98-632: 56°38′39″N 2°53′21″W / 56.6441°N 2.8891°W / 56.6441; -2.8891 The Meffan Institute is a museum and art gallery in Forfar , Angus . It houses a variety of exhibits of local interest in Angus, including a collection of Pictish stones , particularly the Dunnichen Stone and the Kirriemuir Sculptured Stones as well as Roman and Medieval artefacts found in
196-472: A byword: "Be like the coo o Forfar, an tak a stannin drink". First War of Scottish Independence Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton [REDACTED] Kingdom of Scotland Gaelic Ireland : [REDACTED] Kingdom of England The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between English and Scottish forces. It lasted from the English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until
294-588: A controlling interest in another Forfar based-textile firm, Moffat & Son Ltd, who operated Haugh Works in South Street. Another important Forfar textile firm was J & A Craik & Company, Linen and Jute Manufacturers, which was based at the Manor Works. Craiks was started in 1863 when James Craik obtained land in Forfar to build the Manor Works and the company survived until 1981, the year in which it became part of
392-477: A crossbowman, and 3d for a foot archer. With the success of the English at Falkirk two years earlier, Edward must have felt in a position to bring Scotland under full control permanently. To do this required further campaigning, eliminating the last opposition and securing castles that were (or would be) centres of resistance. The English took control of Caerlaverock Castle , but apart from some small skirmishes, there
490-471: A day, the defenders of the destroyed castle were allowed to submit; about fifty men surrendered. Meanwhile, while Robert Bruce outwardly maintained his loyalty to Edward, he was secretly advancing his own ambition and, while assisting Edward in the settlement of the Scottish government, on 11 June 1304, with both of them having witnessed the efforts of their countrymen at Stirling, Bruce and William Lamberton made
588-694: A friend, rather than as an enemy. He was facing both excommunication by the Pope for his actions and a possible invasion by the French. Robert the Bruce's defection to the English king's side was not total. He sent a letter to the monks at Melrose Abbey in March 1302 that effectively weakened his usefulness to the English king. Apologizing for having called the monks to service in his army when there had been no national call up, Bruce pledged that, henceforth, he would "never again" require
686-482: A major locomotive shed remains and is in use for vehicle body manufacture. Some bridges and cuttings still survive but the site of the goods station, which was the town's original railway station before the one near the County Buildings was built, is now mainly residential properties. Local bus services are operated predominantly by Stagecoach Strathtay , Moffat & Williamson and JP Coaches. Key routes connect
784-642: A man as he himself will be willing to answer for". This suggests that Edward suspected Robert was not entirely trustworthy and may have been plotting behind his back. Bruce, as Earl of Carrick and now 7th Lord of Annandale, held huge estates and property in both Scotland and England, and had a claim to the Scottish throne. He also had a large family to protect. In addition to his wife Elizabeth and daughter Marjory, there were his brothers, Edward, Alexander, Thomas and Nigel, his sisters, Christian, Isabel (Queen of Norway) , Margaret, Matilda and Mary, and his nephews Domhnall II, Earl of Mar and Thomas Randolph . If he claimed
882-670: A northern landowner, Andrew de Moray of Petty . Andrew and his father were both captured in the rout after the Battle of Dunbar in April 1296. Andrew the younger was initially held captive in Chester Castle on the Anglo-Welsh border, from which he escaped during the winter of 1296–97. He returned to his father's castle at Avoch on the northern shore of the Moray Firth , where he raised his banner in
980-561: A pact that bound them, each to the other, in "friendship and alliance against all men." If one should break the secret pact, he would forfeit to the other the sum of ten thousand pounds. Though both had already surrendered to the English, the pact signaled their commitment to their future perseverance for the Scots and their independence. They now intended to bide their time until the death of the elderly king of England. Scotland lay defenceless and Edward set about amalgamating her into England. Homage
1078-541: A serjeant being counted as equal in worth to one half of a knight. Also accompanying them was 850 paid househeld men, mostly from the royal household. Several earls, such as the Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Lincoln , showed up in person, but most did not. The cavalry were divided into four battalions, each consisting of 15–20 bannerets (60–80 total), each in command of on average 13 knights and squires (780–1,040 total). Edward also requested 16,000 infantry from his magnates, but
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#17328588300831176-487: A site held sacred by the Scots, that Ormesby had been dispensing English justice. Ormesby was forewarned of Wallace's imminent assault and hastily fled. On hearing about the start of an aristocratic uprising, Edward I, although engaged in events in France, sent a force of foot soldiers and horsemen under Henry Percy and Robert Clifford to resolve the "Scottish problem". On receiving reports that William Douglas had defected to
