Monifieth
Encyclopedia
Monifieth is a town and former police burgh
in the council area
of Angus
, Scotland. It is situated on the North bank of the Firth of Tay
on the East Coast. In 2008, the population of Monifieth was estimated at 8,220, making it the fifth largest town in Angus.
The presence of a number of class II and III Pictish stones
points to Monifieth having had some importance as an ecclesiastical centre in the early medieval period. The lands were a possession of the Céli Dé monastic order until they were granted to the Tironensian monks of Arbroath Abbey
in the early 13th century. Until the early 19th century, Monifieth remained a small village but grew rapidly due to the expansion of the local textile
industry.
Monifieth can be considered a dormitory town
for its closest city, Dundee
, which is 6 miles (10 km) to the west. Politically, Monifieth can be seen to be a stronghold of the Scottish National Party
, being represented at local, national and European levels by SNP politicians. The town falls within the boundaries of Angus Council but was part of Dundee City Council from 1975 to 1996. The local constituency boundary and whether Monifieth should fall within Angus or Dundee council areas continues to be a source of debate.
Public transport consists mainly of bus services operated by Stagecoach Buses
. While the town is notionally served by Monifieth railway station
, the station presently operates only a token service. Its nearest major road is the A92
and the town is connected to Dundee by the A930
.
'Monifieth' has been given various spellings over the years, including 'Monifođ'/'Monifod', 'Monifoth', 'Munifođ', 'Monyfuthe', 'Monyfuthie', 'Monyfaith', 'Monyfuth', 'Monifuth', 'Monifeith', 'Monyfeith', and 'Monyfieth', before becoming standardised as 'Monifieth' on publication of the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps.
period, for example with the Cursus
monument, identified from cropmarks near Woodhill, between Monifieth and Carnoustie. This cursus is of a similar scale to the well characterised, mid 4th century BC enclosure found nearby at Douglasmuir near Friockheim
. Numerous stones incised with cup and ring mark
s have also been found in the surrounding area.
Approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north of Monifieth lies Laws hill, on which lies the Iron age
ruins of a Broch
and vitrified fort
. These ruins are much reduced as the stone from their walls has been used on the estate for construction of dykes and drains, well into the 19th century, and while very little remains of the structure today, tradition recorded in 1842 attests to the walls being 5 feet (1.5 m) tall at the beginning of the 19th century. Artefacts found at and around the site include a quantity of gold coins, iron spear heads and a stone lamp.
One artifact found near Laws Hill (but now lost and only known from an illustration) is that of a Pictish crescent plate, found in a cist grave which incorporated a later Norse Younger Futhark
runic inscription (MKITIL:THA[...]). This find is particularly intriguing in light of the paucity of Viking archaeology in this part of Scotland.
Domestic remains from the late Prehistoric period can also be found in abundance in the area. Perhaps most well known are the souterrain
s at Carlungie and Ardestie, but cropmarks point to other settlements of that age, for instance at Woodhill.
abbey of Arbroath
by Gille Críst
, Mormaer
of Angus
, around 1201-1207, and the lands to the south of the Church (now much reduced in size due to erosion) in 1242-1243 by Matilda, Countess of Angus
. A hoard of 700 coins dating to the reigns of Edward I and Edward II were found in this area in 1854.
The present building of St Rule's Church (built 1812) originally incorporated three Class II and Class III Pictish
/Early Medieval sculpted stones
, recycled as building stones, including one that had previously been used in the pre-reformation building it replaced. These stones
were removed in the mid 19th century and, along with a fourth stone found in an adjoining garden, were donated to the National Museums of Scotland in 1871. They represent some of the latest Pictish
era monuments and can be confidently dated to the late 9th/early 10th centuries.
at a water-powered mill by the Dighty burn, supporting a small community, 'Milltown', later named as 'Milton of Monifieth'. Although Monifieth had no harbour, cargo was off-loaded from vessels on Monifieth Sands (in the relatively sheltered Firth of Tay
) at low tide and horse-drawn vehicles would move the cargo to nearby destinations.
During the 19th century, the village gradually expanded following the introduction of larger scale industries to the area, including manufacture of machinery for flax mills in 1811. James Low and Robert Fairweather had set up their foundry
in the village at the start of the nineteenth century and in 1815 developed the first carding machine for flax tow in the area. With the growth of the textile industry in Dundee
and Angus
the business grew rapidly, and, by the late nineteenth century, James F Low & Co Ltd was producing a wide range of machines used for the processing and spinning of jute
, flax
and similar fibres. As well as building machinery for local use, the firm attracted orders from across the world and by the 1880s the Monifieth Foundry employed about 300 workers. The expansion of Monifieth's industrial economy was aided by the opening of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway
on 6 October, 1838. This railway, which was originally intended only as a local line, was constructed with an unusual gauge of (shared only with the Arbroath and Forfar Railway
), later being converted to standard gauge when it was incorporated into the national Rail system. Between 1861 and 1901, Monifieth's population more than tripled; from 558 to 2,134 and in 1895, Monifieth was registered at Forfar
Sheriff Court
as a burgh.
A tram
way service was introduced in 1905, with cars journeying into Dundee City centre at regular intervals. This service was welcomed by the many who travelled daily either from the Burgh into the City on business, or the many hundreds who commuted daily to work in the factories and mills.
