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83-525: The Scottish Midland Junction Railway was authorised in 1845 to build a line from Perth to Forfar . Other companies obtained authorisation in the same year, and together they formed a route from central Scotland to Aberdeen . The SMJR opened its main line on 4 August 1848. Proposals to merge with other railways were rejected by Parliament at first, but in 1856 the SMJR merged with the Aberdeen Railway to form

166-614: A garrison city and undergoing major social and industrial developments during the First World War, Perth remained relatively unchanged. In 1829, with the settlement of the Swan River Colony, in Western Australia , Sir George Murray wanted it to be named Perth after the place where he was born. The ship Parmelia sailed to Australia to found the new settlement. The old Municipal Buildings were completed in 1881, although

249-525: A tressure flory-counter-flory. The shield is supported by a double-headed eagle and the motto is Pro Lege Rege et Grege ( Latin : For the Law, King and People). The coat of arms dates back to at least the 14th century, and is first recorded, as described, on a seal of 1378. Red and silver are the colours of John the Baptist , the town's patron saint, and the lamb is his symbol. The double-headed eagle, originally

332-555: A "capital" of Scotland due to the frequent residence there of the royal court. Royal burgh status was given to the city by King William the Lion in the early 12th century. The city became one of the richest burghs in the country, engaging in trade with France, the Low Countries , and the Baltic countries , and importing goods such as Spanish silk and French wine. The Scottish Reformation had

415-468: A "former city", like Brechin and Elgin . Yet road signs around the borders used the term "The City of Perth", and directional signs within indicated "City Centre". In June 2007, Alex Salmond , then the First Minister of Scotland , backed a campaign to confer city status on Perth, saying it should be granted "at the next commemorative opportunity". The local authority, Perth and Kinross , stated that

498-460: A Roman symbol, may refer to a former Roman settlement called " Bertha " near where Perth now stands. The double-headed eagle was adopted as the supporter of the arms of Perth and Kinross when that council area was created in 1975. In 1891, the population of Perth was 30,768. In 1901, it was 32,872, an increase of 2,104 in ten years. According to the 2001 UK Census , Perth had a total population of 43,450. A more recent population estimate of

581-613: A financial obligation later. In the 1845 session of Parliament, a large number of Scottish trunk lines were proposed. In the period prior to the hearings, discussions about alliances and leases accelerated. The Scottish Central Railway was to build from Perth to Castlecary where it would join the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and the Caledonian Railway, and it had discussed merging with the Scottish Midland Junction but at

664-703: A permanent English base within Scotland, Edward III forced six monasteries in Perthshire and Fife to pay for the construction of stone defensive walls, towers and fortified gates around the city in 1336. These defences were the strongest of any city in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The last remnant of the wall can be seen in Albert Close, near to the main entrance to the Royal George Hotel . King James I of Scotland

747-559: A railhead. This proved unpopular and two nominally independent extension railways were built, the Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway , authorised by the Newtyle and Coupar Angus Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. lxxxiv), and the Newtyle and Glammiss Railway , authorised by the Newtyle and Glammis Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. xcii). (Glammiss is spelt Glamis nowadays.) These railways opened in 1837, but they hardly added to

830-572: A settlement here from earlier times, probably at a point where a river crossing or crossings coincided with a slightly raised natural mound on the west bank of the Tay (which at Perth flows north–south), thus giving some protection for settlement from the frequent flooding. Finds in and around Perth show that it was occupied by the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who arrived in the area more than 8,000 years ago. Nearby Neolithic standing stones and circles followed

913-667: A strong impact on the city: the Houses of the Greyfriars and Blackfriars , two of Perth's four monastic institutions at the time of the Reformation, were ransacked after a sermon given by John Knox in St John's Kirk in 1559. The 1701 Act of Settlement brought about Jacobite uprisings. The city was occupied by Jacobite supporters on three occasions: in 1689, 1715 and 1745. The founding of Perth Academy in 1760 helped to bring major industries to

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996-478: A venue for several high-profile concerts over the years, including Morrissey , as well as Conservative Party conferences. The hall is currently being converted into a new heritage and arts attraction. The new-wave band Fiction Factory formed in Perth, and had some success with their hit " (Feels Like) Heaven " in 1984. The song, which reached number six in the charts, was their biggest hit. The Perth Festival of

