Meigle ( gd, Mìgeil, ) is a village in Strathmore, Scotland. 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 ...

in the Coupar Angus and Meigle ward. It lies on the A94 road between Perth and Forfar. Other smaller settlements nearby are

Balkeerie Balkeerie is a village in Angus, Scotland north of Dundee. It has an elevation of above sea level. It is to the north east of kirkinch and to the west of the village of Eassie. Eassie is noted for the presence of the Eassie Stone, a carved Pic ...

Kirkinch Kirkinch, meaning 'kirk (church) on the island' in Scots and Gaelic, is a small village in Angus, Scotland.United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map, Landranger (2005) The 'island' is the knoll on which remains of the medieval church of the parish of ...

and Kinloch. Meigle is accessed from the north and south via the B954 road. In 1971 it had a population of 357.

Etymology

The name ''Meigle'' is of Pictish origin. Recorded as ''Migdele'' in the Legend of

Saint 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 Peter ...

, the first element is ''*mig'', meaning "swamp, bog, quagmire", and the second is ''dol'', "field, meadow" (c.f.

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 ...

''mig-dôl).

Area history

The Pictish stones on display at Meigle are a manifestation of the early history of the area. The village of Eassie, approximately to the east of Meigle, is noted for the presence of the Eassie Stone, a carved Pictish stone dated to the Early Middle Ages.

Attractions

The Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum is housed in the former Victorian village school and contains a collection of more than thirty Pictish Stones, along with some later carvings dating from between the 8th and 10th centuries. The village was probably the site of an important early medieval Pictish monastery, centred on the present church and churchyard. The collection is cared for by Historic Scotland and is open in summer. Nearby

Belmont Castle Belmont Castle was a neo-Gothic mansion near Grays in the English county of Essex. Built c. 1795 to designs by the little-known Thomas Jeffery, and surrounded by extensive pleasure grounds, it was the most prominent building in the parish, but ...

, constructed from the 15th century originally as a residence of the Bishops of Dunkeld, was the home of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1836–1908), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1905–08, who is buried in the village churchyard; a mural monument to his memory is built into the north-east wall of the church. Meigle is also home to Meigle C.C. a

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

team which competes in the Strathmore Union.

Transportation

Meigle railway station was a stop on the

Alyth Railway The Alyth Railway was a short branch railway line built in Strathmore in Scotland, connecting the town of Alyth to the main line network. It opened in 1861. Its junction was remote from any large population centre except Dundee, which was only re ...

, which served the village from 1861 to 1951.

Notable people

* Gordon Drummond, international cricketer for Scotland *

Ralph Laing John Ralph Laing (born 27 August 1942) is a Scottish people, Scottish former first-class cricketer and administrator. Laing was born at Meigle in August 1942. He was educated at Alyth School. A club cricketer for Perthshire County Cricket Club, ...

, first-class cricketer *

Hugh Lyon Playfair Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair (20 February 1787 – 19 January 1861) was a Scottish politician, army officer and photographic pioneer. He was Provost of St Andrews from 1842 until his death in 1861. Biography He was born in Meigle in Perthshire ...

References

External links

Old Statistical Account The ''Statistical Accounts of Scotland'' are a series of documentary publications, related in subject matter though published at different times, covering life in Scotland in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The ''Old (or First) Statistical Ac ...

(1791–1799) *

Second Statistical Account The ''Statistical Accounts of Scotland'' are a series of documentary publications, related in subject matter though published at different times, covering life in Scotland in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The ''Old (or First) Statistical Ac ...

(1834–1845) Villages in Perth and Kinross {{PerthKinross-geo-stub