgin *

* Linlithgow * Montrose * Peebles *

(took precedence over all other burghs except Edinburgh) * Rutherglen * Roxburgh (Created a royal burgh c.1124. By the fifteenth century it had decayed, and on the destruction of Roxburgh Castle in 1460 it ceased to exist. Part of Roxburgh was included in the burgh of barony of Kelso in 1614, and in 1936 Lord Lyon recognised Kelso as the successor to the royal burgh.) * Stirling * Tain

By 1153 (Burghs passing between the king and other lords)

* Haddington (granted to Ada, Countess of Northumberland between 1139 and 1178) * Renfrew (before 1153 had been granted to Walter Fitzalan, High Steward of Scotland, reconfirmed as royal burgh 1397)

By 1153 (Burghs controlled by other lords)

* Canongate (now part of Edinburgh) * St Andrews

By 1214 (royal)

* Auldearn * Cullen * Dumfries * Forfar * Inverkeithing * Inverness *

Jedburgh Jedburgh (; gd, Deadard; sco, Jeddart or ) is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and the traditional county town of the historic county of Roxburghshire, the name of which was randomly chosen for Operation Jedburgh in ...

Kinghorn Kinghorn (; gd, Ceann Gronna) is a town and parish in Fife, Scotland. A seaside resort with two beaches, Kinghorn Beach and Pettycur Bay, plus a fishing port, it stands on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, opposite Edinburgh. Accor ...

* Kintore * Lauder *

By 1214 (Burghs passing between the king and other lords)

* Crail * South Ribble Lancashire

By 1214 (Burghs controlled by other lords)

* Annan (a royal burgh by 1532) * Arbroath * Brechin * Dundee *

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...

* Kirkintilloch * Prestwick

Burghs created by Alexander II

* Dingwall (1226) (later became a burgh of barony of the

Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th ...

1321, re-established as a royal burgh in fifteenth century) * Dumbarton (1222)

By 1300 (royal)

Auchterarder Auchterarder (; gd, Uachdar Àrdair, meaning Upper Highland) is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the Gleneagles Hotel. The High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "T ...

(status had been lost by 1707) * Cromarty (appears to have become a burgh of barony under the

1315, re-established as a royal burgh 1593) * Fyvie * Kilrenny * Lanark *

* Selkirk * Wigtown

By 1300 (Burghs controlled by other lords)

* Crawford (had ceased to exist by 16th century) *

Dunbar Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and gave its name to an ...

(became a royal burgh 1445) * Inverurie (became a royal burgh 1558) * Irvine (became a royal burgh 1372) * Kelso (never became a royal burgh) * Lochmaben (a royal burgh by 1447) * Newburgh, Aberdeenshire (never became a royal burgh) *

Newburgh, Fife Newburgh is a royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland, at the south shore of the Firth of Tay. The town has a population of 2,171 (in 2011),Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of ...

(became a royal burgh in 1631) * Urr (short-lived)

Early 14th century

* Cupar (by 1327) * Inverbervie (1342)

Burghs created by Robert II

* Banff (1372) * North Berwick (1373; suppressed by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, current charter 1568)

Burghs created by Robert III

* Rothesay (1400/1)

Burghs created by James II

(1445) * Falkland (1458) * Kirkcudbright (1455) * Lochmaben (date unknown) * Tain c 1439

Burghs created by James III

* Elgin (1457) (royal burgh status lost in 1312 restored) * Kirkwall (1486) *

(1476) (royal burgh status lost in 1312 restored)

Burghs created by James IV

* Dingwall (1497/8) (re-established) *

(1496) (charter restored royal burgh status lost in 1312, although it may have been a ''de facto'' royal burgh) * Kintore (1506/7) (re-erected as a royal burgh) * Whithorn (1511)

Burghs created by James V

* Annan (1538/9) (status confirmed) *

Auchtermuchty Auchtermuchty ( ; , 'upland of the pigs/boar') is a town in Fife, Scotland. It is beside Pitlour Hill and north of Glenrothes. History Until 1975 Auchtermuchty was a royal burgh, established under charter of King James V in 1517. There ...