1274-463: A spike on London Bridge . The English government displayed his limbs separately in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth. On 15 September, the English parliament met with the Scottish representatives to decide the ordinances of government for Scotland. In the midst of listing punishments to be meted out to other Scots, Edward ordered Robert Bruce to put his castle at Kildrummy "in the keeping of such
1372-433: A swimming pool and a separate dedicated leisure centre. There is also a newly built skatepark near the leisure centre. Forfar has an ice rink which was built in the early 1990s and this is home to the local curling club. There are three bowling clubs in Forfar, Forfar Bowling Club, Canmore Bowling Club and Forfar Indoor Bowling Club. Both Forfar Bowling Club and Canmore Bowling Club have outdoor bowling greens. Forfar Loch
1470-508: Is a canoe, excavated from Forfar Loch, that dates back to the 11th century (one of two that were found). In 1911 more than 20% of workers in Forfar were employed in the jute industry. Employment levels in this industry generally dramatically declined in other parts of Angus , including Dundee, during the next four decades. Notably in Dundee, the centre of the British jute industry, more than 40.4% of
1568-453: Is a focal point of Forfar, visible when entering the town from any direction. Although abutting the East & Old building, it is owned by the 'Town' and is not formally part of the church property; it is all but certain to be retained following any disposal of the church building. The town has churches of other denominations, including: There is a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's witnesses The town
1666-416: Is also an art gallery and a meeting place for local speakers, summer clubs for children and groups. The story of Forfar takes you from the history of the little cobbler shops to the burning of the witch Helen Guthrie . There is also a good selection of Pictish stones found in and around Forfar and Kirriemuir. The Large Class I Pictish stone , with a rare carving of a flower, is called the Dunnichen Stone . It
1764-696: Is approximately 5 miles (8 km) from Glamis Castle , seat of the Bowes-Lyon family and ancestral home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother , and where the late Princess Margaret , younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II , was born in 1930. Forfar dates back to the temporary Roman occupation of the area , and was subsequently held by the Picts and the Kingdom of Scotland . During the Scottish Wars of Independence , Forfar
1862-497: Is home to Forfar Sailing Club. Angus Gliding Club operates at Roundyhill, between Glamis and Kirriemuir. Forfar has three primary schools: There is one secondary school in the town: In 2007, the Forfar-Carnoustie Schools Project made major changes to schools in Forfar, with closure of the following primary schools: Chapelpark Primary School on Academy Street (the former Forfar Academy) opened in 1967 and
1960-576: Is home to the Strathmore Mineral Water Co., Ltd., a bottled mineral water producer now run by AG Barr. The company's products are shipped worldwide. Forfar is known for the "coo o Forfar". A householder left a tub of beer in the doorway to cool, and a passing cow drank it. When the owner of the cow was charged for the beer, a baillie ruled that if the beer was drunk at the doorway it was "deoch an doras" or "stirrup cup", to charge for which would be an insult to Scots hospitality. This became
2058-574: Is represented within Angus Council by the Forfar & District ward, from which four councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward are, as of 2021; Lynne Devine ( Scottish National Party ), Braden Davy ( Scottish Conservative and Unionist ), Colin Brown (Independent) and Ian McLaren (Independent). The town is located just off the main A90 Dundee to Aberdeen road; having once passed through
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#17328588300832156-501: Is the county town of Angus, Scotland , and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million-pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town has a population of 16,280. The town lies in Strathmore and is situated just off the main A90 road between Perth and Aberdeen , with Dundee (the nearest city) being 13 miles (21 km) away. It
2254-583: Is traditionally identified with the Forfar Bridie , a meat pastry snack. A recipe for the Forfar bridie was featured in "Maw Broon's Cookbook". Another feature of the town is the Forfar Loch Country Park, which is visited by locals as a walking venue. It is said that the Forfar Loch extended over much more of Forfar in the 1800s, going as far up as Orchardbank and Wellbrae. A drainage project brought
2352-457: The de jure restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton in 1328. De facto independence was established in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn . The wars were caused by the attempts of the English kings to establish their authority over Scotland while Scots fought to keep English rule and authority out of Scotland. The term "War of Independence" did not exist at
2450-613: The Battle of Falkirk . (It is impossible to give a precise number of the dead.) Despite the victory, Edward and his army soon returned to England and thus failed to subdue Scotland completely. But the defeat had ruined Wallace's military reputation. He retreated to thick woods nearby and resigned his guardianship in December. Wallace was succeeded as Guardian of the Kingdom jointly by Robert Bruce and John Comyn , but they could not see past their personal differences. This brought another shift in
