Military – Perth Civic Trust

1774-1901 AD / 1901-present / Military

Queen’s Barracks on Caledonian Road

This plinth on Caledonian Road stands beside the path to Black Watch Gardens and opposite Barrack Street / Dunkeld Road. It bears the crest of the Black Watch Regiment and an information board which tells the history of the Queen's Barracks from its beginnings in 1831 until the regiment moved to modern barracks in Dunkeld Road. In 2006 the Black Watch were integrated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. See also Black Watch Castle and Museum.

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11/12/2023

1603-1774 AD / Military

Threipland House on Dundee Road

A small low plaque in the front garden just opposite the entrance to the Rodney Gardens car park describes the history of the house and some small details of the Threipland family, particularly their Jacobite sympathies. Sir David Threipland fled to France after the “1715” with 100 others. He forfeited his estates which were only restored to the family when his son purchased them from the crown in 1782.

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04/12/2023

1603-1774 AD / Military

Charles Edward Stuart at the Salutation Hotel

A prominent brass plaque reveals that Charles Edward Sturt (Bonnie Prince Charlie) visited the hotel on South Street during his stay in Perth in 1745 on his way south to Edinburgh. It is thought he planned his campaign in room 20 which the hotel is happy to say is still in use. The original building from the 1600s was the town house of the Murrays of Scone Palace. It was converted to a coaching inn in 1699.

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04/12/2023

1603-1774 AD / Military

Jacobite Army in Perth

A plinth on the North Inch just off Charlotte Street records that the Jacobite armies assembled on the North Inch in 1715 and 1745. James VII “The Old Pretender” arrived in Perth in December 1715 where he received a cold reception. He reviewed his troops after they had fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in November 1715 and was so disappointed with what he saw he decided to “abandon the contest as hopeless, due to the reduced state of the army and its deficiency in arms and ammunition” (Marshall, T.H., The History of Perth: From the Earliest Period to the…

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04/12/2023

1603-1774 AD / Military

Cromwell’s Citadel – South Inch

The building of the citadel began in 1652. A modern information board, located within the South Inch car park set out a comprehensive history of the site. This was recently replaced with Panel 11 of the Perth Medieval Trail entitled Cromwell in Perth. The board details the area occupied by the citadel and the quantities of material used in its construction giving an indication of just how large and extensive was the citadel. Many of the older historic buildings of Perth were destroyed by Cromwell’s engineers as they gathered building material for its construction. In some cases only plaques remain…

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04/12/2023

1603-1774 AD / Military

Battle of Tibbermore plaque

This plaque is on the wall of a bungalow at the corner of Needless Road and Wilson Street. The Battle, also known as the Battle of Tippermuir, which is the old spelling Tibbermore, was fought on the 1st September 1644. The events were originally commemorated by a painted stone in the area of Fairies Road. This stone was moved from its original position in Fairies Road, closer to Pitheavlis Castle and later when the stone deteriorated beyond recovery, a decision was made to find a convenient site for what the Chairman describes as “some sort of memorial.” As a result,…

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04/12/2023

1000-1603 AD / 1603-1774 AD / Military

The Monks Tower

One of the carved alcoves in the flood defence wall on Tay Street tells of the Monks Tower. The Monks Tower was situated in the south-east corner of the gardens of Gowrie House and jutted out over the river. The tower acted as a lookout post, working in tandem with the Spey Tower to defend the southern approaches to Perth. The Tower later served as an ammunition store prior while Gowrie House was being used as a barracks prior to its demolition at the end of the 18th century.

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04/12/2023

1000-1603 AD / 1603-1774 AD / Military

The Gowrie House and Conspiracy

The large plaque on the front of the Sherriff Court in Tay Street records the events of the 5th August 1600 when an attempt was made on the life of James VI. The Gowrie House was built in 1520 by the Countess of Huntly who later sold it to the Ruthven family. After the Gowrie conspiracy the Ruthven family, who were considered responsible for the attack on the king, forfeited the building which was then held jointly by the Murrays of Stormont and Perth Town Council. Charles II stayed in Gowrie House after his Scottish coronation in Scone in 1651…

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04/12/2023

1000-1603 AD / Military

South Inch Archery Butts

Originally this bench on the South Inch was a column marking the site of the archery butts on the scholars’ knoll. The knoll was lost during the levelling of the Inch during the 16th century. In the medieval period, towns which were attacked, relied on their citizens for defence which meant regular practice of archery was vital. According to Marshall a second stone, now lost, was sited “500 fathoms” from the first, approx. 1,000 metres. This must give an indication of what was expected from archers. The importance attached to archery can be judged by the setting out of two areas…

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04/12/2023

1000-1603 AD / Military

Perth Castle plaques on North Inch flood gate

There is a plaque on the right-hand side of the flood defence gate entrance to the Memorial Garden, which quite clearly shows a motte and bailey castle close by the river. Judging by this depiction the “motte” or mound on which the castle is built does look vulnerable to flooding from the close by river.

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03/12/2023