Montrose, Angus
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Montrose ( ; ) is a town and former
royal burgh A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs. Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in
Angus, Scotland Angus (; ) is one of the 32 Local government in Scotland, local government council areas of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Dundee City (council area), Dundee City and Per ...
. Situated north of
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
and south of
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
, Montrose lies between the mouths of the
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
and South Esk rivers. It is the northernmost coastal town in Angus and developed as a natural harbour that traded in skins, hides, and cured salmon in medieval times. With an estimated population of in , the town functions as a port, but the major employer is
GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc (an acronym from its former name GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with headquarters in London. It was established in 2000 by a Mergers an ...
, which was saved from closure in 2006. The skyline of Montrose is dominated by the
steeple In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a relig ...
of Old and St Andrew's Church, designed by James Gillespie Graham and built between 1832 and 1834. Montrose is a town with a wealth of architecture, and is a centre for international trade. It is an important commercial port for the oil and gas industry. It is known for its wide thoroughfare and high street, which leads to picturesque closes containing secluded gardens. The town has a view of a tidal lagoon,
Montrose Basin Montrose Basin is a nearly circular tidal basin which makes up part of the estuary of the River South Esk and which sits just inland of the town of Montrose, Angus, Montrose in Angus, Scotland, Angus on the east coast of Scotland. The basin is p ...
, which is considered a nature reserve of international importance. It is the largest inland salt water basin in the UK, and an important habitat for the
mute swan The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurasia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home to ...
. Just outside Montrose is the 18th-century
House of Dun The House of Dun is a National Trust for Scotland property in the parish of Dun, lying close to the edge of Montrose Basin and situated approximately halfway between the towns of Montrose and Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. History The Dun Estate ...
, designed by the Scottish architect William Adam and built in 1730 for David Erskine, Lord Dun, 13th Laird of Dun.


History


Toponymy and early history

Prehistoric elements are found in the vicinity of Montrose, including the Stone of Morphie located to the north. One ancient name for Montrose was Celurca. The place-name is formed from the
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
''Moine'' (meaning moor or peat moss) and Ros (meaning peninsula or promontory), perhaps ultimately of
Pictish Pictish is an extinct Brittonic Celtic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from late antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited number of geog ...
origin. The first documentary evidence of the existence of Montrose is the burgh charter issued by
David I David I may refer to: * David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399 * David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741) * David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881) * David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048) * David I of Scotland ...
who founded the town around 1140 as ''Sallorch'' or ''Sallork''."The Royal Burgh of Montrose", Angus Council
By 1178 the name had taken the form ''Munross'' before becoming ''Montrose''.
Folk etymology Folk etymology – also known as (generative) popular etymology, analogical reformation, (morphological) reanalysis and etymological reinterpretation – is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a mo ...
attributes the origin of the town's name as "Mount of Roses". This is reflected by the motto on the town's seal: ''Mare ditat, rosa decorat''. ( English: ''The sea enriches, the rose adorns'')


Medieval history

Montrose was visited and plundered in numerous instances by
Danes Danes (, ), or Danish people, are an ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. History Early history Denmark ...
. In the year 980 it was sacked and razed to the ground. It was once believed that a castle existed in Montrose in the 10th century and was destroyed by
Kenneth III Cináed mac Duib ( Modern Gaelic: ''Coinneach mac Dhuibh''; c. 966 – c. 25 March 1005), anglicised as Kenneth III, and nicknamed ''An Donn'' ("the Chief" or "the Brown"), was King of Alba (Scotland) from 997 to 1005. He was the son of Dub ( ...
. However the historicity of this account has been disputed.Andrew Jervise, "Memorials of Angus and the Mearns" In the two proceeding centuries there are no precise dates in its history. During the 1140s it was an important trading town. The trading revenues received from Montrose as well as
Forfar Forfar (; , ) is the county town of Angus, Scotland, and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million-pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town had a population of 16,280. The town ...
and
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
were acquired by
Malcolm IV Malcolm IV (; ), nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" (between 23 April and 24 May 1141 – 9 December 1165) was King of Scotland from 1153 until his death. He was the eldest son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, Henry, Earl of Huntingdon ...
and contributed to
Restenneth Priory Restenneth Priory was a monastic house of Augustinian canons founded by Jedburgh Abbey, with the patronage of King Malcolm IV of Scotland, in 1153. Although there is little literary evidence, archaeological evidence strongly indicates that t ...
. In 1178
William the Lion William the Lion (), sometimes styled William I (; ) and also known by the nickname ; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Alba from 1165 to 1214. His almost 49 ...
built a castle nearby in which he would occasionally reside. The ruins have acquired the name Red Castle. The last record of a charter there was in 1198.Mitchell (1866), p. 8 A
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
dedicated to the
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
is said to have been founded in 1230 by
Alan Durward Alan Hostarius (or Alan Durward) () (died after 1264, or in 1275) was the son of Thomas de Lundin, a grandson of Gille Críst, Mormaer of Mar. His mother's name is unknown, but she was almost certainly a daughter of Máel Coluim, Mormaer of ...
but the precise location is unknown. In 1244 the town succumbed to fire. In July 1296 during the Wars of Independence,
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
visited the town with 30,000 of his men and stayed at Munros castle for three nights. Some accounts state that it was there that he humiliated Scottish King John de Balliol by publicly stripping him of his royal insignia and status; other accounts claim that this occurred in
Brechin Brechin (; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Scottish Reformation, Reformation Roman Catholic diocese (which contin ...
. Twelve burgesses of the town swore allegiance to Edward I to protect themselves and the community of the town. The following year the castle, which was manned by an English garrison, was destroyed by
William Wallace Sir William Wallace (, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of St ...
who is said to have slain all soldiers in sight. The site of the castle, known as Castlestead, is at the southern end of the High Street. David II visited it towards the end of his reign in 1371. The Dukedom of Montrose was created in 1488. During the 15th century, the inhabitants of the town found themselves increasingly under heel of the Lairds of Dun who ransacked and took possession of property and cattle. The lairds are said to have arrived in the middle of one night on horseback heavily armed. The burghesses of the town immediately sent out an appeal to the Duke of Montrose for protection but the messenger was purportedly murdered before the appeal arrived. It was then that
James IV of Scotland James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James I ...
intervened and settled the matter.