2548-602: The Beeching cuts ; a goods line from Perth continued until 1982. The station was located on the main line of the Caledonian Railway from Glasgow Buchanan Street to Aberdeen , which was the furthest north link in the chain of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston . Lines also went to Dundee, Arbroath, Brechin and Kirriemuir. The station has since been demolished and replaced by a small housing estate. However,
2646-549: The First War of Scottish Independence , the castle of Forfar was held by the English. After Robert the Bruce 's victory over the Earl of Buchan , Philip, the Forester of Platane, together with some of his friends, raised ladders against the wall and, climbing over, surprised the garrison and killed them. He then yielded the castle to Bruce, who rewarded him and gave instructions for its slighting . Like other parts of Angus , Forfar
2744-504: The League Two football club, Forfar Athletic . The Forfar bridie , a Scottish meat pastry snack, is traditionally identified with the town. The exact origin of the name Forfar is uncertain. One suggestion is that the name is Gaelic and means "a cold point", involving, fuar meaning "cold, chilly", and bhar meaning "a point". During one of the Roman invasions of modern-day Scotland,
2842-482: The Midlands Football League . Forfar Athletic's ground, Station Park , plays host to matches featuring Dundee United Reserves. Youth and Women's Football is available in the town, with Forfar Boys F.C (boys only), Lochside Boys F.C (boys only) and Forfar Farmington F.C (boys, girls and women's) All the clubs have SFA Quality Mark Award at some level. Forfar has a National League rugby league team,
2940-544: The Strathmore Silverbacks , which shares Inchmacoble Park as its home ground with the local rugby union team. Rugby Union is represented in the town by Strathmore Rugby Football Club , who play their home games at Inchmacoble Park, beside Forfar Loch. The club has men's and ladies' teams. The Forfar Golf Club, founded in 1871, has the 4th oldest 18 hole course in the world and is the very first club to have an 18-hole course from inception and inauguration. The course
3038-563: The landed nobility to pass on titles and properties as normal. De Soulis remained abroad, refusing to surrender. Wallace was still at large in Scotland and, unlike all the nobles and bishops, refused to pay homage to Edward. Edward needed to make an example of someone, and, by refusing to capitulate and accept his country's occupation and annexation, Wallace became the unfortunate focus of Edward's hatred. He would be granted no peace unless he put himself utterly and absolutely under Edward's will. It
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3136-481: The 1300 border campaign is one of the best-documented English armies of the medieval period. The king issued summons in December 1299 asking for feudal service from his magnates across the realm (with the exception of Wales, which Edward stated 'have leave to remain home, because of all the great work they have done in our service in the past'). The roll recording for the army showed that 40 knights and 366 mounted serjeants responded to this request with unpaid service, with
3234-644: The Duke of Rothesay, visited the town in April 2012 to take the salute of the Black Watch during the regiment's homecoming parade, marking its return from a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh. The meeting place of the burgh was the Forfar Town and County Hall . It is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1928. The town
3332-452: The Earl of Surrey's army, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge . The Scottish army deployed to the north-east of the bridge, and let the vanguard of Surrey's army cross the bridge before attacking. The English cavalry proved ineffective on the boggy ground around the bridge, and many of them were killed. The bridge collapsed when English reinforcements were crossing. The English on the opposite side of
3430-488: The East and Old and St Margaret's are to remain individual churches as they have always have been. The East & Old Church is built on the site of the original place of worship that some of the monks of Restenneth Priory built hundreds of years before the one today. The adjoining graveyard has famous 'residents' such as botanist George Don, quite a few scholars and a man who blamed the witches of Forfar for poisoning him after ill words were exchanged between them. The steeple
3528-535: The English court as a common plaintiff. John was a weak king, known as "Toom Tabard" or "Empty Coat". John renounced his homage in March 1296. That same month Edward invaded Scotland and stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then-Scottish border town. In April, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar in East Lothian . By July, Edward had forced John to abdicate. Edward instructed his officers to receive formal homage from some 1,800 Scottish nobles (many of
3626-594: The English in a number of battles. His forces continued to grow in strength, encouraged in part by the death of Edward I in July 1307. The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 was an especially important Scottish victory, after which the English released the female relatives of Bruce for exchange. In 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was signed by the community of the realm of Scotland and sent to Pope John XXII affirming Scottish independence from England. In 1327, Edward II of England