1079-428: A £10 million redevelopment to house new studio space, a youth theatre, construction workshop and a series of front of house performance areas and new main entrance from Mill Street in addition to the main focus of the conservation and restoration of the historic Victorian auditorium. Perth Concert Hall, which opened in 2005, was built on the site of the former Horsecross Market. Perth City Hall has been used as

1162-452: Is cited as "39 & 40 Geo. 3 c. 67", meaning the 67th act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign. Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations (thus "41 Geo. 3" rather than "41 Geo. III"). Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of

1245-461: Is noted for its lively nightlife, with dozens of bars and several nightclubs. Perth has hosted the National Mòd in 1896, 1900, 1924, 1929, 1947, 1954, 1963, 1980 and 2004. The Category A listed St John's Kirk , on St John's Place, is architecturally and historically one of the most significant buildings in Perth. The settlement of the original church dates back to the mid-12th century. During

1328-619: Is stimulating employment. The largest employer in the city is Perth and Kinross Council which employ 6,000 people. Other main employers include NHS Tayside , SSE plc , and Perth College UHI (part of the University of the Highlands and Islands ). The leading international transportation company Stagecoach Group also has its global headquarters in the city. Perth was formerly headquarters of insurance firm General Accident ; however, since General Accident merged with Norwich Union to form Aviva ,

1411-612: Is the Church of Scotland , which is organised through the Presbytery of Perth. It has nine churches throughout the city. The largest of these is St John's Kirk, in St John's Place . The second most popular Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church , which has three churches in the city organised through the Diocese of Dunkeld . There is also St Mary's Monastery , at Kinnoull on

1494-461: The Arbroath and Forfar Railway which gave rail access on to Aberdeen over the Aberdeen Railway . The Scottish Central Railway and the Caledonian Railway were also authorised on 31 July 1845. The Dundee and Newtyle Railway had been built in 1831 to connect the growing Burgh of Dundee with the fertile broad valley of Strathmore ; it terminated at Newtyle which was then no more than a farm, intended as

1577-567: The Elim Pentecostal Church , the Salvation Army and several smaller Protestant churches. There is also a Quaker community in the city, as well as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The Perth Islamic community meet at a mosque on Glasgow Road. The number of adherents to these religions is in decline. In the 2011 census, almost 40% of respondents indicated that they did not adhere to any religion. Situated at

1660-490: The Scottish North Eastern Railway . The SNER was itself absorbed into the larger Caledonian Railway in 1866. The original SMJR main line was now a small section of a main line from Carlisle and central Scotland to Aberdeen. The original route was well aligned for fast running, but it by-passed numerous towns and many branches were built to serve them. The rival North British Railway had its own route from

1743-523: The list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For acts passed from 1707 to 1800, see the list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the list of acts of the Parliament of Ireland . For acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom, see the list of acts of the Scottish Parliament , the list of acts of

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1826-538: The 1880s these were in poor condition and inadequate for the heavier and faster traffic of those days, and widespread reconstruction in stone and wrought iron was undertaken. As part of a route between London and Aberdeen, the line was rivalled by the North British Railway route on the east coast via Dundee. As publicity became important, the two routes competed for the title of the fastest transit, and in 1888 and again in 1895 spectacularly fast journeys were made;

1909-451: The 800th anniversary of the city in 2009 should create "a foundation for Perth to bid for formal city status". Perth was one of the 26 bidders for city status to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. On 14 March 2012, Perth's city status was successfully reinstated, along with Chelmsford and St Asaph . It became Scotland's seventh city. The Queen visited Perth on 6 July 2012, for what

1992-959: The Arts is an annual collection of art, theatre, opera and classical music events in the city. The annual event lasts for a couple of weeks and is usually held in May. In recent years, the festival has broadened its appeal by adding comedy, rock and popular music acts to the bill. Perth also has a number of twin cities around the world. These are: Aschaffenburg in Germany, Bydgoszcz in Poland, Haikou , Hainan in China, Perth in Australia, Perth in Canada, Pskov in Russia and Cognac in France. Perth