Modern history

From its early inception as a port Montrose had traded in skins, hides and cured salmon but in the 17th century began to export wheat and barley in regular trading transactions with the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. The town imported flax and timber from the
Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...
; salt, fruit and wine from
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
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. The wealth this brought to the town is demonstrated in the surviving houses built by landowning and merchant families as well as local street names of "America Street", "California Street", "Baltic Street" and "India Street" evidencing its trading heritage. The site of the castle, now known as Castlestead was the birthplace of the famous
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet, soldier and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequ ...
. Graham signed the National Covenant against Charles I's reorganisation of the Kirk in Scotland, fighting in the ensuing
Bishops' Wars The Bishops' Wars were two separate conflicts fought in 1639 and 1640 between Scotland and England, with Scottish Royalists allied to England. They were the first of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which also include the First and Second En ...
, but later switched to the King's side only to be captured and executed in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
in the year 1650. Between 1677 and the summer of 1678 a dyke which was begun across the Montrose Basin, designed to drain and reclaim the northern half, by Dronner, a Dutch engineer. It was destroyed shortly after in a storm. One of the most vocal objectors to the scheme was the elderly Meggie Cowie, who was said to have made blasphemous comments to those who were involved. She was tried, found guilty of
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
, and was burnt at the stake on 14 January 1679. The final chapter of the ill-fated 1715 Jacobite rebellion was also played out in Montrose. Towards the end of the uprising (which had lasted nearly six months, from September 1715 to February 1716)
James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs (British political party), Whigs or the King over the Water by Jacobitism, Jacobites, was the House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of Ki ...
(the Old Pretender; formerly James, Prince of Wales) arrived in Montrose, where he spent his last night in Scotland, on 4 February 1716. He sailed from Montrose to exile in France. The town was held for his son,
Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
(Bonnie Prince Charlie; the Young Pretender), 30 years later and in February 1746 the largest naval battle of the war was fought in Montrose Harbour. During the 18th century the town was a major
smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...
centre. It profited from the
slave trade Slave trade may refer to: * History of slavery - overview of slavery It may also refer to slave trades in specific countries, areas: * Al-Andalus slave trade * Atlantic slave trade ** Brazilian slave trade ** Bristol slave trade ** Danish sl ...
but only for a brief time. The wealth accrued by trade was substantial. Wealthy merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries dominated the town and built their houses gable to gable. Hence Montrosians have inherited the sobriquet, "gable-enders". A statistical account taken between 1791 and 1799 estimates the population in the 1750s as 4248; in 1776 as 4465; in 1784 as 4866 and in 1790 as 5194. Contemporaries expected that many would emigrate at the conclusion of the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
but those that did leave were few.
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
made a tour of the town on his visit to Scotland in the 1770s. He said of it: Alexander Christie (c. 1721–1794) was provost in the town during the 1760s and 1780s and oversaw the establishment of Scotland's first
lunatic asylum The lunatic asylum, insane asylum or mental asylum was an institution where people with mental illness were confined. It was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital. Modern psychiatric hospitals evolved from and eventually replace ...
in Montrose in 1781 which eventually became known as
Sunnyside Royal Hospital Sunnyside Royal Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in Hillside, north of Montrose, Scotland. It closed in 2011 and is now used for housing. History The hospital was founded in 1781 by Susan Carnegie as the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Inf ...
. The asylum, initially called Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary was founded by Susan Carnegie of Charleton to treat both paupers and private patients and was originally situated on Montrose Links. It was granted a royal charter in 1810. In 1858 it moved to Sunnyside farm at the nearby village of Hillside. Its facilities were expanded several in the next few decades and it underwent various changes in name, finally becoming Sunnyside Royal Hospital in 1962. Sunnyside remained in use for the treatment of people with mental illnesses until its final closure in 2011 when many of its patients and functions moved to the Susan Carnegie Centre at Stracathro Hospital. In 1785 a
subscription library A subscription library (also membership library or independent library) is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments. Unlike a public library, access is often restricted to members, but access rights ca ...
for learned men was formed. Before
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
the
Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
established a base at Montrose (later
RAF Montrose Royal Air Force Montrose or more simply RAF Montrose is a former Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire (now more commonly called Angus) in Scotland. It became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom on 2 ...
). On 26 February 1913, it became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom. Between the wars, Montrose was a focus for key figures of the Scottish Renaissance. In 1920, a young Christopher Murray Grieve (later Hugh MacDiarmid) was employed as a reporter on the '' Montrose Review''. By 1922 he had been elected as an
Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...
councillor. The poet and novelist
Violet Jacob Violet Jacob (1 September 1863 – 9 September 1946) was a Scottish writer known especially for her historical novel ''Flemington'' and for her poetry, mainly in Scots. She was described by a fellow Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid as "the most ...
was brought up at the nearby
House of Dun The House of Dun is a National Trust for Scotland property in the parish of Dun, lying close to the edge of Montrose Basin and situated approximately halfway between the towns of Montrose and Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. History The Dun Estate ...
and spent time in Angus during the 'twenties. The sculptor William Lamb was born in Montrose and returned to the town in 1924. Another native of Montrose, the writer Tom MacDonald ( Fionn MacColla) returned to Montrose in 1929, as did his friend the painter Edward Baird.
Willa Willa is a feminine given name. Notable people and characters with the name include: * Willa or Guilla of Provence (died before 924), early medieval Frankish queen * Willa of Tuscany (died 970), queen consort of Berengar II of Italy * Willa Brow ...
and
Edwin Muir Edwin Muir CBE (15 May 1887 – 3 January 1959) was a Scottish poet, novelist and translator. Born on a farm in Deerness, a parish of Orkney, Scotland, he is remembered for his deeply felt and vivid poetry written in plain language and wit ...
lived at her mother's house in Montrose at various times during the 1920s. The poet Helen Cruickshank attended Montrose Academy, though she had moved to
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
by the 1920s. She was a key figure in maintaining the network of contacts between writers and artists of Scotland's inter-war cultural renaissance. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Montrose became a hub for a constant stream of international pilots from all over the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
,
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
,
America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and other allied nations. As well as a training base
RAF Montrose Royal Air Force Montrose or more simply RAF Montrose is a former Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire (now more commonly called Angus) in Scotland. It became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom on 2 ...
was also an operational airfield for
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
and
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
squadrons, which flew sorties over
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
and were a part of the air defences for
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
. Of course, this also made the town a target for German aircraft and it was bombed on more than one occasion. Despite its coastal location presenting a danger however, large numbers of children and young mothers from
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
were evacuated there during the period of the
Phoney War The Phoney War (; ; ) was an eight-month period at the outset of World War II during which there were virtually no Allied military land operations on the Western Front from roughly September 1939 to May 1940. World War II began on 3 Septembe ...
. Initially numbers totalled around 2,000 but in a second wave around 1,200 more were sent.Forbes Inglis, "An Invasion of Montrose", ''Montrose Review'', 20 August 2009. As was the case in many other receiving areas, the local population was concerned by the condition of the urban poor and
impetigo Impetigo is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the superficial skin. The most common presentation is yellowish crusts on the face, arms, or legs. Less commonly there may be large blisters which affect the groin or armpits. The les ...
and
vermin Vermin (colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases and destroy crops, livestock, and property. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by regi ...
were found on some of those evacuated. By June 1940 Montrose could no longer provide shelter. Montrose was a royal burgh until 1975.