3724-521: The Low and Bonar group. Craiks owned Forfar Fabrics Ltd, incorporated in 1965, which amalgamated with Low & Bonar Textiles Limited in 1981. The jute manufacturers, John Lowson, Jnr & Co Ltd, also operated in Forfar, operating out of Victoria Works. The Meffan Museum is in the heart of the town. It was built by a daughter of the Provost Meffan as a bequest in 1898. It is home of the Forfar story. It
3822-439: The Pope, The Pope's support for the Scots faded without Philip's influence. It seemed that Philip had such difficulties that he signed a peace treaty with Edward that did not include any protection for the Scots. This act the Scots knew spelled their doom. A powerful Scottish delegation, led by Soulis, went to Paris that autumn to try to head off such an event. In his absence, Comyn was appointed as Guardian. In November 1302, when
3920-686: The Romans established a major camp at Battledykes , approximately 3 miles (5 km) north of Forfar; this camp was analysed to have held 50,000 to 60,000 men. From Battledykes northward the Romans established a succession of camps including Stracathro , Raedykes and Normandykes . During the Middle Ages, a "claimant" to the throne, the daughter of the leader of the Meic Uilleim , who were descendants of King Duncan II , had her brains dashed out on Forfar market cross in 1230 while still an infant. During
4018-487: The Scots were exultant at their victory. Their successes, however, were rendered useless when, in May 1303, Philip formally signed a peace with England and omitted any consideration for the Scots. Edward I was now free from embarrassment abroad and at home, and having made preparations for the final conquest of Scotland, he commenced his invasion in the middle of May 1303. His army was arranged in two divisions—one under himself and
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4116-567: The Scots. The laws and liberties of Scotland would be as they had been in the day of Alexander III, and any that needed alteration would be with the advice of Edward and the advice and assent of the Scots nobles. Excepting William Wallace and John de Soulis, it seemed that all would be forgiven after some of the more famous leaders were exiled from Scotland for various periods. Forfeited estates could be recovered by payment of fines levied in amounts deemed appropriate for each individual's betrayal. Inheritances would continue as they always had, allowing
4214-438: The castle, Edward refused, saying, "If he thinks it will be better for him to defend the castle than yield it, he will see." After three months of bombardment with every siege engine Edward could bring to bear, the defenders still held the castle. When they could hold out no longer, they offered to surrender unconditionally, but Edward refused to accept. He would first bombard the castle with " Warwolf ", his new trebuchet . After
4312-476: The church, his attendants, Kirkpatrick and Lindsay, entered and, finding Comyn still alive, killed him. Bruce and his followers then forced the local English judges to surrender their castle. Bruce realised that the die had been cast and that he had no alternative except to become either a king or a fugitive. The murder of Comyn – within a church – was an act of sacrilege, and he faced a future as an excommunicate and an outlaw. However his pact with Lamberton and
4410-477: The defeat of the English. The blessing of Wishart gave Wallace and his soldiers a degree of respectability. Previously, Scottish nobles had considered them mere outlaws. He was soon joined by William Douglas and others. In early June, Wallace and Douglas planned a symbolic strike to liberate Scone , the seat of the English-appointed Justiciar of Scotland, William de Ormesby . It was from Scone,
4508-588: The ground in an arson attack. The local community hospital, the Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre , was built on the site of the old Whitehills Hospital building (the former hospital for infectious diseases) and opened in Spring 2005. The new hospital replaced Forfar Infirmary , formerly the town's main hospital, as well as Whitehills Hospital. The Infirmary has since been completely demolished. The Fyfe-Jamieson maternity hospital closed some time ago; it
4606-547: The killing in Dumfries, at Scone Abbey on 25 March 1306, Robert Bruce was crowned as King Robert I of Scotland . He then began a new campaign to free his kingdom. After being defeated at the Battle of Methven , he was driven from the Scottish mainland as an outlaw. His wife, three of his brothers, his sisters, and daughter were captured by the English. The three brothers were hanged, drawn and quartered. Bruce later came out of hiding in 1307. The Scots thronged to him, and he defeated
4704-508: The king's army at Bothwell , which he captured in September. The two English armies met to winter at Linlithgow without having damaged the Scots' fighting ability. In January 1302, Edward agreed to a nine-month truce. It was around this time that Robert the Bruce, along with other nobles, gave his allegiance to Edward I, even though he had been on the side of the patriots until then. There are many reasons that may have prompted his turning. Not
4802-455: The larger, was under his own command. The prince was to take the southwestern lands and the greater glory, so his father hoped. But the prince held cautiously to the Solway coast. Scot forces, commanded by de Soulis and de Umfraville, attacked the prince's army at Lochmaben in early September and maintained contact with his army as it captured Robert the Bruce's Turnberry Castle. They also threatened