In 1905 Monifieth gained a Cottage Hospital
via a provision made in the will of the Reverend James Gerard Young DD. The Reverend Young had been Minister
of Monifieth Parish Church from 1855 until his death in 1899. The funds he left were used to establish the Gerard Trust which managed the Gerard Cottage Hospital from its opening until it passed into the control of the new National Health Service
in 1948. The hospital closed in 1969 and subsequently became Mary's Residential Home for the elderly.
During the Second World War the Monifieth Foundry was used for the production of war supplies including bombs and and aircraft parts.
), Councillor Rob Murray (Scottish National Party
), Councillor John R Whyte (Conservative Party) and Councillor Margaret Thomson (Labour Party
).
The town is part of the Dundee East constituency
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons
, at Westminster
. The constituency's MP is currently Stewart Hosie
of the Scottish National Party
.
Monifieth is also part of the Angus South constituency
of the Scottish Parliament
, which has significantly different boundaries to the Westminster constituency. The constituency returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood
directly, and is part of the North East Scotland electoral region
with regards to additional Members of the Scottish Parliament. The constituency's MSP is currently Graeme Dey
of the Scottish National Party
.
Monifieth's status in Angus Council has long been the subject of debate, with Dundee City councillors arguing that it should be part of Dundee Council in order to rebalance Dundee City Council Tax
revenues. Initial moves were made by the council of Dundee to annex the burgh into Dundee's boundaries nearly a hundred years ago. In 1913 a petition signed by the residents of Monifieth was presented before Parliament in London
and successfully retained Monifieth's independence. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
redrew the council boundaries and Monifieth became part of Dundee City Council in 1975. In 1996, after Local government
reorganisation
, Monifieth became part of the Angus council area, after being part of Dundee District in the Tayside
region
for 21 years.
of Dundee
, 10.3 miles (17 km) WSW
of Arbroath
, and 11.3 miles (18 km) S
of Forfar
. The town lies 38.4 miles (62 km) NNE
of Edinburgh
, and 360.3 miles (580 km) NNW
of London
. The built-up area occupies a roughly rectangular shape 1.2 miles (2 km) long by 0.7 miles (1 km) wide, aligned in a ENE direction. The land is relatively flat, rising gradually to around 50m elevation
to the North of the town at South Grange.
The town occupies the southern part of the Parish of Monifieth, at the South Western most corner of the county of Angus, and incorporates a number of former villages and Hamlets
, including Ashludie, Milton and South Grange. Contiguous to the town, on the West side of the county boundary, is Barnhill and Panmurefield Village and the Dundee conurbation. To the East is a 2.7 miles (4 km) expanse of rural land between the town and the village of Barry
and town of Carnoustie
. This rural area includes a number of farmsteads and hamlets
, including Lucknow
, West Cotside, Ardestie, Balhungie and Woodhill
, as well as the Monifieth golf courses and Panmure golf course.
To the south of this, on the southern side of the railway, is the peninsula of the Buddon Ness, on which lies the Ministry of Defence
owned Barry Buddon training camp
. This land is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
and a Special Area of Conservation
.
The Buddon Ness is a triangle of land around 11 km2. Its position at the estury of the River Tay makes it prone to erosion, and the position of both the West and East facing shores have changed considerably over the years. Comparison of Ordnance Survey
maps from the mid-19th century with present day maps show the shoreline retreating on the West shore and advancing on the East shore.
To the North of the town runs the A92
, between Dundee and Arbroath. Beyond this lies the farms of North Grange, Balmossie and Ardownie and Ethiebeaton retail and leisure park, as well as Roman Hill, Gallow Hill and Laws Hill. The Edinburgh to Aberdeen railway line
runs along the South of the town, separating the built up area from the Blue Seaway leisure area and the two caravan sites. The A930 runs through the town East to West from Barry to Barnhill.
The Western political boundary of the town is marked by West Grange Road, leading south from the West Grange roundabout on the A92, the cycle track that goes from West Grange Road over the Seven Arches viaduct over the Dighty Burn (once part of the Dundee to Forfar Railway), around Monifieth High School grounds, between Inchkeith Avenue and Balmossie Place, and down North and South Balmossie Street to the river bank.
locality in the 2001 census. Estimates from 2008 put the population at 8,220.
Almost 2,400 Monifieth residents (approximately 29% of the population) travel to work or study in Dundee. Assuming that the figure of 73% in Angus being between the ages of 16 and 65, holds for Monifieth then this represents a figure of 40% of people of working age.
Monifieth has a small retail and leisure complex to the north of the town at Ethiebeaton, which comprises a garden centre, a gym and a department store which sells local produce. There is also a shopping area centred around the high street, which has a variety of businesses.
Tourism plays a small but significant role in Monifieth's economy and has benefited from the area's associations with golf. Monifieth Golf Links is used as a qualifying course for the Open Championship, which returned to nearby Carnoustie
in 2007. The golf links is included in the Carnoustie Country golf marketing campaign, which is funded by Angus Council to promote golf in the area. Monifieth is served by a number of small hotels within the town, as well as larger hotels at Monifieth Farm at the Ethiebeaton retail park and at Forbes of Kingennie to the north of the town.
. It begins up in the Sidlaw Hills and runs 15 miles east-southeast where it meets the Firth of Tay
. At least two mills are known to have existed beside the burn: the Milton Mill and the Balmossie Mill. The Milton Mill, which opened in 1788 as a flax spinning mill, was part of the Milton industrial area. It is the oldest water-powered flax mill in Angus. The mill, which is a category B listed building, suffered significant fire damage in June 2006. Initially, the mill was not permitted to be demolished but, in April 2010, it was agreed by the Angus Development Standards Committee that the building was "beyond saving" and demolition was permitted. Demolition of surrounding buildings was already under way, clearing the way for a housing development.