Bamse

Bamse (meaning 'teddybear' in Norwegian), a St Bernard dog famed for his exploits and popular in local imagination, is buried in the town. Bamse the Norwegian Sea Dog arrived in Montrose on the
Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy () is the branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for navy, naval operations of Norway, including those of the Norwegian Coast Guard. , the Royal Norwegian Navy consists of approximately 3,700 personnel (9,450 i ...
minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...
''Thorodd'' during World War II with Captain Erling Hafto, his owner, who registered him as a crew member. He saved the life of Lieutenant Commander Olav Nilsen at Dundee Docks and generally protected his fellow sailors. In stories Bamse is said to have got up on his hind legs and, at over tall, clamped his great paws on assailants to end any fight. On his death in July 1944 Montrose schools were closed and 800 children lined the route to his graveside funeral. The Bamse Project raised £50,000 to erect a larger than life-size
bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
statue of Bamse at Montrose Harbour. Half the donations came from Norway. The statue was created by internationally known sculptor Alan Herriot, and was unveiled by The Duke of York in October 2007.


Governance

Montrose is represented within
Angus Council Angus Council is the Local government in Scotland, local authority for Angus, Scotland, Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. History The first election to Angus District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authori ...
by the Montrose & District Ward, from which four councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward are, as of 2022: Bill Duff (
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
), Tommy Stewart (Independent), Kenny Braes (Scottish National Party) and Iain Gall (
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
). The town is part of the Angus and Perthshire Glens constituency of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...
which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
, at
Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...
. The constituency's MP is Dave Doogan of the SNP who has been the MP since 2019. Montrose is also part of the Angus North and Mearns constituency of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
that elects a single MSP and also part of the North East Scotland electoral region which elects seven additional Members of the Scottish Parliament. The constituency's MSP is currently
Mairi Gougeon Mairi Angela Gougeon (''née'' Evans; born 23 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands since 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Membe ...
of the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
who was first elected in 2016 as Mairi Evans.


Geography and natural features

Montrose occupies a position on the North Bank of
Montrose Basin Montrose Basin is a nearly circular tidal basin which makes up part of the estuary of the River South Esk and which sits just inland of the town of Montrose, Angus, Montrose in Angus, Scotland, Angus on the east coast of Scotland. The basin is p ...
at the mouth of the
River South Esk :''Note: the southern headwater of the River Esk in Lothian is also known as the South Esk.'' The South Esk () is a river in Angus, Scotland. It rises in the Grampian Mountains at Loch Esk in Glen Doll and flows through Glen Clova to Strathm ...
on the East Coast of Scotland, NNE of
Arbroath Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the Subdivisions of Scotland, council area of Angus, Scotland, Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast, some east-northeast of ...
, SW of
Stonehaven Stonehaven ( ) is a town on the northeast coast of Scotland, south of Aberdeen. It had a population of 11,177 at th2022 Census Stonehaven was formerly the county town of Kincardineshire, succeeding the now abandoned town of Kincardine, Aberd ...
, and ESE of
Brechin Brechin (; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Scottish Reformation, Reformation Roman Catholic diocese (which contin ...
. The town lies NNE of
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, and NNW of
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. The built-up area occupies a roughly rectangular shape long by wide, aligned in a north–south orientation. The land is relatively flat, rising gradually to around 15m
elevation The elevation of a geographic location (geography), ''location'' is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational equipotenti ...
to the North of the town. The expanse of the town extends to the villages on its fringes; Hillside and Ferryden. It lies close to the
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
s of Lunan and St Cyrus. The rural location ensures that the air quality is good, with low levels of
nitrogen dioxide Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula . One of several nitrogen oxides, nitrogen dioxide is a reddish-brown gas. It is a paramagnetic, bent molecule with C2v point group symmetry. Industrially, is an intermediate in the s ...
and
PM10 Particulate matter (PM) or particulates are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. An ''aerosol'' is a mixture of particulates and air, as opposed to the particulate matter alone, though it is sometimes defined ...
.