4900-465: The least of them possibly was that Bruce found it loathsome to continue sacrificing his followers, family and inheritance for the exiled Scottish king John Balliol. There were rumours that Balliol would return with a French army and regain the Scottish throne. Soulis supported the return of Balliol as did many other nobles, but the return of John as king would lead to the Bruces losing any chance of ever gaining
4998-417: The local area. A reconstruction of historic scenes of Forfar includes representations of daily life as it would have been around the beginning of the 19th century, as well as a depiction of the execution of one of the women accused of witchcraft in the Forfar witch hunts of 1661-1666. Forfar Forfar ( / ˈ f ɔːr f ər / ; Scots : Farfar , Scottish Gaelic : Baile Fharfair )
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#17328588300835096-429: The merchants of Lübeck and Hamburg that they now had free access to all parts of the kingdom of Scotland, which had, by favour of God, been recovered by war from the English. Only one week after this document was signed, Wallace mounted an invasion of England. Crossing into Northumberland , the Scots followed the English army fleeing south in disarray. Caught between two armies, hundreds of refugees fled to safety behind
5194-405: The monks to serve unless it was to "the common army of the whole realm", for national defence. More serious to the Scottish patriots than the apparent defection of Bruce was the loss of support from Philip IV of France and subsequently, the Pope. Philip faced revolt at home and became too involved in his own difficulties to care about the Scots. He thus created a schism between the Scots' cause and
5292-463: The most hunted man in Scotland for years, but especially for the past eighteen months. He was quickly taken through the Scottish countryside, his legs bound beneath his horse, towards London, where, after a show trial , the English authorities had him executed on 23 August 1305, at the Elms of Smithfield in the traditional manner for a traitor. He was hanged, then drawn and quartered , and his head placed on
5390-402: The name of Scotland's king, John Balliol . Moray quickly gathered a band of like-minded patriots, and employing hit-and-run guerrilla tactics, began to attack and devastate every English-garrisoned castle from Banff to Inverness . The entire province of Moray was soon in revolt against King Edward I 's men, and before long Moray had secured the region, leaving him free to turn his attention to
5488-450: The nation in whom I was born." The confederacy of men that Bruce joined included James the Steward , Robert Wishart and William Douglas. Dissension broke out in the Scottish camp when the Scottish and English armies met in July 1297 near Irvine . The aristocratic revolt apparently halted before it even started, but its leaders led long and futile negotiations. It has been suggested that this
5586-781: The other under the Prince of Wales. Edward advanced in the east and his son entered Scotland by the west, but his advance was checked at several points by Wallace. King Edward reached Edinburgh by June, then marched by Linlithgow and Stirling to Perth. Comyn, with the small force under his command, could not hope to defeat Edward's forces. Edward stayed in Perth until July, then proceeded, via Dundee , Montrose and Brechin , to Aberdeen , arriving in August. From there, he marched through Moray, before his progress continued to Badenoch , before re-tracing his path back south to Dunfermline , where he stayed through
5684-468: The overseas trade that Scotland had enjoyed under Alexander III . Any evidence of his administrative acumen was probably destroyed by Edward's officials after his execution. There is, however, one Latin document in the archives of the Hanseatic town of Lübeck , which was sent on 11 October 1297 by "Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, leaders of the kingdom of Scotland and the community of the realm." It told
5782-418: The political situation. During 1299, diplomatic pressure from France and Rome persuaded Edward to release the imprisoned King John into the custody of Pope Boniface VIII . The papacy also condemned Edward's invasions and occupation of Scotland in the papal bull Scimus, Fili . The bull ordered Edward to desist his attacks and start negotiations with Scotland. However, Edward ignored the bull. William Wallace
5880-474: The rebels, Edward dispatched Robert Bruce , Earl of Carrick, together with his father's vassals of Annandale, to attack Douglas's stronghold in Lanarkshire . Whilst traveling north to face Douglas, Bruce began to think about where his loyalties truly lay. He decided to follow the Scottish cause, being quoted as saying, "No man holds his flesh and blood in hatred, and I am no exception. I must join my own people and
5978-462: The rest being prisoners of war at that time). Throughout Scotland, there was widespread discontent and disorder after the English Crown extended its dominion over Scotland. Acts of defiance were targeted at local English officials. In 1297, the country erupted in open revolt. Andrew de Moray and William Wallace emerged as the first significant Scottish patriots. Andrew de Moray was the son of
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#17328588300836076-424: The rest of the northeast of Scotland. William Wallace rose to prominence in May 1297, when he killed William Haselrig , the English sheriff of Lanark , and members of his garrison at Lanark. It is possible Richard Lundie helped in the attack. When news of Wallace's attack on the English rippled throughout Scotland, men rallied to him. The rebels were supported by Robert Wishart , Bishop of Glasgow, who longed for
