floods – Perth Civic Trust

Charles I visit to Perth in 1633

King Charles I ascended to the English throne in 1625 and was crowned in England that year. However, the Scots insisted that he should also be crowned in his northern kingdom. The ceremony took place in Edinburgh, at the Palace of Holyrood House, on 18 June 1633, amid an elaborate and extravagant royal tour. This tour included a visit to Perth, commemorated in this stone plaque in the flood defence wall in Tay Street. It recounts that he was entertained by members of the Glover Incorporation performing a sword dance on a wooden platform moored on the River Tay.

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09/12/2023

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

1000-1603 AD / 1603-1774 AD / 1774-1901 AD / City walls, gates and bridges

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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27/11/2023

1603-1774 AD / 1774-1901 AD / City walls, gates and bridges

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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27/11/2023

1000-1603 AD / 1603-1774 AD / 1774-1901 AD / City walls, gates and bridges

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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27/11/2023

War Memorials

North Inch Flood Gate War Memorials

On the eastern side of the main North Inch flood gates, close to the Garden of Remembrance are two war memorial plaques. The right hand one records those employees of Perth Co-operative who fell in the First World War, together with a second panel below remembering three more servicemen and women who died in the Second World War.. On the left hand is a plaque to remember those who volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War. (1936-1939) The plaque, designed by Paul Philipou, bears a poem by William Soutar and is a dedication to the people of Perthshire who…

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23/10/2023