Montrose Basin

The
Montrose Basin Montrose Basin is a nearly circular tidal basin which makes up part of the estuary of the River South Esk and which sits just inland of the town of Montrose, Angus, Montrose in Angus, Scotland, Angus on the east coast of Scotland. The basin is p ...
is a shallow estuary approximately three miles in diameter. It is situated where the
River South Esk :''Note: the southern headwater of the River Esk in Lothian is also known as the South Esk.'' The South Esk () is a river in Angus, Scotland. It rises in the Grampian Mountains at Loch Esk in Glen Doll and flows through Glen Clova to Strathm ...
meets the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
. During the 16th century, local landowners desiring more arable land considered reducing its size, but their plans were never carried out. In 1981 the
Montrose Basin Montrose Basin is a nearly circular tidal basin which makes up part of the estuary of the River South Esk and which sits just inland of the town of Montrose, Angus, Montrose in Angus, Scotland, Angus on the east coast of Scotland. The basin is p ...
Nature Reserve was created. Angus Council, "Nature Reserve Comes of Age", 20 June 2002 The
Scottish Wildlife Trust The Scottish Wildlife Trust () is a registered charity dedicated to conserving the wildlife and natural environment of Scotland. Description The Scottish Wildlife Trust has well over 46,000 members. The Scottish Wildlife Trust acquired its fi ...
operates a modern, purpose-built wildlife centre at Rossie Braes, which offers good telescopic and televisual views of the area, and of the thousands of
migratory bird Bird migration is a seasonal movement of birds between breeding and wintering grounds that occurs twice a year. It is typically from north to south or from south to north. Migration is inherently risky, due to predation and mortality. Th ...
s which pass through the area in all seasons. In summer one might see the
osprey The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and a wingspan of . It ...
which hunts along the length of the Basin, or a
kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...
flitting past. The artificial
sand martin The sand martin (''Riparia riparia''), also known as collared sand martin or common sand martin, and in the Americas as the bank swallow, is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It has a wide range in summer, embracing ...
bank is a hive of activity all spring and early summer. One can watch the
blue tit The Eurasian blue tit (''Cyanistes caeruleus'') is a small passerine bird in the tit (bird), tit family, Paridae. It is easily recognizable by its blue and yellow plumage and small size. Eurasian blue tits, usually resident bird, resident a ...
s and
barn swallow The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply f ...
s inside their nests, and take in the panoramic vista of the rolling
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
countryside and hills. In October and November there are 38,000 birds using the basin. In winter, 20,000 pink-footed geese take up residence on the mudflats, feeding in the nearby fields by day, and returning to the safety of the Basin in the evening. The haunting fluting of their calls is beloved of local people, for whom the sound marks the turning of the seasons. The many feeders attract brightly coloured field and garden birds and the occasional woodpecker. In recent years research published by Scottish Natural Heritage claimed that the population of greylag geese has fallen as a result of
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
.


Montrose Beach

The sandy beach has been awarded a Blue Flag for its eco credentials. The surrounding Traill Pavilion and Seafront Splash! facilities with an arcade, a playground, a café and an ice-cream stall is popular amongst locals and visitors alike. North of the town the
River North Esk The North Esk () is a river in Angus, Scotland, Angus and Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is formed by the meeting of the Water of Mark (from Glen Mark) and the Water of Lee (from Loch Lee), and enters the North Sea four miles north of Montrose, Ang ...
enters the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
across the beach. The historically observed average rates of erosion of the beach is between per year, which has been linked to
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
. The Save our Sands Campaign (SOS) was set up on 26 March 2009 to raise awareness amidst concerns over the erosion of Montrose beach, caused by the "one million tonnes of sand, swept by the tide into the harbour...removed from the local area over the past 25 years". In 2006 150,000 tonnes was shipped to
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
to fortify its dwindling beach. This was met with opposition from Montrose Golf Links who believed that the golf course built on top of the dunes, as one of the oldest in the world, should be protected. The sand dunes are becoming unstable due to increasing tides which has forced the Montrose Golf Links to consider moving elements of the golf course more inland. A major scheme of engineered coastal protection was discouraged by Scottish Natural Heritage on the grounds that it would be unsustainable and could impact a protected coastal site at St Cyrus. A film made by local broadcaster Anthony Baxter in January 2009 highlighted the issue and was designed to attract attention for urgent action and put pressure on local politicians. The group are concerned that
Angus Council Angus Council is the Local government in Scotland, local authority for Angus, Scotland, Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. History The first election to Angus District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authori ...
are not acting efficiently to halt the effects of erosion and believe a full study should be carried out. The film won the best short film category in the BFFS Community Cinema Festival in 2009. Since 2009 a team from the
University of Dundee The University of Dundee is a public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a university college in 1881 with a donation from the prominent Baxter family of textile manufacturers. The institution was, for most of its ...
has begun assessing the coastline around Montrose in a two-year study to decide the best way of managing
coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of Wind wave, waves, Ocean current, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts ...
. The film titled "SOS Montrose Dredging" has been posted on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
in 2009. In November 2023, during Storm Babet, the beach eroded by three metres, leading to the promenade walkway collapsing.