6174-440: The river then fled the battlefield. The Scots suffered relatively light casualties, but the death from wounds of Andrew Moray dealt a profound blow to the Scottish cause. Stirling Bridge was the first key victory for the Scots. After clearing the English out of Scotland, Wallace turned his mind to the administration of the country. One of his early intentions was to reestablish commercial and diplomatic ties with Europe and win back
6272-422: The seat of government to York. On 3 July he invaded Scotland, intending to crush Wallace and all those daring to assert Scotland's independence. On 22 July, Edward's army attacked a much smaller Scottish force led by Wallace near Falkirk . The English army had a technological advantage. Longbowmen slaughtered Wallace's spearmen and cavalry by firing scores of arrows over great distances. Many Scots were killed at
6370-557: The support of the Scottish church, who were prepared to take his side in defiance of Rome , proved to be of great importance at this key moment when Bruce asserted his claim to the Scottish throne. He went to Glasgow and met with the Bishop of Glasgow, Robert Wishart. Rather than excommunicate Bruce, Wishart absolved him and urged people to rise in his support. They both then travelled to Scone, where they were met by Lamberton and other prominent churchmen and nobles. Less than seven weeks after
6468-426: The temporary truce between the Scots and the English ended, Edward delayed calling up his army until spring. Over that winter, however, he sent John Segrave and an army on a scouting expedition into the area west of Edinburgh. They were ambushed by Comyn and Simon Fraser , who had ridden all night to meet them. The Scots attack led to the capture of the severely wounded Segrave and, although his army later rescued him,
6566-677: The throne and receive Bruce's lands as compensation or vice versa. For some unknown motive, probably a desire to ruin his rival, Comyn revealed the conspiracy to Edward. Bruce was at the English court at this time and, after being forewarned, fled back to Scotland. Bruce arrived in Dumfries and found Comyn there. At a private meeting with Comyn on the 10th of February, 1306 at the Greyfriars Church, Bruce reproached Comyn for his treachery, which Comyn denied. Furious, Bruce drew his dagger and stabbed, though not mortally, his betrayer. As Bruce ran from
6664-419: The throne themselves. Also, Robert's father was old and ill, and may have wished his son to seek peace with Edward, who, he was convinced, would eventually be victorious over the Scots. The elder Bruce would have seen that, if the rebellion failed and his son were against Edward, he would lose everything; titles, lands, and probably his life. Edward also had come to see that he needed a Scottish noble like Bruce as
6762-474: The throne, he would throw the country into yet another series of wars. The pact which Bruce had made with Lamberton was not so secretly managed, and suspicions were awakened. This led to a conference with Comyn in which Bruce proposed, as the best means of preventing future trouble and for restoring their own privileges and the rights of Scots, that they should henceforward enter into an understanding with each other. Under this, Comyn would support Bruce's claim to
6860-435: The time, Wallace and Moray were both in their late twenties and neither could yet claim to be Scottish national heroes. Whereas some of the Scottish nobility had given in to English demands for allegiance (whilst still supporting the Scottish cause), Wallace's force remained unequivocally dedicated to the struggle for Scottish independence. On 11 September 1297, Scottish forces, under the joint command of Moray and Wallace, met
6958-514: The time. The war was given that name retrospectively many centuries later, after the American War of Independence made the term popular, and after the rise of modern Scottish nationalism . When King Alexander III ruled Scotland, his reign had seen a period of peace and economic stability. On 19 March 1286, however, Alexander died after falling from his horse. The heir to the throne was Alexander's granddaughter, Margaret, Maid of Norway . As she
7056-660: The town centre, the bypass was completed in 1987. The nearest stations to Forfar are Dundee , Carnoustie and Arbroath , which are all around 14 miles (23 km) away. Connections to the rest of Scotland are available on the Edinburgh–Dundee line ; the Glasgow–Dundee line , via Perth ; and the Dundee to Aberdeen line . The town was once served by Forfar railway station , which ran goods and passenger lines until 3 September 1967 when it closed for passenger transport as part of
7154-562: The town on 7 March 1941. The metal plaque is located on a wall on Market Street below Forfar Sheriff Court . It was here on 7 March 1941 that the Royal couple, along with General Sikorski, took the salute in the march past of the Polish troops. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the town and surrounding area in 2004 (the first time in around 30 years) and again in 2011. HRH Prince Charles,
7252-692: The town with Dundee , Kirriemuir , Edzell and Arbroath . As with most of the British Isles , Forfar has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). The nearest weather station to Forfar is located around 3 miles (5 km) north of Forfar, and is 91 m (299 ft) above sea level . The town is home to semi-professional football club Forfar Athletic , who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League and currently play in League Two and two SJFA clubs, Forfar West End , and Forfar United , who both currently play in
