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Broughty-Ferry, Forfarshire

Historical Description

BROUGHTY-FERRY, for a time a quoad sacra parish, partly in the parish of MONIFIETH, and partly in the parish of DUNDEE, county of FORFAR, 4 miles (E.) from Dundee; containiug about 2400 inhabitants. This place, a small part only of which belongs to the parish of Dundee, at the close of the last century consisted merely of a few fishermen's huts; but the proprietor having begun to fen it about the year 1790, a large addition was quickly made to its population, and it has been since regularly increasing. It is a neat, clean, and thriving fishing and sea-bathing village on the Firth of Tay, having an interesting and picturesque appearance from the water; the gentle acclivity behind, studded with numerous pleasing and elegant villas, greatly heightening the general effect, and improving the scenery. Altogether the village is one of the most beautiful in Scotland; the houses are rapidly increasing, and a considerable number of the higher classes from Dundee, &c., have built handsome villas for their summer and winter residences. As a sea-bathing place, its repute is now very high. Many families from Dundee, Edinburgh, Perth, and other places, resort hither in the summer season, for the benefit of bathing, and find ample accommodation of every kind, a considerable proportion of the inhabitants letting their houses in lodgings for visiters. The Perth, Dundee, and Arbroath railway passes here, and on the opposite shore of the river is the Cupar line of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway company, to whom the ferry across belongs. Thirteen boats are regularly employed, and in summer many more, in the white-fishing, upon which upwards of fifty families depend for support; and the fish taken, comprising cod, haddock, soles, ling, whiting, plaice, flounders, and many others, valued at £5000 per annum, constitute the principal supply of the town of Dundee. About 400 cod are also prepared weekly, for exportation, at a curing establishment here; and among several other branches of manufacture and trade, are two rope-works, a brewery, &c. Small vessels are occasionally built, opposite to those parts where the depth of water offers the necessary facility for launching them. A chapel of ease was erected in 1826, containing 755 sittings, and the attached district was formed into a quoad sacra parish in 1834; the minister, who is elected by the male communicants, receives about £150 per annum, derived from seat-rents and collections, and of which £120 are guaranteed. An excellent school has been formed in connexion with the Establishment, the master of which has a salary of £9. 18. 6., and fees; and there are place's of worship belonging to the United Presbyterian Synod and the Free Church. Some remains exist of Broughty Castle, formerly a key to the navigation of the river, and much connected with historical events.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, 1851 by Samuel Lewis

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