Demography

The 2001 census gave Montrose's total resident population as 10,845. This makes it the third largest town in
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
, after
Arbroath Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the Subdivisions of Scotland, council area of Angus, Scotland, Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast, some east-northeast of ...
(22,785) and
Forfar Forfar (; , ) is the county town of Angus, Scotland, and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million-pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town had a population of 16,280. The town ...
(14,048) with
Carnoustie Carnoustie (; ) is a town and former police burgh in the subdivisions of Scotland, council area of Angus, Scotland. It is at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast. In the UK census 2011, 2011 census, Carnoustie had a population of ...
in fourth place (10,561). Since the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the population of Montrose has increased. The presence of Dundee families in Montrose during wartime persuaded a number to settle there. This altered the demographics of the town and led to the building of
housing estate A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex, housing development, subdivision (land), subdivision or community) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to count ...
s in the 1960s. A number of people from the Polish community who had served with the British forces at RAF Montrose also settled. The increase in the elderly population is reflected in the profusion of nursing and residential homes and in recent plans to extend provision for
sheltered housing Sheltered housing or sheltered accommodation are terms covering a wide range of rented housing for older and/or disabled or other vulnerable people. In the United Kingdom most commonly it refers to grouped housing such as a block or "scheme" ...
. Data published by Scottish
Neighbourhood Statistics The Neighbourhood Statistics Service (NeSS) was established in 2001 by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) - then part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), now Communities and Local ...
in 2008 records the population of Montrose & District as 15,013, which is around 18% of the population of
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
as a whole. Of this total 17.6% are children, 60% are of working age and 22% are pensioners. Around 12% of those who live in the town are unemployed and 14.1% of households are ‘income deprived’.


Education

Schools include six primary schools - Lochside, Ferryden, Southesk, Rosemount, Borrowfield and St Margaret’s - and one secondary school, Montrose Academy.


Economy

The economy of the town has been expanding since the end of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc (an acronym from its former name GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with headquarters in London. It was established in 2000 by a Mergers an ...
has been a major source of jobs since the 1950s. Other significant employers include
Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
, Cooperative Group,
Petrofac Petrofac Limited is a British international energy services company that designs, builds, manages and maintains oil, gas, refining, petrochemicals and renewable energy infrastructure, and trains the people who support them. It operates in a range ...
, National Oilwell Varco,
Baker Hughes Baker Hughes Company is an American global energy technology company co-headquartered in Houston, Texas and London, UK. As one of the world's largest oil field services, industrial and energy technology companies, it provides products and serv ...
and Argos. The Lochside Distillery, located on Brechin Road north of the town centre, was closed down in the 1990s and the buildings demolished in 2005 after a fire. In 2009
Sainsbury's J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second-largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company was the largest UK r ...
announced plans to build a new superstore on the edge of the town which was to provide work for an estimated 200 people. Construction of the new Sainsburys store was approved by Angus Council in August 2011 and spokespersons from Sainsburys believed at the time that the store would open in less than a year, unfortunately Sainsburys cancelled these plans and 4 commercial units were built on the site in 2018. BT initially upgraded the local telephone exchange to grant the town access to super fast fiberoptic broadband services one of only three towns to be chosen in Scotland. The average price of housing in the town is between £106,054 and £131,539, a rise on the 1998 average between £42,640 and £51,200.


Tourism

Since 2002 there has been a focus on attracting new visitors to the town with the foundation of the Montrose Town Partnership, the aim of which is to "encourage representatives of the public, private and community sector to act together to develop the economic potential of Montrose to address the needs of local people and visitors alike". Angus Council, "Montrose Partnership News", 13 December 2004 Membership includes The Montrose Society, Montrose Heritage Trust, Montrose Community Council, Montrose Golf Links Ltd, MERPRO Leisure, Montrose Business and Retailers Association,
Scottish Wildlife Trust The Scottish Wildlife Trust () is a registered charity dedicated to conserving the wildlife and natural environment of Scotland. Description The Scottish Wildlife Trust has well over 46,000 members. The Scottish Wildlife Trust acquired its fi ...
,
Angus Council Angus Council is the Local government in Scotland, local authority for Angus, Scotland, Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. History The first election to Angus District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authori ...
, Ferryden & Craig and Hillside, Dun and Logie Pert community councils. Since 2002 they have produced a number of promotional leaflets and have established a weekly Saturday market in the town centre. In 2002 plans were unveiled to renovate the Mid Links. The project was completed in 2003 at the total cost of £1.8million with £1.2million granted by the
Heritage Lottery Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom. History The fund's predecessor bodies were ...
. Plaques have been incorporated to inform visitors of the historical heritage of the town's buildings.


Culture


Cultural history

Montrose is regarded as the
culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
and
sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
capital of
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
, with over 20 statues of note scattered around the town. They are a mix of modern and classical works, with many by the local sculptor, William Lamb ARSA, an artist of exceptional talent. From the 1920s to 1940s local architect George Fairweather's studio provided a forum for lively debate by an artistic community that included Hugh MacDiarmid, Edwin Muir, William Lamb, Helen Cruickshank and Fionn MacColla. The local weekly newspaper, the '' Montrose Review'', was edited by MacDiarmid.


Music

Since 2008 Montrose has hosted the Montrose Music Festival, or Mo Fest as it has affectionately become known, which takes place each year at the end of May. It has grown in size and stature each year to become Scotland's biggest free live music festival with over 200 free gigs over the three days in more than 26 venues across the town, including an open-air stage on Montrose's historic high street with the dominating Montrose Steeple behind the stage, which draws crowds of all ages from all over the country. In 2014 the MoFest team took a leap and hosted a gig on Montrose East Links for 5000 revellers on the Friday night. The 7th annual festival kicked off with rock legends Status Quo playing to the sell-out crowd. Other notable headliners have included Average White Band,
Deacon Blue Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop rock band formed in Glasgow in 1985. The line-up of the band consists of vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime, drummer Dougie Vipond, guitarist Gregor Philp and bassist Le ...
,
The Proclaimers The Proclaimers are a Scottish Rock music, rock duo formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid (born 5 March 1962). They came to attention with their 1987 single "Letter from America (song), Letter from America", which reached No. 3 ...
, Ocean Colour Scene,
Toploader Toploader are an English Rock music, rock band from Eastbourne, East Sussex, formed in 1997, with over two million album sales and several top-20 hits both home and abroad. Their debut album, ''Onka's Big Moka'', sold over one million units a ...
,
Eddi Reader Sadenia "Eddi" Reader Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 29 August 1959) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known for her work as the lead vocalist of the Folk music, folk and soft rock band Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo caree ...
,
Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million album, records and Single (music), si ...
,
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
& Madness.