7350-419: The walls of Newcastle. The Scots laid waste a swathe of countryside before wheeling west into Cumberland and pillaging all the way to Cockermouth , before Wallace led his men back into Northumberland and fired 700 villages. On his return from England, laden with booty, Wallace found himself at the pinnacle of his power. In March 1298, Wallace was knighted, reputedly by one of the leading nobles of Scotland, and
7448-410: The water level down. In about the same time period the loch was used to dump raw sewage; thankfully this practice is no longer continued: it is now treated sewage. The town holds many events throughout the year such as the bi-annual Forfar Mara-Fun, which raises money for charity, and the annual Forfar Food Festival highlighting some of the local food. There is also a monthly farmers' market . Forfar
7546-576: The winter. Early in 1304, Edward sent a raiding party into the borders, which put to flight the forces under Fraser and Wallace. With the country now under submission, all the leading Scots surrendered to Edward in February, except for Wallace, Fraser, and Soulis, who was in France. Terms of submission were negotiated on 9 February by John Comyn, who refused to surrender unconditionally, but asked that prisoners of both sides be released by ransom and that Edward agree there would be no reprisals or disinheritance of
7644-403: The working population had worked in the jute industry in 1911, but by 1951 this had fallen to just 18.5%. In Forfar, however this trend was not followed as percentage of the workforce employed in the jute industry had actually risen to 24.4% by 1951. In the town there is a metal plaque to General Sikorski and the Polish troops commemorating the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to
7742-508: Was a deliberate move in order to provide space and time for Wallace to levy and train men. Percy and Clifford assumed that this was the end of the problem and retired back to the south, only to be followed once more by Wallace and Moray. These two divided their forces and in a short time again forced the English south of the Forth, leaving them holding only the castle of Dundee . While laying siege to Dundee Castle, Wallace heard that an English army
7840-480: Was across the road from the Forfar Academy, but the site has since been built over with houses. Forfar has three Church of Scotland congregations: It had been decided (by a Church of Scotland arbiter) that the East and Old Parish Church would close, and the congregation would be moving to St. Margaret's Church. This was brought back for discussion at Angus Presbytery due to a large vote against this decision. Now
7938-435: Was active for 40 years before closing in 2007. The pupils were re-located to Strathmore Primary and Whitehills Primary. The building continued in use as a school, initially by Whitehills Primary until their new school was completed in early 2008. It was then home to Langlands Primary, until the new school on that site was completed in May 2009. Some locals believe it would have made a great library/museum, but in spring of 2016 it
8036-516: Was again advancing north, this time under John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey . Wallace put the leading men of the town of Dundee in charge of the castle's siege and moved to halt the advance of the English army. Wallace and Moray, who had recently combined their forces, deployed on the Ochil Hills overlooking the bridge crossing the River Forth at Stirling and prepared to meet the English in battle. At
8134-558: Was again paid to Edward by the nobles, and a parliament was held in May 1305 to elect those who would meet later in the year with the English parliament to establish rules for the governance of Scotland by the English. The Earl of Richmond, Edward's nephew, was to head the subordinate government of Scotland and control the castles of Roxburgh and Jedburgh . Justices were to be appointed in pairs, one Englishman and one Scot. Militarily strategic localities were to be controlled by English sheriffs and constables, but most others by Scots. A council
8232-446: Was also decreed that James Stewart, de Soulis and Ingram de Umfraville could not return until Wallace was given up, and Comyn, Alexander Lindsay, David Graham and Simon Fraser were to actively seek his capture. In May, having eliminated most Scottish opposition, Edward turned his attention to Stirling Castle, laying siege to it with great determination. Asked by its defender, William Oliphant, if he had permission to surrender or must hold
8330-400: Was appointed Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland in the name of the exiled King John Balliol. He began preparations for a confrontation with Edward. In January 1298, Philip IV of France had signed a truce with Edward that did not include Scotland, thereby deserting his Scots allies. Edward returned to England from campaigning in France in March and called for his army to assemble. He moved
8428-450: Was appointed largely because he was not part of either the Bruce or the Comyn camps, and was a patriot. He was an active guardian, and made renewed efforts to have John Balliol returned to the Scottish throne. In July 1301, Edward launched his sixth campaign into Scotland, aiming to conquer Scotland in a two-pronged attack. One army was commanded by his son, Edward, Prince of Wales , the other,