2075-603: The Blairgowrie branch was constructed during the lifetime of the SMJR. The Dunkeld branch was actually built by an independent company, the Perth and Dunkeld Railway . It left the SMJR main line at Stanley Junction, and was opened on 7 April 1856. It was worked by the SMJR. The Perth and Dunkeld Railway was taken over in 1864 as part of a scheme to connect Perth and Inverness, by what became the Highland Railway . The Kirriemuir branch

2158-519: The Northern Ireland Assembly , and the list of acts and measures of Senedd Cymru ; see also the list of acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . The number shown after each act's title is its chapter number. Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number, preceded by the year(s) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800

2241-601: The Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as "41 Geo. 3". Acts passed from 1963 onwards are simply cited by calendar year and chapter number. All modern acts have a short title , e.g. the Local Government Act 2003. Some earlier acts also have a short title given to them by later acts, such as by the Short Titles Act 1896 . The first session of the 12th Parliament of the United Kingdom , which met from 19 February 1835 until 10 September 1835. This session

2324-417: The Perth and Kinross District Council moved to the former head office of General Accident at No. 2 High Street in 1984. Today, Perth serves as a retail centre for the surrounding area. This includes a main shopping centre— St John's Centre —along with a pedestrianised high street and many independent and specialist shops. The city also has "an embarrassing abundance of public houses ". Main employers in

2407-454: The River Isla, and then climbed again to the terminus. The Isla bridge was at first a twelve-span timber viaduct. On 3 February 1881 the river was in spate with large blocks of ice striking the piers of the bridge. The structure survived, but it was replaced by a stone and wrought iron bridge soon afterwards. In later years there were typically five passenger trains daily. The SMJR had inherited

2490-406: The SMJR main line in 1967 except for a residual goods service to intermediate locations. Now the entire SMJR network has closed, except for the section from Perth to Stanley Junction, serving the main line to Inverness. From the second decade of the nineteenth century, a number of short railway lines had been operating in Scotland; in most cases these were connected with mineral extraction, and there

2573-610: The SMJR required parliamentary authorisation, and a joint bill was prepared for the 1849 session. However, in February 1849 it became clear that any alliance between the Caledonian and the E&;GR was impossible and the Caledonian declined to proceed with the bill, and the lease. In 1854 the SCR was still independent, and was negotiating with the SMJR for an amalgamation of the two companies. At this time

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2656-438: The SMJR route as far as Stanley Junction, north of Perth. That line remains in use and the section from Perth to Stanley Junction is the only part of the SMJR that is still open to traffic. The line ran from Perth to Forfar, with branches to Kirriemuir, Newtyle and Blairgowrie. Perth, Scotland Perth ( [ˈpɛrθ] ; Scottish Gaelic : Peairt [pʰɛrˠʃtʲ] ) is a centrally located Scottish city , on

2739-622: The Scottish average of 30.1. Perth Museum and Art Gallery , at the eastern end of George Street, is recognised as one of the oldest provincial museums in Scotland. Another museum, known as the Fergusson Gallery, has, since 1992, been located in the Category A listed former Perth Water Works building on Tay Street . This contains the major collection of the works of the artist John Duncan Fergusson . Perth Theatre opened in 1900. It underwent

2822-648: The St John's Centre. Independent retailers can be found on George Street, St John Street, Princes Street, Methven Street, the Old High Street and Canal Street. A £3 million pound project for the High Street and King Edward Street provided new seating, lighting and the laying of natural stone in 2010. A retail park, constructed in 1988, exists to the north-west of the city centre on St Catherine's Road, and provides eight purpose-built units. McEwens department store

2905-634: The Welsh "perth", meaning "hedge" or "thicket". During much of the later medieval period, it was known colloquially by its Scots-speaking inhabitants as "St John's Toun" or "Saint Johnstoun" because the church at the centre of the parish was dedicated to St John the Baptist . Perth was referred to as "St John's ton" up until the mid-1600s with the name "Perthia" being reserved for the wider area. At this time, "Perthia" became "Perth Shyre" and "St John's ton" became known as Perth. Perth's Pictish name, and some archaeological evidence, indicate that there must have been

2988-441: The altar of Our Lady. Another Category A listed building is the former King James VI Hospital , built in 1750 on the site of the former Perth Charterhouse , which was burned in 1559 during the Reformation. 5 %26 6 Will. 4 Note that the first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland ). For acts passed up until 1707, see