The Balmossie Mill, the smaller of the two mills, was a water mill. Remains of a water wheel and machinery is evident. The exact date of the building is unknown but in 1692 two local men were recorded by local newspapers for poaching. The Balmossie Mill is a category B listed building.
Continuing eastwards from the Milton Mill, along Ferry Road and Maule Street towards the town centre, Monifieth's war memorial is situated. The memorial was dedicated in 1921 and was built by Charles Soutar. The design includes a sculpture of an angel warrior figure with a sword and laurel wreath. Invertay House, located further along Maule Street on the south side of the road, was built in 1878 and opened as Monifieth Public School. Today, the building houses offices. Opposite Invertay House, on the north side of the road, is the Gerard Hall. The hall was built in 1882 for Sunday School pupils of the adjacent St Rule's Parish Church.
The A92
runs between Arbroath
and Dundee
immediately to the North of Monifieth. There are several ways to reach the A92, including: the B962, which links to the A92 at the Ardestie junction; Victoria Street, which links to the A92 at the Ethiebeaton Park roundabout; and via the West Grange Road roundabout. The other main road route from Monifieth is the A930
, which leads Westwards to Dundee
via Barnhill and Broughty Ferry
and eastwards to Carnoustie
, and is named Ferry Road, Maule Street, High Street and Panmure Street.
Trains are operated by First ScotRail
on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen line
. There is at present only a token service, stopping only once a day each way at Monifieth Station
(0623 West-bound and 1906 East-bound).
Buses are operated by Stagecoach
on their Arbroath-Dundee route, including the number 73 and 73A buses, and the number 39A (early weekday mornings, evenings and on Sundays). They operate on a regular basis, with most stopping at bus stops along the main A930 road. Additional services operate via Ashludie Hospital and Ethiebeaton Park, including the 75 service (which stops at Ethiebeaton Park) and the 78 and 79 services (which go on towards Wellbank, Newbigging and Monikie). Stagecoach buses provide timetables online.
. The schools are Grange Primary School
, Seaview Primary School and Monifieth High School
. Between them, they have approximately 1700 pupils. Seaview Primary School is the oldest of all three schools, although it was formerly a secondary school. It had 342 pupils and 19 teachers (as of September 2007). Seaview Primary School was knocked down recently and a new primary school of the same name was built in its place.
Monifieth High School
was founded in 1976 and has a catchment area of Monifieth, Birkhill and other rural areas of Angus
including Newbigging
. During the school's thirty-three years, there have only been three headteachers. Many of the school's facilities have just recently been renovated, including new windows and several extensions. A new "community wing" has been planned for the school to allow the local community to become more involved in school life.
Monifieth Athletic
is a football club that plays in the Dundee and District Youth Football Association with players up to the age of 16. They play at Riverside Park in Monifieth.
The Blue Seaway is a development on the seafront that was opened in 2003 at a cost of £800,000. It incorporates an adventure play ground, skate park, putting green and tennis courts.
. Water was supplied from Crombie reservoir
until 1981. Since then, along with Dundee and parts of Perthshire, Angus has been supplied from Lintrathen and Backwater
reservoirs in Glen Isla
. Electricity distribution is by Scottish Hydro Electric plc
, part of the Scottish and Southern Energy group.
Waste management is handled by Angus Council
. There is a kerbside recycling
scheme that has been in operation since May 2006. 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
at Angus Council's site at Lochhead, Forfar and the remainder sent for incineration
(with energy recovery) outside the council area.
A recycling centre is located at Riverview Drive. 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 is also a glass bank at the Tesco car park. The Angus Council area had a recycling rate of 34.7% in 2007/08.
Healthcare
is supplied in the area by NHS Tayside
. The nearest hospitals with accident and emergency departments are Arbroath Infirmary, and Ninewells Hospital
, Dundee. Primary Health Care in Monifieth is supplied by Monifieth Medical Practice which is based at the Health Centre on Victoria Street; Monifieth along with the rest of Scotland is served by the Scottish Ambulance Service
.
Law enforcement is provided by Tayside Police
, and Monifieth is served by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service
.
Police burgh
A police burgh was a Scottish burgh which had adopted a “police system” for governing the town. They existed from 1833 to 1975.-The 1833 act:The first police burghs were created under the Burgh Police Act, 1833...
in the council area
Subdivisions of Scotland
For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as "councils"...
of Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, Scotland. It is situated on the North bank of the Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
on the East Coast. In 2008, the population of Monifieth was estimated at 8,220, making it the fifth largest town in Angus.
The presence of a number of class II and III Pictish stones
Pictish stones
Pictish stones are monumental stelae found in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line. These stones are the most visible remaining evidence of the Picts and are thought to date from the 6th to 9th centuries, a period during which the Picts became Christianized...
points to Monifieth having had some importance as an ecclesiastical centre in the early medieval period. The lands were a possession of the Céli Dé monastic order until they were granted to the Tironensian monks of Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey, in the Scottish town of Arbroath, was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for a group of Tironensian Benedictine monks from Kelso Abbey. It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to the deceased Saint Thomas Becket, whom the king had met at the English court...
in the early 13th century. Until the early 19th century, Monifieth remained a small village but grew rapidly due to the expansion of the local textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
industry.