8526-715: Was built by the firm in Forfar. Don Brothers, Buist & Company Ltd, as the firm was known from 1904, built another works in Forfar, at Strang Street, in 1929. In 1960 it merged with another Dundee firm, Low Brothers & Co (Dundee) Ltd, eventually becoming Don & Low (Holdings) Ltd. By the 1980s the Don & Low group was the United Kingdom's biggest polypropylene textile extrusion and weaving unit. The firm retains premises in Forfar, mainly producing woven and non-woven polypropylene industrial textile products and plastic food packaging. In 1958 Don Brothers, Buist & Co Ltd acquired
8624-533: Was decided that it would be turned into an apartment block, it was completed in the summer of 2018. Kirkriggs Primary School in St. James' Road was closed in 2007. Pupils were re-located to Langlands until the new school on this site (Strathmore Primary) was completed in early 2008. Wellbrae Primary School closed in 2007. Pupils were sent to Chapelpark Primary School and later to Whitehills Primary School. The play areas of Wellbrae were all concrete. In 2016, it burned to
8722-550: Was designed by Tom Morris Snr , and in 1926 alterations recommended by 5 time Open Championship winner James Braid were implemented. The letter with Braid's recommendations is on display in the Clubhouse. The Forfar Golf Club has hosted the Scottish PGA Championship twice in its history, once in 1932 and again in 1966. Strathmore Cricket Club, founded in 1862, has played at Lochside Park since 1873. The town has
8820-402: Was formed to advise the Earl of Richmond, including Bruce, Comyn and Lamberton. For all the apparent participation by Scots in the government, however, the English held the real power. While all this took place, William Wallace was finally captured at Robroyston near Glasgow on 3 August 1305. He was delivered to the English by retainers in the service of John Menteith . Wallace had been easily
8918-544: Was found in the early 19th century when a farmer from the East Mains of Dunnichen was ploughing. It was initially displayed at a church in the vicinity, then at Dunnichen House. In 1966 it was relocated at St Vigeans and finally moved to Dundee museum in 1972. After the Meffan Institute had been renovated it was brought to Forfar on a long-term loan where it is displayed alongside the Kirriemuir Sculptured Stones . There
9016-662: Was home to a very successful textile industry during and after the Industrial Revolution . In the late 18th century the firm of William Don & Co. (later William and John Don & Co) was founded in the town. The firm originally bought and sold webs of linen which were woven in local cottages, although it also operated a small weaving shed. In 1865 the firm merged with A J Buist, a Dundee based firm, and began construction of St James Works in Forfar. The partnership also operated mills in Dundee and later built Station Works in Forfar, which contained some 300 looms. Workers' housing
9114-450: Was invited in by the Scottish nobility to arbitrate. Before the process could begin, he insisted that all of the contenders recognise him as lord paramount . In early November 1292, at a great feudal court held in the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed , judgement was given in favour of John Balliol having the strongest claim in law. Edward proceeded to reverse the rulings of the Scottish lords and even summoned King John Balliol to stand before
9212-458: Was no action. In August, the Pope sent a letter demanding that Edward withdraw from Scotland. Due to the lack of success, Edward arranged a truce with the Scots on 30 October and returned to England. That year, Robert Bruce finally resigned as joint guardian and was replaced by Ingram de Umfraville . In May 1301, de Umfraville, John Comyn and William Lamberton resigned as joint guardians and were replaced by John de Soulis as sole guardian. Soulis
9310-442: Was occupied by English forces before being recaptured by the Scots and presented to Robert the Bruce . Forfar has been both a traditional market town and a major manufacturing centre for linen and jute . Today the main activities are agriculture and tourism around scenic Strathmore . The local glens are visited by hill-walkers, and there are ski-slopes in the mountains. The town is home to a number of local sporting teams, including
9408-421: Was only able to muster 9,000 infantry, giving his army a total count of around 10,000. The infantry were grouped into units of 100, each commanded by an armoured serjeant, which were further subdivided into units of 20. The average daily rate of pay was 2d (two pence) for a spearman or billman, 12d (one shilling) for a serjeant, 24d (two shillings) for a knight, 6d for a hobelar , 6d for a mounted archer, 4-6d for
9506-459: Was sent to Europe to try to gain further support for the Scottish cause. Wallace went to France to seek the aid of Philip IV, and he possibly went on to Rome. William Lamberton , Bishop of St Andrews, was appointed as a third, neutral Guardian to try to maintain order between Bruce and Comyn. The Scots also recaptured Stirling Castle. In May 1300, Edward I led a campaign into Scotland, invading Annandale and Galloway . Edward I's invasion force in
9604-559: Was still a child and in Norway, the Scottish lords set up a government of guardians. Margaret fell ill on the voyage to Scotland and died in Orkney on 26 September 1290. The lack of a clear heir led to a period known as Competitors for the Crown of Scotland or the "Great Cause", with several families laying claim to the throne. With Scotland threatening to descend into civil war, King Edward I of England
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