3071-574: The arrival of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers . Nearby Neolithic standing stones and circles date from about 4,000 BC , a period that followed the introduction of farming into the area. Close to Perth is Scone Abbey , which formerly housed the Stone of Scone (also known as the Stone of Destiny), on which the King of Scots were traditionally crowned. This enhanced the early importance of the city, and Perth became known as

3154-625: The attitude of Parliament was hostile to mergers of railways, and the proposal was rejected. From this time there was a "loose amalgamation" between the SCR, the SMJR and the Aberdeen Railway: they worked collaboratively but remained separate companies. This ended on 29 July 1856 when they formally amalgamated, to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway. On 26 June 1846 the SMJR obtained authorisation to build three branches: to Dunkeld, to Kirriemuir and to Blairgowrie. In fact only

3237-602: The average demography of Scotland, Perth has low proportions of people born outside the European Union , but has both higher proportions born within the European Union and those over 75 years old. Christianity is the most common religion in the city. In Census 2011, over half of the population of the council area of Perth and Kinross stated that they belonged to one of the Christian denominations. The most popular denomination

3320-467: The banks of the River Tay . It is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and is the historic county town of Perthshire . It had a population of about 47,430 in 2018. There has been a settlement at Perth since prehistoric times . It is a natural mound raised slightly above the flood plain of the Tay. The area surrounding the modern city is known to have been occupied ever since

3403-431: The central belt of Scotland with England, and in 1845 there was a frenzy of parliamentary bills for Scottish railways. The Caledonian Railway was authorised on 12 April 1845 with capital of £1,500,000. Its main line was to run between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Carlisle. The Caledonian policy was to capture as much territory in Scotland as possible: they foresaw a "Caledonian system" controlled by themselves. At this period it

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3486-675: The centre of Perth.Temperatures extremes since 1960 have ranged from −18.6 °C (−1 °F) in January 1963 to 32.0 °C (90 °F) in July 2022. However, a temperature of −21.7 °C (−7 °F) was recorded on 14 November 1919. As well as this, the temperature reached 31.1 °C (88.0 °F) on 28 June 2018. The coldest temperature recorded in recent years is −17.8 °C (0 °F) in December 2010. However, nearby Strathallan reported −18.0 °C (0 °F) in February 2021. In an average year,

3569-407: The city has been recorded as 44,820 in 2008. The demographic make-up of the population is much in line with the rest of Scotland. The age group from 30 to 44 forms the largest portion of the population (22%). The median age of males and females living in Perth was 37 and 40 years respectively, compared to 37 and 39 years for those in the whole of Scotland. The place of birth of the city's residents

3652-572: The city now include Aviva , Royal Bank of Scotland and Scottish and Southern Energy . Perth forms part of the county constituency of Perth and Kinross-shire , electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system. Pete Wishart of the Scottish National Party (SNP) is the MP for Perth and Kinross-shire . For

3735-404: The city, including the production of linen , leather, bleach and whisky . Perth was fortuitously placed to become a key transport centre with the coming of the railways, and its first station was built in 1848. Perth has been known as "The Fair City" since the publication of the novel Fair Maid of Perth by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott in 1828. During the later medieval period the city

3818-533: The curve closed too. The Kirriemuir branch closed to passengers on 4 August 1952 and completely in 1965. There were two routes from central Scotland to Aberdeen, and during the process of rationalisation of the railways in the 1960s, the Dundee route was selected. Closure of the SMJR main line was inevitable and took place for passengers on 4 September 1967. The line was retained from Stanley Junction to Forfar for goods trains until 1982. The Perth to Inverness line used

3901-474: The eastern edge of the city, which is home to a Redemptorist congregation. The Scottish Episcopal Church is organised through the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and has two churches in the city ( St Ninian's Cathedral and Church of St. John the Baptist ). There are several other Christian churches in the city; these include the Methodist Church , Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland ,

3984-522: The introduction of farming from about 4,000 BC , and a remarkably well preserved Bronze Age log boat dated to around 1,000 BC was found in the mudflats of the River Tay at Carpow to the east of Perth. Perth developed from an initial plan of two parallel streets: High Street and South Street , linked by several vennels leading north and south. The names of these vennels have historic origins, and many—such as Cow Vennel and Fleshers ' Vennel—recall