Monifieth can be considered a dormitory town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for its closest city, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, which is 6 miles (10 km) to the west. Politically, Monifieth can be seen to be a stronghold of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, being represented at local, national and European levels by SNP politicians. The town falls within the boundaries of Angus Council but was part of Dundee City Council from 1975 to 1996. The local constituency boundary and whether Monifieth should fall within Angus or Dundee council areas continues to be a source of debate.
Public transport consists mainly of bus services operated by Stagecoach Buses
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. While the town is notionally served by Monifieth railway station
Monifieth railway station
Monifieth railway station serves the town of Monifieth near Dundee, Scotland. The station was opened on 6 October 1838 on the Dundee and Arbroath Railway...
, the station presently operates only a token service. Its nearest major road is the A92
A92 road
The A92 is a major road in Fife and Angus, Scotland. It runs from Dunfermline to Stonehaven.Starting at its junction with the M90 motorway near Dunfermline, it runs north east past Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Ladybank and Newport-on-Tay...
and the town is connected to Dundee by the A930
A930 road
The A930 is a single carriageway road in Angus, Scotland. It runs from Dundee to Carnoustie.Starting at its junction with the A92 road in Craigie, Dundee, it runs east through West Ferry, Broughty Ferry, Barnhill and Monifieth. It then passes through countryside north of the Buddon Ness, past Barry...
.
Toponomy
The name Monifieth is generally taken to derive from the Gaelic Monadh Feith, 'Hill of the deer'. An alternative etymology Monaich Fother, 'Monks' Land' has been suggested, which holds some appeal due to Monifieth's early status as a possession of the Céli Dé monastic order.'Monifieth' has been given various spellings over the years, including 'Monifođ'/'Monifod', 'Monifoth', 'Munifođ', 'Monyfuthe', 'Monyfuthie', 'Monyfaith', 'Monyfuth', 'Monifuth', 'Monifeith', 'Monyfeith', and 'Monyfieth', before becoming standardised as 'Monifieth' on publication of the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps.
Early History
The earliest evidence for occupation of the area surrounding Monifieth dates to the Mesolithic period. Midden pits of that age have been found nearby at Stannergate, and worked flints apparently of that age have been found at Balmossie. More tangible evidence for settlement can be found from the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period, for example with the Cursus
Cursus
thumb|right|250px|[[Stonehenge Cursus]], Wiltshirethumb|right|250px|[[Dorset Cursus]] terminal on Thickthorn Down, DorsetCursus was a name given by early British archaeologists such as William Stukeley to the large parallel lengths of banks with external ditches which they thought were early Roman...
monument, identified from cropmarks near Woodhill, between Monifieth and Carnoustie. This cursus is of a similar scale to the well characterised, mid 4th century BC enclosure found nearby at Douglasmuir near Friockheim
Friockheim
Friockheim is a village in Angus, Scotland dating from 1814. It lies between the towns of Brechin, Montrose, Arbroath and Forfar.-History:...
. Numerous stones incised with cup and ring mark
Cup and ring mark
Cup and ring marks or cup marks are a form of prehistoric art found mainly in Atlantic Europe and Mediterranean Europe although similar forms are also found throughout the world including Mexico, Brazil, Greece, and India, where...
s have also been found in the surrounding area.
Approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north of Monifieth lies Laws hill, on which lies the Iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
ruins of a Broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
and vitrified fort
Vitrified fort
Vitrified fort is the name given to certain crude stone enclosures whose walls have been subjected in a greater or lesser degree to the action of fire. They are generally situated on hills offering strong defensive positions. Their form seems to have been determined by the contour of the flat...
. These ruins are much reduced as the stone from their walls has been used on the estate for construction of dykes and drains, well into the 19th century, and while very little remains of the structure today, tradition recorded in 1842 attests to the walls being 5 feet (1.5 m) tall at the beginning of the 19th century. Artefacts found at and around the site include a quantity of gold coins, iron spear heads and a stone lamp.
One artifact found near Laws Hill (but now lost and only known from an illustration) is that of a Pictish crescent plate, found in a cist grave which incorporated a later Norse Younger Futhark
Younger Futhark
The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet, a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, consisting of only 16 characters, in use from ca. 800 CE...
runic inscription (MKITIL:THA[...]). This find is particularly intriguing in light of the paucity of Viking archaeology in this part of Scotland.
Domestic remains from the late Prehistoric period can also be found in abundance in the area. Perhaps most well known are the souterrain
Souterrain
Souterrain is a name given by archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the Atlantic Iron Age. These structures appear to have been brought northwards from Gaul during the late Iron Age. Regional names include earth houses, fogous and Pictish houses...
s at Carlungie and Ardestie, but cropmarks point to other settlements of that age, for instance at Woodhill.
Medieval History
Prior to the thirteenth century, the church and lands of Monifieth were possessions of the Céli Dé monastic order. The church was endowed to the recently founded TironensianTironensian
The Tironensian Order or the Order of Tiron was a Roman Catholic monastic order named after the location of the mother abbey in the woods of Tiron in Perche, some 35 miles west of Chartres in France)...
abbey of Arbroath
Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey, in the Scottish town of Arbroath, was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for a group of Tironensian Benedictine monks from Kelso Abbey. It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to the deceased Saint Thomas Becket, whom the king had met at the English court...
by Gille Críst
Gille Críst, Earl of Angus
Gilla Críst of Angus, ruled until 1206 as Mormaer of Angus. He was a son of Gille Brigte of Angus and younger brother of Adam of Angus.Almost nothing is known of him, except that he married Marjorie of Huntingdon, the daughter of Henry, Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, and that he was...