Film

The Montrose Playhouse is a community-led cinema and arts venue, which opened in 2021. Originally a historic swimming pool, the building has been transformed into a multi-purpose space that hosts film screenings, live performances and educational events. With the closing of the Belmont in Aberdeen it has now established itself as a leading cultural hub in the region, especially for independent cinema.


Sport

Montrose is also a qualifying course for
The Open Championship The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
. Past events hosted on the Montrose Links include: *Scottish Professional Championship, 1909, 1967, 1970 *Scottish Amateur Championship, 1905, 1913, 1919, 1926 and 1925 *British Boys Championship, 1991; Scottish Universities Championship *Final Qualifying for The Open, 1999 and 2007. Links Park is home to three
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
teams: * A senior side, Montrose F.C., who are members of the
Scottish Football League The Scottish Football League (SFL) is a defunct league featuring professional and semi-professional football clubs mostly from Scotland.One club, Berwick Rangers, is based in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is located approximately 4&nbs ...
and currently play in League One. * A junior side, Montrose Roselea F.C., who play in the sixth tier of Scottish football. * A women's side, Montrose W.F.C., who play in the Scottish Women's Premier League. Other sports associations include the Montrose Cricket Club, Montrose Tennis Club, Montrose & District SEALS Swimming Club, Montrose & District Athletics, Montrose and District
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
club, Montrose Sailing Club and several bowls clubs which are part of the Montrose & District Bowling Club Association. Helen Matthews was a suffragette and woman footballer who was born in Montrose. She created the first-ever women's football team. This team beat England 3–1 in their second match in May 1881.


Media

Television signals are received from either the Durris or
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
TV transmitters. The radio stations that cover the area are
BBC Radio Scotland BBC Radio Scotland is a Scottish national radio network owned and operated by BBC Scotland, a division of the BBC. It broadcasts a wide variety of programmes. It replaced the Scottish BBC Radio 4 opt-out service of the same name from 23 N ...
which broadcast from the local opt in
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
on 92.7 FM and Radio North Angus also broadcast on 87.7 FM. Local newspapers are '' Montrose Review'' and '' The Courier''.


Religious sites


Christian groups

There are many churches in Montrose. Three belong to the
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
: Montrose Old and St Andrew's ('Auld Kirk'), Montrose: South and Ferryden, Dun and Hillside Church. There is one United Free Church: Knox Church. Grace Church Montrose is a new church plant belonging to the Free Church of Scotland. In the Links, there is an Episcopal Church (St Mary's and St Peter's); the
United Reformed Church The United Reformed Church (URC) is a Protestant Christian church in the United Kingdom. As of 2024 it had approximately 44,000 members in around 1,250 congregations with 334 stipendiary ministers. The URC is a Trinitarian church whose theolog ...
and
Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
are nearby. A
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...
group meets in the town. The
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
community is served by St Margaret's Roman Catholic Church. There is also a
Baptist Church Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
situated in Borrowfield. The most prominent church is the Old and St Andrew's Church, Montrose. Reverend Dr Charles Nisbet who became minister in 1764 described it as a church which "embraced much cultivation and intelligence".


Other groups

In Borrowfield there is a
LDS Church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian restorationist Christian denomination and the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. Founded during ...
and a Kingdom Hall of
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...
lies on the edge of the town.


Transport

The town is served by Montrose railway station, which is a stop on the Dundee–Aberdeen line. Services to , , , and
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
are operated by
ScotRail ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail (), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise as an operator of las ...
; some
London North Eastern Railway London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is a British train operating company which operates most services on the East Coast Main Line. It is owned by DfT Operator for the Department for Transport (DfT). The company's name echoes that of the Londo ...
services to Aberdeen, and stop here. Local bus services are operated predominantly by Stagecoach East Scotland. Key routes connect the town with Arbroath, Brechin and Dundee; the X7 Coastrider bus route between Aberdeen and Perth runs through the town.


Public services

Montrose and the surrounding area is supplied with water by Scottish Water from the Lintrathen and Backwater reservoirs in
Glen Isla The River Isla () is a tributary of the River Tay in Angus and Perthshire, Scotland. It rises in the Grampians before flowing down through Glen Isla into the Valley of Strathmore. After a course of 46 miles (74 km), it falls into the Ta ...
. Electricity distribution is by Scottish Hydro Electric plc, part of the Scottish and Southern Energy group. Waste management is handled by
Angus Council Angus Council is the Local government in Scotland, local authority for Angus, Scotland, Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. History The first election to Angus District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authori ...
. There is a kerbside
recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the propert ...
scheme that has been in operation since March 2005. Cans, glass, paper and plastic bottles are collected on a weekly basis. Compostable material and non-recyclable material are collected on alternate weeks. Roughly two-thirds of non-recyclable material is sent to
landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...
at Angus Council's site at Lochhead, Forfar and the remainder sent for
incineration Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of substances contained in waste materials. Industrial plants for waste incineration are commonly referred to as waste-to-energy facilities. Incineration and other high ...
(with
energy recovery Energy recovery includes any technique or method of minimizing the input of energy to an overall system by the energy transfer, exchange of energy from one sub-system of the overall system with another. The energy can be in any form in either sub ...
) outside the council area. A recycling centre is located at Broomfield Road. Items accepted include, steel and aluminium cans, cardboard, paper, electrical equipment, engine oil, fridges and freezers, garden waste, gas bottles, glass, liquid food and drinks cartons, plastic bottles, plastic carrier bags, rubble, scrap metal, shoes and handbags, spectacles, textiles, tin foil, wood and yellow pages. Angus council publishes details of where and how each product is processed. There are also glass banks at Tesco in Western Road and Scotmid in New Wynd, as well as a neighbourhood recycling point at Wharf Street. The Angus Council area had a recycling rate of 34.7% in 2007/08.
Healthcare Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
is supplied in the area by NHS Tayside. The nearest hospital with accident and emergency departments is
Ninewells Hospital Ninewells Hospital is a large teaching hospital, based on the western edge of Dundee, Scotland. It is internationally renowned for introducing laparoscopic surgery to the UK as well as being a leading centre in developing fields such as the manag ...
, Dundee. Primary Health Care in Montrose is supplied by Castlegait Surgery, Townhead Practice and Annatbank Practice which are based at the Links Health Centre. Montrose along with the rest of Scotland is served by the
Scottish Ambulance Service The Scottish Ambulance Service () is part of NHS Scotland, which serves all of Scotland, Scotland's population. The Scottish Ambulance Service is governed by a NHS Scotland#Special health boards, special health board and is funded directly by t ...
. Montrose Royal Infirmary, which had served as a community hospital, closed in April 2018. Law enforcement is provided by
Police Scotland Police Scotland (), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist services of the Scottis ...
, and Montrose is served by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service.