4067-660: The investiture of Kings of Scots. That same year, Oliver Cromwell came to Perth following his victory in the Battle of Dunbar and established a fortified citadel on the South Inch , one of five occupation forts built to control Scotland. The restoration of Charles II was not without incident, and with the Act of Settlement in 1701, came the Jacobite uprisings. The city was occupied by Jacobite soldiers in 1689, 1715 and 1745. In 1760, Perth Academy

4150-526: The kingdom (along with such places as Berwick-upon-Tweed , Aberdeen and Roxburgh ), a residence of numerous craftsmen, organised into guilds (the Hammermen and Glovers, for example). Perth also carried out an extensive trade with France, The Low Countries and the Baltic Countries with luxury goods being brought back in return, such as Spanish silk and French pottery and wine. The royal castle (on or near

4233-452: The last regular steam hauled passenger trains timed at over 60 mph (97 km/h). The Blairgowrie branch closed to passengers on 10 January 1955, and completely on 6 December 1965. The section from Alyth West Junction to Newtyle, the west curve built by the Newtyle and Coupar angus Railway, was used by Blairgowrie passenger trains and when the Blairgowrie passenger service was discontinued,

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4316-553: The lease charge was to be 6% on the SMJR capital of £600,000. The Caledonian had assumed that it was going to lease the Scottish Central Railway, but this was not confirmed. The SCR lease of the SMJR seems not to have proceeded, for in 1848 the Caledonian was negotiating to lease the SMJR direct, and on 5 May 1848 agreement was finalised; the Caledonian would pay 6% on the SMJR capital, now quoted as £500,000. The lease arrangement

4399-406: The middle of the 12th century, the church was allowed to fall into disrepair, when most of the revenues were used by David I to fund Dunfermline Abbey . The majority of the present church was constructed between 1440 and 1500. Though much altered, its tower and lead-clad spire continue to dominate the Perth skyline. The Church has lost its medieval south porch and sacristy , and the north transept

4482-427: The office has been primarily used as a call centre . Perth's city centre is situated to the west of the banks of the River Tay. The pedestrianised portion of the High Street, which runs from the junction of St John Street to Scott Street, is the main focus of the shopping area. The centre has a variety of major and independent retailers. The major retailers are largely based on the High Street, St John Street and in

4565-500: The purpose. The SMJR main line, including the converted sections, was opened on 20 August 1848. Through trains started to run from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Forfar over the line and the SCR. However, in 1849 it was reported that "many of the stations were unfinished and there was virtually no goods traffic". The Caledonian Railway relations with the Edinburgh and Glasgow were somewhat stormy, and lurched from friendly to hostile. The lease of

4648-400: The purposes of the Scottish Parliament , Perth forms part of the constituencies of Perthshire North and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire . These two constituencies were created in 2011 as two of the nine constituencies within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. Each constituency elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and

4731-423: The region elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation. Perthshire North is currently represented by John Swinney ( SNP ) and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire is currently represented by Jim Fairlie ( SNP ). Perth's Sheriff Court , on Tay Street, is a Category A listed building . The building was designed by London architect Sir Robert Smirke , built in 1819 and stands on

4814-501: The rivalry was known as the Railway race to the north . The early passenger engines used on the line were 2-4-0s . At the end of the 19th century and, after the line had been upgraded, the Caledonian Railway introduced the very successful 4-4-0 Dunalastair class of locomotives. In the late 1950s the line became a speeding ground for the three-hour Glasgow-to-Aberdeen expresses using Gresley A4 Pacifics displaced by dieselisation of long distance main line expresses. The route carried

4897-399: The same time it discussed leasing its line to the E&GR or the Caledonian. The Scottish Midland Junction Railway was authorised by the Scottish Midland Junction Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. clxx) on 31 July 1845, with capital of £300,000, for a line just over 30 miles (48 km) in length from Perth to Forfar. At Perth it was to connect with the SCR and at Forfar with