, Mormaer
Mormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
of Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, around 1201-1207, and the lands to the south of the Church (now much reduced in size due to erosion) in 1242-1243 by Matilda, Countess of Angus
Matilda, Countess of Angus
Matilda of Angus was the daughter of Maol Choluim, Earl or Mormaer of Angus and as his heiress was countess of the province in her own right.She was first married to John Comyn, but his early death in France in 1242 meant that a new husband was needed to control the dispersed Earldom. The man...
. A hoard of 700 coins dating to the reigns of Edward I and Edward II were found in this area in 1854.
The present building of St Rule's Church (built 1812) originally incorporated three Class II and Class III Pictish
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
/Early Medieval sculpted stones
Pictish stones
Pictish stones are monumental stelae found in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line. These stones are the most visible remaining evidence of the Picts and are thought to date from the 6th to 9th centuries, a period during which the Picts became Christianized...
, recycled as building stones, including one that had previously been used in the pre-reformation building it replaced. These stones
Monifieth Sculptured Stones
The Monifieth Sculptured Stones are a series of five class II and III standing Pictish stones from the early Medieval period found in or around St Regulus' church in Monifieth, Angus, Scotland...
were removed in the mid 19th century and, along with a fourth stone found in an adjoining garden, were donated to the National Museums of Scotland in 1871. They represent some of the latest Pictish
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
era monuments and can be confidently dated to the late 9th/early 10th centuries.
Modern History
Monifieth remained a small village, comprising a number of turf huts until the early 19th century. In the eighteenth century, the economy of the parish was mainly dependent on agriculture. Other industries included quarrying, weaving within the home and the start of manufacturing of linseed oilLinseed oil
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...
at a water-powered mill by the Dighty burn, supporting a small community, 'Milltown', later named as 'Milton of Monifieth'. Although Monifieth had no harbour, cargo was off-loaded from vessels on Monifieth Sands (in the relatively sheltered Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
) at low tide and horse-drawn vehicles would move the cargo to nearby destinations.
During the 19th century, the village gradually expanded following the introduction of larger scale industries to the area, including manufacture of machinery for flax mills in 1811. James Low and Robert Fairweather had set up their foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
in the village at the start of the nineteenth century and in 1815 developed the first carding machine for flax tow in the area. With the growth of the textile industry in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
the business grew rapidly, and, by the late nineteenth century, James F Low & Co Ltd was producing a wide range of machines used for the processing and spinning of jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
, flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
and similar fibres. As well as building machinery for local use, the firm attracted orders from across the world and by the 1880s the Monifieth Foundry employed about 300 workers. The expansion of Monifieth's industrial economy was aided by the opening of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway
Dundee and Arbroath Railway
The Dundee and Arbroath Railway was a railway link between those two towns in Scotland.-History:The railway company received its Parliamentary Act on 19 May 1836. It was planned as a gauge railway, because, at that time, it was expected to be a purely local railway with no connection to the...
on 6 October, 1838. This railway, which was originally intended only as a local line, was constructed with an unusual gauge of (shared only with the Arbroath and Forfar Railway
Arbroath and Forfar Railway
The Arbroath and Forfar Railway was a railway that ran from the North East coast of Scotland at Arbroath inland to Guthrie on the Aberdeen Railway and then west to Forfar where is connected with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway. It was incorporated on 19 May 1836.-History:The Arbroath and...
), later being converted to standard gauge when it was incorporated into the national Rail system. Between 1861 and 1901, Monifieth's population more than tripled; from 558 to 2,134 and in 1895, Monifieth was registered at Forfar
Forfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court
Sheriff courts provide the local court service in Scotland, with each court serving a sheriff court district within a sheriffdom.Sheriff courts deal with a myriad of legal procedures which include:*Solemn and Summary Criminal cases...
as a burgh.
A tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way service was introduced in 1905, with cars journeying into Dundee City centre at regular intervals. This service was welcomed by the many who travelled daily either from the Burgh into the City on business, or the many hundreds who commuted daily to work in the factories and mills.
In 1905 Monifieth gained a Cottage Hospital
Cottage Hospital
The original concept of a cottage hospital was a small rural hospital having up to 25 beds. One advantage of such a hospital in villages was the familiarity the local physician might have with their patient that may affect their treatment...
via a provision made in the will of the Reverend James Gerard Young DD. The Reverend Young had been Minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
of Monifieth Parish Church from 1855 until his death in 1899. The funds he left were used to establish the Gerard Trust which managed the Gerard Cottage Hospital from its opening until it passed into the control of the new National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
in 1948. The hospital closed in 1969 and subsequently became Mary's Residential Home for the elderly.
During the Second World War the Monifieth Foundry was used for the production of war supplies including bombs and and aircraft parts.
Governance
Monifieth is represented within Angus Council by the Monifieth & Sidlaw Ward, from which four councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward are, as of 2009: Councillor Jean Lee (Scottish National PartyScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
), Councillor Rob Murray (Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
), Councillor John R Whyte (Conservative Party) and Councillor Margaret Thomson (Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
).