Notable people

* Anthony Baxter (born 1982), a documentary director and producer known for ''Eye of the Storm'', ''Flint: Who Can You Trust?'', '' You've Been Trumped'' and '' A Dangerous Game''. * Ernie Copland (1924–1971),
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who played for
Arbroath Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the Subdivisions of Scotland, council area of Angus, Scotland, Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast, some east-northeast of ...
,
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
and Raith Rovers. He was selected for Scotland's
1954 FIFA World Cup The 1954 FIFA World Cup was the 5th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football tournament for senior men's national teams of the nations affiliated to FIFA. It was held in Switzerland from 16 June ...
squad, but did not travel to the finals and never actually played for the national side. *
Robert Brown Robert Brown may refer to: Robert Brown (born 1965), British Director, Animator and author Entertainers and artists * Washboard Sam or Robert Brown (1910–1966), American musician and singer * Robert W. Brown (1917–2009), American printmaker ...
(1773–1858),
botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
, who discovered
Brownian motion Brownian motion is the random motion of particles suspended in a medium (a liquid or a gas). The traditional mathematical formulation of Brownian motion is that of the Wiener process, which is often called Brownian motion, even in mathematical ...
. *
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
(1734–1791), clergyman of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Held allegiance to the House of Stuart before and after 1788. Jacobite. Father of
botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
Robert Brown Robert Brown may refer to: Robert Brown (born 1965), British Director, Animator and author Entertainers and artists * Washboard Sam or Robert Brown (1910–1966), American musician and singer * Robert W. Brown (1917–2009), American printmaker ...
, above. * Alexander Allan (1809–1891), locomotive engineer. Invented the balanced slide valve, & the straight-link valve gear. * Edward Baird (1904–1949), artist. * Captain Sir
Alexander Burnes Captain Sir Alexander Burnes (16 May 1805 – 2 November 1841) was a Scottish explorer, military officer and diplomat associated with the Great Game. He was nicknamed Bokhara Burnes for his role in establishing contact with and expl ...
(1805–1841), explorer. * Gordon Burness (1906–1989), footballer * Charles Burgess (1873–1961), professional golfer and footballer. * David Carnegie (1772–1837), entrepreneur & banker. Founded
Carnegie Investment Bank Carnegie Investment Bank AB is a Sweden, Swedish financial services group with activities in Security (finance), securities brokerage, investment banking and private banking. Founded in 1803, Carnegie is headquartered in Stockholm with offices a ...
. * George Paul Chalmers (1833–1878), landscape, seascape, portrait and interior painter. * Helen Cruickshank (1886–1975), poet. * Henry Renny-Tailyour (1849–1920), sportsman representing Scotland in some of the earliest international football and rugby union matches. Born in India, he spent his childhood on the family estate at Newmanswalls. * Malcolm Duncan (1945–2019), tenor saxophonist and founding member of the Average White Band. * Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean (born 1954), a British financier and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for
Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
from 1983 to 1997 and served in the cabinet of
John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...
as
Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland (; ), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Scotland Office. The incum ...
from 1995 to 1997. *
James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet, soldier and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subseq ...
(1612–1650), poet, soldier, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. *
Joseph Hume Joseph Hume Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (22 January 1777 – 20 February 1855) was a Scottish surgeon and Radicals (UK), Radical Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), MP.Ronald K. Huch, Paul R. Ziegler 1985 Joseph Hume, the People's M.P ...
(1777–1855), doctor and politician. *
Allan Octavian Hume Allan Octavian Hume, Order of the Bath, CB Indian Civil Service, ICS (4 June 1829 – 31 July 1912) was a British political reformer, ornithologist, civil servant and botanist who worked in British Raj, British India and was the founding spirit ...
(1829–1912), a political reformer,
ornithologist Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...
and
botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
who worked in
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. He has been called "the Father of Indian Ornithology". * William Lamb (1893–1951), sculptor and artist. *
Violet Jacob Violet Jacob (1 September 1863 – 9 September 1946) was a Scottish writer known especially for her historical novel ''Flemington'' and for her poetry, mainly in Scots. She was described by a fellow Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid as "the most ...
(1863–1946), writer & poet, known especially for her historical novel ''Flemington''. * David Erskine, Lord Dun (1670–1758), 13th Laird of Dun, advocate, judge and commissioner to the Scottish parliament. Commissioned William Adam to build the
House of Dun The House of Dun is a National Trust for Scotland property in the parish of Dun, lying close to the edge of Montrose Basin and situated approximately halfway between the towns of Montrose and Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. History The Dun Estate ...
. Opposed the Union. * John Erskine of Dun (1509–1591), Laird of Dun, Scottish religious reformer. * John Ewen (1741–1821), songwriter. * Sam Grove-White (born 1992), a professional
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
referee who represents the
Scottish Rugby Union The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU; ) is the Sport governing body, governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Now marketed as Scottish Rugby, it is the second-oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league sys ...
and has officiated in the Japanese
Top League Japan Rugby League One (), formerly known as the Top League (), is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by ...
, URC,
World Rugby Sevens Series The SVNS, known as the HSBC SVNS for sponsorship reasons, is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby featuring national sevens teams. Organised for the first time in the 1999–2000 season as the IRB World ...
,
Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...
and at the
2020 Summer Olympics The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...
. * David Luckie (1827–1909), journalist and politician * Fionn MacColla (1906–1975), novelist closely connected to the Scottish Renaissance. Founding member of the National Party of Scotland in 1928. * Hugh MacDiarmid (1892–1978), poet, and sometime editor and reporter of local newspaper, the ''Montrose Review''. Considered a principal force in the Scottish Renaissance. Founding member of the National Party of Scotland in 1928. * John McGovern (b. 1949), football player and manager. Captained the
Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...
side that won the European Cup twice. * Andrew Melville (1545–1622), scholar, theologian, poet and religious reformer. Participated in Knox's reformation in Scotland. * James Morrison (1932 – 2020), artist. *
Willa Muir Willa Muir (née Anderson; 13 March 1890 – 22 May 1970), also known as Agnes Neill Scott, was a Scottish novelist, essayist and translator.Beth Dickson, '' British women writers : a critical reference guide'' edited by Janet Todd. New York : ...
(1890–1970), feminist novelist, academic and pioneering translator into English of major works by
Franz Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a novelist and writer from Prague who was Jewish, Austrian, and Czech and wrote in German. He is widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of Litera ...
. *
William Barclay Peat Sir William Barclay Peat (15 February 1852 – 24 January 1936) was an accountant and one of the founders of KPMG. Career Peat born in Forebank, St Cyrus, Kincardine, Fife, Kincardine, Scotland. He was the second son of James Peat and Marg ...
(1852–1936), accountant, a founder of
KPMG KPMG is a multinational professional services network, based in London, United Kingdom. As one of the Big Four accounting firms, along with Ernst & Young (EY), Deloitte, and PwC. KPMG is a network of firms in 145 countries with 275,288 emplo ...
. * Hercules Ross (1745–1816), merchant and abolitionist. * Horatio Ross (1801–1886), sportsman, photographer & politician. Son of Hercules Ross. * Commander E. C. Shankland (1880–1951), naval officer and harbour expert. * Gordon Smith (1924–2004), footballer. Only player to have won a Scottish league championship with three clubs. * George Wishart (1513–1546), Protestant reformer. * Helen Matthews (1857/8 – ?),
suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
and women's footballer. Created the first ever women's football team. This team beat England 3–1 in their second match ever in May 1881. * John Taylor (1816–1881), merchant and politician in Nova Scotia. * James Strachan (1810–1875), merchant, grazier and politician in Victoria, Australia. * John Clerk of Pennycuik (1611–1674), merchant who maintained a comprehensive archive of family papers, now held by the
National Archives of Scotland The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) is the previous name of the National Records of Scotland (NRS), and are the national archives of Scotland, based in Edinburgh. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europ ...
and the
National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland (NLS; ; ) is one of Scotland's National Collections. It is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom. As well as a public programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, and tours, the National Library of ...
. * Betsy Whyte (1919–1988), a Scottish traveller, singer and storyteller. Author of a two-part biography ''Yellow on the Broom'' and ''Red Rowans and Wild Honey'' detailed growing up as a traveller in rural Scotland between the First and Second World Wars. Recordings of her performances are held in the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
.