4980-402: The short branch to Newtyle by its acquisition of the Coupar Angus and Glammiss lines. Other branches were constructed off the SMJR main line after the company was amalgamated. On 29 July 1856 the Scottish North Eastern Railway was formed by the amalgamation of the SMJR, the Scottish Central Railway and the Aberdeen Railway, forming a continuous line between Perth and Aberdeen. The SNER itself

5063-426: The site of Gowrie House, the place where a plot to kill King James VI was hatched in 1600. Perth is also home to a large prison, HM Prison Perth . The classic definition of Perth has been as a city. In the late 1990s, the UK Government and the devolved Scottish Executive re-examined the definition of a city and produced a list of approved cities, from which Perth was omitted. It was therefore considered to be

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5146-419: The site of the major Augustinian abbey of the same name founded by Alexander I (1107–1124), enhanced Perth's early importance. Perth was considered the effective capital of Scotland, due to the frequent residence of the royal court. Royal burgh status was awarded to the city by King William the Lion in the early 12th century. During the 12th and 13th centuries, Perth was one of the richest trading burghs in

5229-403: The site of the present multi-storey car park adjacent to the new council offices), was destroyed by a flood of the Tay in 1209, one of many that have afflicted Perth over the centuries. It was never rebuilt, and Perth was protected at this time only by partial walls and an inventive water system, Perth Lade , sourced from the River Almond , which divided and flowed to the north on one side and

5312-444: The south to Aberdeen, and spectacular competition for the fastest journey from London to Aberdeen was generated in the final decades of the nineteenth century. In the 1960s there were some reflections of those days when powerful steam engines, displaced by diesel locomotives from other routes, operated a fast Glasgow - Aberdeen passenger service for some years. In the mid-1960s the move to rationalise duplicate routes led to closure of

5395-452: The southern extremity of a spacious and fertile plain, Perth itself is flat (as are the areas immediately to the north, east and west), but it is nestled between the following hills (includes distance from Perth and summit height): As with most of the British Isles , Perth has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest Met Office weather station is at Strathallan , around 5 mi (8 km) from

5478-400: The surrounding area, and in 2018 the city was named "Scotland's Food Town of 2018" by the Scottish Food Awards. Following the decline of the local whisky industry, the city diversified its economy, building on its long-established presence in the insurance industry to increase its standing in the banking industry. The name "Perth" derives from a Pictish word for "wood" or "copse", related to

5561-415: The trades associated with their foundation. South Street was originally terminated at its eastern end by Gowrie House (site of today's Perth Sheriff Court ). Upon its demolition in the early 19th century, direct access was granted to the river. The presence of Scone two miles (3 km) northeast, the main royal centre of the Kingdom of Alba from at least the reign of Kenneth I (843–858), and later

5644-429: The traffic of the Dundee line. Leaving Newtyle the two lines turned away from one another and together formed a nearly straight axis that suited the intended route of the SMJR; the authorising act of Parliament empowered the SMJR to acquire them and incorporate their lines into the SMJR main line. After lengthy discussions, the SMJR agreed to lease its line to the Scottish Central Railway by decision of 18 February 1847;

5727-408: The warmest day rises to around 27 °C (81 °F), and about four days exceed 25 °C (77 °F). The strength of Perth's economy lies in its diversity, with a balance of large companies, the public sector, a broad range of small and medium-sized enterprises and many self-employed business people. The development in renewable energy , insurance, manufacturing, leisure , health and transport

5810-419: The west and south on the other, eventually joining the Tay. King Edward I brought his armies to Perth in 1296, and with only a ditch for defence and little fortification, the city fell quickly. Stronger fortifications were quickly built by the English, and plans to wall the city took shape in 1304. They remained standing until Robert the Bruce 's recapture of Perth in 1312. As part of a plan to make Perth

5893-529: Was 95.42% United Kingdom (including 87.80% from Scotland), 0.52% Republic of Ireland, 1.18% from other European Union countries, and 1.88% from elsewhere in the world. The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 57.10% in full-time employment, 12.90% in part-time employment, 6.08% self-employed, 3.29% unemployed, 2.37% students with jobs, 2.84% students without jobs, 14.75% retired, 4.93% looking after home or family, 5.94% permanently sick or disabled, and 4.07% economically inactive for other reasons. Compared with