The town is part of the Dundee East constituency
Dundee East (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1950s:...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, at Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. The constituency's MP is currently Stewart Hosie
Stewart Hosie
Stewart Hosie is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Dundee East. He is Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the SNP Westminster Group and House of Commons party spokesperson on the Treasury and Economic matters...
of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
.
Monifieth is also part of the Angus South constituency
Angus South (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Angus South is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, which has significantly different boundaries to the Westminster constituency. The constituency returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood
Holyrood, Edinburgh
Holyrood is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lying east of the city centre, at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood was once in the separate burgh of Canongate before the expansion of Edinburgh in 1856...
directly, and is part of the North East Scotland electoral region
North East Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
North East Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
with regards to additional Members of the Scottish Parliament. The constituency's MSP is currently Graeme Dey
Graeme Dey
Graeme Dey is a Scottish politician. He is the current Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Parliament constituency of Angus South, elected at the 2011 election. Dey received 16,164 votes, representing 58.5% of the vote, a 38.3% majority....
of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
.
Monifieth's status in Angus Council has long been the subject of debate, with Dundee City councillors arguing that it should be part of Dundee Council in order to rebalance Dundee City Council Tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
revenues. Initial moves were made by the council of Dundee to annex the burgh into Dundee's boundaries nearly a hundred years ago. In 1913 a petition signed by the residents of Monifieth was presented before Parliament in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and successfully retained Monifieth's independence. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
redrew the council boundaries and Monifieth became part of Dundee City Council in 1975. In 1996, after Local government
Local government of Scotland
Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities designated as Councils which consist of councillors elected every four years by registered voters in each of the council areas....
reorganisation
Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994
The Local Government etc. Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government structure of 32 unitary authorities covering the whole of Scotland....
, Monifieth became part of the Angus council area, after being part of Dundee District in the Tayside
Tayside
Tayside Region was a local government region of Scotland from 15 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. It was created by the 1973 Act following recommendations made by the 1969 Wheatley Report which attempted to replace the mishmash of counties, cities, burghs and districts, with a uniform two-tier system...
region
Regions and districts of Scotland
The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....
for 21 years.
Geography
Monifieth occupies a position on the North Bank of the Firth of Tay on the East Coast of Scotland, on land immediately to the West of the Buddon Ness, 6 miles (10 km) EBoxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, 10.3 miles (17 km) WSW
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
, and 11.3 miles (18 km) S
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of Forfar
Forfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
. The town lies 38.4 miles (62 km) NNE
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and 360.3 miles (580 km) NNW
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The built-up area occupies a roughly rectangular shape 1.2 miles (2 km) long by 0.7 miles (1 km) wide, aligned in a ENE direction. The land is relatively flat, rising gradually to around 50m elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
to the North of the town at South Grange.
The town occupies the southern part of the Parish of Monifieth, at the South Western most corner of the county of Angus, and incorporates a number of former villages and Hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
, including Ashludie, Milton and South Grange. Contiguous to the town, on the West side of the county boundary, is Barnhill and Panmurefield Village and the Dundee conurbation. To the East is a 2.7 miles (4 km) expanse of rural land between the town and the village of Barry
Barry, Angus
Barry is a small village in Angus, Scotland at the mouth of the River Tay. The recent completion of a bypass for the village on the A930 road from Dundee to Carnoustie is something that was originally planned before the Second World War. There is a water mill operated by the National Trust for...
and town of Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
. This rural area includes a number of farmsteads and hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
, including Lucknow
Lucknow, Angus
Lucknow is a hamlet in Angus, Scotland. It lies on the A930 road between Monifieth and Barry....
, West Cotside, Ardestie, Balhungie and Woodhill
Woodhill, Angus
Woodhill is a settlement in Angus, Scotland. It lies at a central point between Carnoustie and Monifieth on the east on an unclassified road linking the A92 and A930 roads. Woodhill House was erected in 1604 by William Auchinleck who later became Provost of Dundee...
, as well as the Monifieth golf courses and Panmure golf course.
To the south of this, on the southern side of the railway, is the peninsula of the Buddon Ness, on which lies the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
owned Barry Buddon training camp
Barry, Angus
Barry is a small village in Angus, Scotland at the mouth of the River Tay. The recent completion of a bypass for the village on the A930 road from Dundee to Carnoustie is something that was originally planned before the Second World War. There is a water mill operated by the National Trust for...
. This land is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
and a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
.
The Buddon Ness is a triangle of land around 11 km2. Its position at the estury of the River Tay makes it prone to erosion, and the position of both the West and East facing shores have changed considerably over the years. Comparison of Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps from the mid-19th century with present day maps show the shoreline retreating on the West shore and advancing on the East shore.
To the North of the town runs the A92
A92 road
The A92 is a major road in Fife and Angus, Scotland. It runs from Dunfermline to Stonehaven.Starting at its junction with the M90 motorway near Dunfermline, it runs north east past Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Ladybank and Newport-on-Tay...
, between Dundee and Arbroath. Beyond this lies the farms of North Grange, Balmossie and Ardownie and Ethiebeaton retail and leisure park, as well as Roman Hill, Gallow Hill and Laws Hill. The Edinburgh to Aberdeen railway line
Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with Aberdeen via the Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge and Dundee. Also it serves as an extension to the East Coast Main Line and the Cross Country Route...
runs along the South of the town, separating the built up area from the Blue Seaway leisure area and the two caravan sites. The A930 runs through the town East to West from Barry to Barnhill.