Twin towns

Montrose has been twinned with Luzarches, France since 1994.''Montrose Review'', 27 August 2009


Legacy

The town gives its name to the neighbourhood of Montrose in
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, United States.
Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
's A Legend of Montrose is based during the Earl of Montrose's 1644-5 military campaign in Scotland.
Montrose, Colorado Montrose is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 20,291 at the 2020 census, within a total area of 18.5 square miles. The m ...
, United States takes its name from this book. In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe, there is a professional
Quidditch Quidditch () is a fictional sport invented by author J. K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). In the series, Quidditch is portrayed as a dang ...
team from the township of Montrose; The Montrose Magpies. Two
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
ships have been named after the Duke of Montrose.


See also

*
RAF Montrose Royal Air Force Montrose or more simply RAF Montrose is a former Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire (now more commonly called Angus) in Scotland. It became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom on 2 ...
*
House of Dun The House of Dun is a National Trust for Scotland property in the parish of Dun, lying close to the edge of Montrose Basin and situated approximately halfway between the towns of Montrose and Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. History The Dun Estate ...
*
Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre The Montrose Air Station Museum is located to the north of Montrose, Angus, Montrose, Angus, Scotland. Montrose has the distinction of having the first operational military airfield in Great Britain and the Heritage Centre is located on the f ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* Norman Keir Atkinson, ''The Early History of Montrose'', (Angus Council Cultural Services, 1997) * James Bowick, John Lee et al., ''Montrose Characters: Past and Present'', (Montrose, 1881) * Duncan Fraser, ''Montrose (before 1700)'', (Montrose: Standard Press, 1967) * Duncan Fraser, ''The Smugglers'', (Montrose: Standard Press, 1971) * Gordon Jackson & S.G.E. Lythe (eds), ''The Port of Montrose'', (Tayport: Hutton, 1993) * James G. Low, ''Industry in Montrose'', (Monikie: Pitnolen Publications, 1994) * W. A. McNeil, ''Montrose before 1700 from original documents'', (Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 1961) * David Mitchell, ''The History of Montrose'', (Montrose: Geo. Walker, 1866) * Tom Valentine, ''Old Montrose'', (Catrine: Stenlake, 1997)


External links


Old maps of Montrose (1693–1861)



Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society

Visit Montrose
{{authority control Towns in Angus, Scotland Royal burghs Ports and harbours of Scotland Port cities and towns of the North Sea Populated coastal places in Scotland