5976-424: Was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway by an act of Parliament on 10 August 1866. Firmly aligned to the Caledonian Railway, the route formed an important artery feeding Aberdeen traffic to central Scotland and the south. While express passenger trains caught the public eye, there was a substantial goods traffic; cattle were particularly dominant. Large structures on the line were constructed in laminated timber, but in

6059-460: Was also called St John's Toun or Saint Johnstoun by its inhabitants—a reference to its principal church, which was dedicated to St John the Baptist . This name is preserved in the name of the city's football club, St Johnstone F.C. The city often refers to itself using the promotional nickname "Gateway to the Highlands ", a reference to its location. Today, Perth serves as a retail centre for

6142-604: Was assassinated in Perth in 1437, by followers of Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl , at Blackfriars church . In May 1559, John Knox instigated the Scottish Reformation at grass-roots level with a sermon against 'idolatry' in the burgh kirk of St John the Baptist. An inflamed mob quickly destroyed the altars in the kirk, and attacked the Houses of the Greyfriars and Blackfriars, and the Carthusian Priory. Scone Abbey

6225-401: Was expected that a district could only support one railway line, so that the first to serve an area would secure a near-monopoly. Even before authorisation the Caledonian made provisional agreements with the promoters of other lines to lease their railways. This was done by agreeing a guaranteed periodical lease payment; it did not require money at the time of making the agreement, but it incurred

6308-470: Was founded, and major industry came to the city, now with a population of 15,000. Linen , leather, bleached products and whisky were its major exports. Given its location, Perth was perfectly placed to become a key transport centre with the coming of the railways. The first railway station in Perth was built in 1848. Horse-drawn carriages became popular in the 1890s; they were quickly replaced by electric trams of Perth Corporation Tramways . Despite being

6391-585: Was in business on St John's Street for almost 150 years. It closed in March 2016. Before the credit crisis , Perth's economy was growing at 2.6% per year, considerably above the Scottish average of 2.1%. Since the credit crisis, growth has slowed considerably, though still remained above the Scottish average. The Perth economy is ranked in the Top 10 enterprising demographics in Scotland , with an average of 42.6 registered enterprises per 10,000 residents putting it well above

6474-532: Was little thought to connecting between them to form a network. The Stockton and Darlington Railway and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in England showed that longer railway routes could be worthwhile, and thoughts turned to trunk railways in Scotland, and to connection to the emerging English network. In the 1840s business people in Scotland made definite moves which resulted in proposals for trunk lines to connect

6557-432: Was modified to be joint with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway on an agreed traffic sharing system; but it needed to be ratified by Parliament. The two Newtyle lines had been constructed to the track gauge of 4 ft  6 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,384 mm ) as a single line using stone block sleepers. This had to be converted to a more robust track construction as a double line; they were closed in 1847 for

6640-456: Was opened in November 1854. Most trains continued to Forfar, and when the Dundee and Forfar direct line opened, to Dundee. The Blairgowrie branch left the main line at Coupar Angus; it opened for passengers on 1 August 1855, and for goods on 21 August 1855. Blairgowrie was an industrial centre for jute manufacture, and for soft fruit. The line descended sharply from Coupar Angus to the crossing of

6723-470: Was sacked shortly afterwards. The regent of infant Mary, Queen of Scots , her mother Marie de Guise , was successful in quelling the rioting but presbyterianism in Perth remained strong. Perth played a part in the Covenanting struggle and Perth was sacked for two days by Royalist troops after the Battle of Tippermuir in 1644. In 1651, Charles II was crowned at nearby Scone Abbey, the traditional site of

6806-551: Was shortened during the course of the 19th century during street-widening. A rare treasure, a unique survival in Scotland, is a 15th-century brass candelabrum or chandelier, imported from the Low Countries . The survival of this object is all the more remarkable as it includes a statuette of the Virgin Mary . It is thought to have been hung in the Skinner's aisle. An inventory of 1544 lists another hanging brass chandelier as an ornament of

6889-463: Was the culmination of the Scottish leg of her Diamond Jubilee tour. Her previous visit to the city had been to open the Perth Concert Hall , in 2005. The coat of arms of Perth is a gules shield depicting an argent Paschal lamb , reguardant and or haloed, holding under its right foreleg a flagpole topped with a cross, to which is attached a banner azure a saltire argent, all within

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