Bridges of Perth – North Inch plaques

At the gateway to the Memorial Garden, on the North Inch, there are two plaques, one on each side of the entrance. The left -hand side shows present Perth Bridge, the right-hand side shows the Old Perth Bridge. By comparison the new bridge has fewer arches each of which is higher and wider than in the Old Bridge. The Old Bridge being lower and the arches narrower it is clear there was a greater possibility of debris brought down by the river in flood could form a dam, which would cause the bridge to collapse.

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Perth Bridge

A plaque on the bridge itself at its western end states that the building of Perth Bridge was started in 1766, following a proposal tabled in 1760, by the 9th Earl of Kinnoull in his capacity as Lord Provost William Stewart. John Smeaton an accomplished architect was appointed. Smeaton had built a varied number of projects including harbours and lighthouses such as the Eddystone Lighthouse. The bridge is often called Smeaton's Bridge. The bridge opened in 1771. In 1869 pavements were added, outside the main supports of the bridge. On the north side of the westmost pillar are flood level…

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Datestone at corner of George Street and High Street

This marks the date of the construction of the building as1774. George Street was first conceived in 1769. The Street opened in 1771 to provide access from the new Perth Bridge to the High Street. Although the street is one of the architecturally most interesting in Perth, this particular building was not considered worthy of special comment in Griffith’s review. (Griffith, J.  Perth And Kinross, After Pevsner 2001 p619)

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Town House of Lord John Murray in North Port

A plaque on this building (now 15-19 North Port) claims this the site of Lord John Murray’s Town House, occupied by him from 1758 - 1787. It is now the headquarters of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. An earlier information board (now replaced by Panel 4 of the Medieval Trail) gave more information and reported that it was actually the stable block for the town house. Some modern histories suggest the building may in fact have been an arcade of shops at one time. Lord John Murray was the second son of Duke of Atholl and brother of Lord George…

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Fleshers Guild building in South Street

This Fleshers Guild sign is on a building in South Street (on its south side facing Fleshers’ Vennel). The Fleshers Guild erected the building in 1889 and used the hall until the 1920’s. The building replaced the Flesher’s Incorporation abattoir which previously stood on the site. This area of the South street had since Medieval times been the part of Perth used by the Fleshers both to slaughter animals and to sell meat in the market. (Perth, Street by Street, Paul Philippou). Meat and other commodities were traded on prescribed days and rules were strictly enforced. They held their market…

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Marriage Lintel in Fleshers Vennel

The initials LR and MB and the date 1766 surrounding a crest are sited high above the west facing gable in Fleshers’ Vennel. These are believed to be the initials of the married couple who either occupied the property, or had it built in 1766. The Vennel, which itself bears no plaque, led from the South Street where fleshers from out of town had to wait with their meat before entering the market near the kirk. Meat and other commodities were traded on prescribed days and rules were strictly enforced.

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Fire Insurance Plaque on 1 Charlotte Street

This light blue building on Charlotte Street adjacent to Smeaton bridge displays a fire insurance plaque (actually a replica as the original one was stolen). Probably the smallest plaque in our records , the plaque is above the door below the central upper window. It is the mark of the Sun Fire Office with the property’s registration number, 10154, at the bottom. Fire insurance marks were used in the eighteenth and nineteenth century prior to the introduction of municipal fire services. They were fixed to the front of insured buildings as a guide to an insurance company’s fire brigade. The plaques bore…

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The Guildry Plaques on Tay Street

A series of six metal plaques are set on the top of the riverside flood wall on Tay Street, just north of the viewing platform. The plaques were funded by the Guildry Incorporation and describe various elements of the civic history of Perth. The first plaque records the visit of James VI in April 1601, before he became King of the United Kingdom. It records how much he was made welcome with ‘much wine’ and ‘a banquet’ but this was less than a year since an attempt had been made on his life while he resided at Gowrie House in…

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Visit to Perth by Robert Burns

This plaque in High Street records the site of the Groom’s Tavern in which Burns stayed during his visit to Perth in 1787. The plaque has been moved, having previously been further down the High Street in the close leading to the Scott Street car park.

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History of Golf in Perth

Until recently there was a modern information board close to the railway bridge over the Tay, setting out the history of the game in Perth. There is a reference to James IV playing in Perth in 1504 despite the recently past  laws prohibiting the game. (see Archery Butts). Beside it was another board entitled 'Perth and the Railways' and nearby one called 'Wildlife on the Tay' but all of these have been removed.

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