The Western political boundary of the town is marked by West Grange Road, leading south from the West Grange roundabout on the A92, the cycle track that goes from West Grange Road over the Seven Arches viaduct over the Dighty Burn (once part of the Dundee to Forfar Railway), around Monifieth High School grounds, between Inchkeith Avenue and Balmossie Place, and down North and South Balmossie Street to the river bank.
Demography
Accurate demographic information for Monifieth is complicated by the town's inclusion in the DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
locality in the 2001 census. Estimates from 2008 put the population at 8,220.
Almost 2,400 Monifieth residents (approximately 29% of the population) travel to work or study in Dundee. Assuming that the figure of 73% in Angus being between the ages of 16 and 65, holds for Monifieth then this represents a figure of 40% of people of working age.
Economy
Monifieth's proximity to Dundee is a key feature of its economy. Approximately 40% of working age residents commute to Dundee for work or to study.Monifieth has a small retail and leisure complex to the north of the town at Ethiebeaton, which comprises a garden centre, a gym and a department store which sells local produce. There is also a shopping area centred around the high street, which has a variety of businesses.
Tourism plays a small but significant role in Monifieth's economy and has benefited from the area's associations with golf. Monifieth Golf Links is used as a qualifying course for the Open Championship, which returned to nearby Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
in 2007. The golf links is included in the Carnoustie Country golf marketing campaign, which is funded by Angus Council to promote golf in the area. Monifieth is served by a number of small hotels within the town, as well as larger hotels at Monifieth Farm at the Ethiebeaton retail park and at Forbes of Kingennie to the north of the town.
Landmarks
To the west side of the town there is the Dighty Water, which is known as a 'burn' in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It begins up in the Sidlaw Hills and runs 15 miles east-southeast where it meets the Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
. At least two mills are known to have existed beside the burn: the Milton Mill and the Balmossie Mill. The Milton Mill, which opened in 1788 as a flax spinning mill, was part of the Milton industrial area. It is the oldest water-powered flax mill in Angus. The mill, which is a category B listed building, suffered significant fire damage in June 2006. Initially, the mill was not permitted to be demolished but, in April 2010, it was agreed by the Angus Development Standards Committee that the building was "beyond saving" and demolition was permitted. Demolition of surrounding buildings was already under way, clearing the way for a housing development.
The Balmossie Mill, the smaller of the two mills, was a water mill. Remains of a water wheel and machinery is evident. The exact date of the building is unknown but in 1692 two local men were recorded by local newspapers for poaching. The Balmossie Mill is a category B listed building.
Continuing eastwards from the Milton Mill, along Ferry Road and Maule Street towards the town centre, Monifieth's war memorial is situated. The memorial was dedicated in 1921 and was built by Charles Soutar. The design includes a sculpture of an angel warrior figure with a sword and laurel wreath. Invertay House, located further along Maule Street on the south side of the road, was built in 1878 and opened as Monifieth Public School. Today, the building houses offices. Opposite Invertay House, on the north side of the road, is the Gerard Hall. The hall was built in 1882 for Sunday School pupils of the adjacent St Rule's Parish Church.
Transport
A92 road
The A92 is a major road in Fife and Angus, Scotland. It runs from Dunfermline to Stonehaven.Starting at its junction with the M90 motorway near Dunfermline, it runs north east past Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Ladybank and Newport-on-Tay...
runs between Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
and Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
immediately to the North of Monifieth. There are several ways to reach the A92, including: the B962, which links to the A92 at the Ardestie junction; Victoria Street, which links to the A92 at the Ethiebeaton Park roundabout; and via the West Grange Road roundabout. The other main road route from Monifieth is the A930
A930 road
The A930 is a single carriageway road in Angus, Scotland. It runs from Dundee to Carnoustie.Starting at its junction with the A92 road in Craigie, Dundee, it runs east through West Ferry, Broughty Ferry, Barnhill and Monifieth. It then passes through countryside north of the Buddon Ness, past Barry...
, which leads Westwards to Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
via Barnhill and Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry is a suburb on the eastern side of the City of Dundee, on the shore of the Firth of Tay in eastern Scotland...
and eastwards to Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
, and is named Ferry Road, Maule Street, High Street and Panmure Street.
Trains are operated by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen line
Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with Aberdeen via the Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge and Dundee. Also it serves as an extension to the East Coast Main Line and the Cross Country Route...
. There is at present only a token service, stopping only once a day each way at Monifieth Station
Monifieth railway station
Monifieth railway station serves the town of Monifieth near Dundee, Scotland. The station was opened on 6 October 1838 on the Dundee and Arbroath Railway...
(0623 West-bound and 1906 East-bound).
Buses are operated by Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
on their Arbroath-Dundee route, including the number 73 and 73A buses, and the number 39A (early weekday mornings, evenings and on Sundays). They operate on a regular basis, with most stopping at bus stops along the main A930 road. Additional services operate via Ashludie Hospital and Ethiebeaton Park, including the 75 service (which stops at Ethiebeaton Park) and the 78 and 79 services (which go on towards Wellbank, Newbigging and Monikie). Stagecoach buses provide timetables online.
Education
There are currently two primary schools located in Monifieth and one secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. The schools are Grange Primary School
Grange Primary School
Grange Primary School is one of the two primary schools currently in Monifieth. Monifieth is part of the Angus District. Most children living on the west side of Monifieth attend Grange Primary School. It is a mixed gender school for children ranging from of 5 to 12 years old...