(1517) * Burntisland (1541) * Pittenweem (1541)

Burghs created by Mary, Queen of Scots

* Inverurie (1558) (restored lost royal burgh status)

Burghs created by James VI

* Anstruther Easter (1583) * Anstruther Wester (1587) * Arbroath (1599) * Cromarty (1593) (re-established). Disenfranchised by Privy Council 1672. Later re-established as a burgh of barony in 1685. * Culross (1592) * Earlsferry (1589) (charter confirmed status since time immemorial) *

(1611) (had been a ''de facto'' previously) *

Fortrose Fortrose (; gd, A' Chananaich, sco, Chainry) is a town and former royal burgh in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is on the Moray Firth, about north-east of Inverness. The burgh is a popular location for trying to spot bottlenose dolp ...

(1590) became part of royal burgh of Rosemarkie 1592 * Kilrenny (1592) (The burgh was included in roll of royal burghs by mistake and continued to enjoy that status, despite attempting to resign it) *

(1592) by union of royal burgh of Fortrose and burgh of barony of Rosemarkie re-established as royal burgh of Fortrose 1661 * St Andrews (1620) (confirmation of ''de facto'' status) * Sanquhar (1598) * Stranraer (1617) * Wick (1589)

Burghs created by Charles I

* Brechin (1641) (''de facto'' status ratified by parliament) *

Dornoch Dornoch (; gd, Dòrnach ; sco, Dornach) is a town, seaside resort, parish and former royal burgh in the county of Sutherland in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Mora ...

(1628) *

(1661) (reforming of royal burgh of Rosemarkie) * Inveraray (1648) * Kirkcaldy (1644) (although ''de facto'' since 1574) * New Galloway (1630) *

South Queensferry Queensferry, also called South Queensferry or simply "The Ferry", is a town to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. Traditionally a royal burgh of West Lothian, it is administered by the City of Edinburgh council area. It lies ten miles to the n ...

(1636) *

(1631)

Burghs created by William II

Campbeltown Campbeltown (; gd, Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain or ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre peninsula. Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky, and a busy fishing ...

(1700)

20th century

(1951) (reinstated as a royal burgh) * Elie and Earlsferry (1930) (formed by union of royal burgh of Earlsferry and police burgh of Elie) *

Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester was a royal and small burgh in Fife, Scotland from 1930 to 1975. The burgh was formed by the amalgamation of three neighbouring royal burghs of Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester ...

(formed by union of three royal burghs 1930)

Abolition and status since 1975

The rights of the royal burghs were preserved (if not guaranteed) by Article XXI of the Treaty of Union between Scotland and England of 1707, which states "That the Rights and Privileges of the Royal Boroughs in Scotland as they now are Do Remain entire after the Union and notwithstanding thereof". Royal burghs were abolished in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, and the above-mentioned Article XXI, which was thus rendered redundant, has been deemed by Her Majesty's Government to be abrogated by the 1973 Act. The towns are now sometimes referred to officially as "former royal burghs", for instance by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. The issue of the future status of royal burghs was discussed during debate on the Local Government Bill. In the Commons on 4 December 1972

Ronald Murray Ronald "Flip" Murray (born July 29, 1979) is a retired American professional basketball player who last played for Al Mouttahed Tripoli of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is a , point guard–shooting guard. After attending Strawberry Mansio ...

, the

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

(MP) for Edinburgh, Leith, stated

''Most of the well-known cities and towns of Scotland became royal burghs by Charter. The Bill does not say that those Charters are removed or are of no legal effect, but Schedule 24 repeals the legislation upon which they appear to stand. I hope that the Government do not intend to abolish entirely the ancient rights of royal burghs, at least to be royal burghs.'

In June 1973, David Steel (MP for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles), unsuccessfully introduced an amendment that

''the title of "Provost" shall attach to the chairman of any community council which is based on any existing burgh .. to .. carry forward a title which appears, for example, in the Royal Charters of those burghs"''.

In 1977 Alick Buchanan-Smith (MP for North Angus and Mearns) asked Frank McElhone, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland:

''why a community council for a former Royal burgh is not able to use the words "Royal Burgh" in its title; and what scope there is for the continuance of historical titles under the present organisation of local authorities.''

In reply McElhone stated:

''The title which may be used by a community council is a matter for the district council to decide when drawing up the scheme for community councils in its area. Section 23 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 governs any change of name of region, islands or district councils. There is no statutory ban to the continuance of historic titles for other purposes.''

Accordingly, some

community council A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain. In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies. I ...

s established since 1975 have the term "Royal Burgh" incorporated in their title. Lord Lyon has permitted the armorial bearings of a number of royal burghs to be rematriculated by community councils.R M Urquhart, ''Scottish Civic Heraldry 2'', Hamilton, 2001