, Seaview Primary School and Monifieth High School
Monifieth High School
Monifieth High School, a comprehensive state high school in Monifieth, Angus, Scotland, was founded in 1976. Its current headmaster is Richard Coton. The school enrolls approximately 1100 pupils from a catchment area including Monifieth, parts of Barnhill, Birkhill and other rural areas of Angus...
. Between them, they have approximately 1700 pupils. Seaview Primary School is the oldest of all three schools, although it was formerly a secondary school. It had 342 pupils and 19 teachers (as of September 2007). Seaview Primary School was knocked down recently and a new primary school of the same name was built in its place.
Monifieth High School
Monifieth High School
Monifieth High School, a comprehensive state high school in Monifieth, Angus, Scotland, was founded in 1976. Its current headmaster is Richard Coton. The school enrolls approximately 1100 pupils from a catchment area including Monifieth, parts of Barnhill, Birkhill and other rural areas of Angus...
was founded in 1976 and has a catchment area of Monifieth, Birkhill and other rural areas of Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
including Newbigging
Newbigging, Angus
Newbigging is a village in Angus, Scotland, two miles north-east of Dundee. The name "Newbigging" originally referred to a "new bigging" or "new cottar town" . The village is roughly two miles north of Monifieth and east of Dundee, Scotland's fourth City...
. During the school's thirty-three years, there have only been three headteachers. Many of the school's facilities have just recently been renovated, including new windows and several extensions. A new "community wing" has been planned for the school to allow the local community to become more involved in school life.
Sport and Leisure
Monifieth has two golf courses, The Medal and The Ashludie. The Medal course was used as a qualifying course for the Open Championship in 2007. There are 4 golf clubs in the area - Broughty Golf Club, Grange, the Ladies Panmure and Monifieth.Monifieth Athletic
Monifieth Athletic
Monifieth Athletic is a youth football club in Monifieth, in Scotland. It is operated by the Dundee & District Youth Football Association . The football club is only for boys ranging from the ages of 8-16. They play at Riverview Park in Monifieth. This is also the training facility. Recently the...
is a football club that plays in the Dundee and District Youth Football Association with players up to the age of 16. They play at Riverside Park in Monifieth.
The Blue Seaway is a development on the seafront that was opened in 2003 at a cost of £800,000. It incorporates an adventure play ground, skate park, putting green and tennis courts.
Public Services
Monifieth and the surrounding area is supplied with water by Scottish WaterScottish Water
Scottish Water is a statutory corporation in Scotland that provides water and sewerage services. Unlike in England and Wales, water and sewerage provision in Scotland continues as a public corporation accountable to the public through the Scottish Government....
. Water was supplied from Crombie reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
until 1981. Since then, along with Dundee and parts of Perthshire, Angus has been supplied from Lintrathen and Backwater
Backwater Reservoir
Backwater Reservoir is a reservoir in north west Angus, Scotland.The project was initiated by the Dundee Corporation Waterworks in 1964 and absorbed into the newly created East of Scotland Water Board in 1968, before final completion and the official opening by Queen Elizabeth II on October 9, 1969...
reservoirs in Glen Isla
River Isla, Perthshire
The River Isla is a tributary of the River Tay in Angus and Perthshire, Scotland. It runs for 46 miles through Glen Isla and Strathmore .-External links:*...
. Electricity distribution is by Scottish Hydro Electric plc
Scottish Hydro Electric
Scottish Hydro plc was a Public Electricity Supplier formed on 1 August 1989 after a change of name from North of Scotland Electricity plc on that date...
, part of the Scottish and Southern Energy group.
Waste management is handled by Angus Council
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
. There is a kerbside recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
scheme that has been in operation since May 2006. 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
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
at Angus Council's site at Lochhead, Forfar and the remainder sent for incineration
Incineration
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and...
(with energy recovery) outside the council area.
A recycling centre is located at Riverview Drive. 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 is also a glass bank at the Tesco car park. The Angus Council area had a recycling rate of 34.7% in 2007/08.
Healthcare
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
is supplied in the area by NHS Tayside
NHS Tayside
NHS Tayside is one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. It provides healthcare services in the Angus, City of Dundee and Perth and Kinross areas. NHS Tayside is headquartered in Clepington Road, Dundee...
. The nearest hospitals with accident and emergency departments are Arbroath Infirmary, and Ninewells Hospital
Ninewells Hospital
Ninewells Hospital is one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, 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 management of cancer, medical...
, Dundee. Primary Health Care in Monifieth is supplied by Monifieth Medical Practice which is based at the Health Centre on Victoria Street; Monifieth along with the rest of Scotland is served by the Scottish Ambulance Service
Scottish Ambulance Service
The Scottish Ambulance Service is part of NHS Scotland, and serves all of Scotland. It is a Special Health Board funded directly by the Scottish Government Health Department....
.
Law enforcement is provided by Tayside Police
Tayside Police
Tayside Police is the territorial police force covering the Scottish council areas of Angus, City of Dundee and Perth and Kinross . The total area covered by the force is with a population of 388,000....
, and Monifieth is served by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service
Tayside Fire and Rescue Service
Tayside Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the area of Tayside and covering a geographical area of 7,500 square kilometres. The FRS has a total of 50 fire appliances based at a total of 24 fire stations. The service currently recruits 721 operational Firefighters...
.
External links
- Images of the Pictish stones from the RCAHMS' ScranScranScran is a Scottish online resource for educational use by the public, schools, further education and higher education. It presents 360,000 images and sounds contributed by museums, galleries, archives and the media...
database