Perthshire
| Perthshire | |
|---|---|
 Perthshire within Scotland | |
| Area | |
| • 1975 | 2528 sq. miles (6547 sq. km) (5th) |
| History | |
| • Succeeded by | Tayside Region |
| Status | Local government county (until 1975) Land registration county (1996 - ) |
| Chapman code | PER |
| Government | County: Perthshire County Council (1890-1929) Perth and Kinross County Council (1929-1975) Modern: Perth and Kinross Council (1996 - ) Lieutenancy: Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross |
| • HQ | Perth (county town and administrative centre) |
| • Motto | Pro Lege et Libertate ('For Law and Liberty') |
 Coat of arms of the county council | |
Perthshire (
/ˈpɜːrθʃər/ (help·info); Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south. It was a local government county from 1890 to 1930.
Perthshire is known as the "big county", owed to its roundness and status as the 4th largest historic county in Scotland. It has a wide variety of landscapes, from the rich agricultural straths in the east, to the high mountains of the southern Highlands.
Contents
1 Administrative history
2 Boundaries
3 Coat of arms
4 Burghs
5 Civil parishes
6 Towns and villages
7 Districts
8 Parliamentary constituencies
8.1 1707–1885
8.2 1885–1918
8.3 1918–1975
9 Famous places
10 Notable people
11 Rivers
12 Mountains
13 Glens and straths
14 Schools
15 Surnames
16 See also
17 References
18 External links
Administrative history
Perthshire was an administrative county between 1890 and 1975, governed by a county council. From 1930 onwards, a joint local government council was formed with the small neighbouring county of Kinross-shire, linking the two.
In 1975, the administrative county was superseded by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and split between the Central and Tayside Regions:
- West Perthshire (the area west and south of Killin including Callander, Crianlarich and Aberfoyle) was included in the Stirling District of the Central Region.
- The parish of Muckhart and Glendevon was made part of Clackmannan District Council, also in the Central Region.
Longforgan was included in the City of Dundee District, in the Tayside Region.- The remainder of Perthshire was combined with Kinross-shire and the Angus parish of Kettins to form the Perth and Kinross District Council in Tayside.
The two-tier system introduced in 1975 was superseded by a system of unitary authorities in 1996. The districts of Tayside and Central Scotland all became unitary authorities, with Longforgan being transferred from Dundee to Perth and Kinross. The majority of historic Perthshire lies in Perth and Kinross. The exceptions are the southwestern part that is now in the Stirling council area and a few parishes that are now in Clackmannanshire. Perth and Kinross also contains some areas that were not historically in Perthshire, such as Kinross-shire. The lieutenancy areas in the same area are mostly coterminous with the council areas. Perthshire still exists as a registration county.
Boundaries
Prior to the 1890s Perthshire's boundaries were irregular: the parishes of Culross and Tulliallan formed an exclave some miles away from the rest of the county, on the boundaries of Clackmannanshire and Fife; while the northern part of the parish of Logie formed an enclave of Stirlingshire within the county.
Following the recommendations of the council boundary commission appointed under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, Culross and Tulliallan were transferred to Fife, and the entire parish of Logie was included in Stirlingshire.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the County of Perth appears to have been granted for use on the colours and standards of the volunteer and militia units of the county raised at the end of the eighteenth century. The Earl of Kinnoull, a native of Perthshire, and commanding officer of the Perthshire Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry, was also Lord Lyon King of Arms at the time, and he presented the arms to the county in 1800. The grant document was discovered in the Lyon Office in 1890, and forwarded to the newly formed Perth County Council.
The shield is very similar to the Scottish royal arms, reflecting that Perthshire was the home county of the House of Dunkeld and contains the former royal capital, Scone. Further royal references are made on the canton, which shows Scone Palace surmounted by the Crown of Scotland. The crest is a Highland soldier, reflecting that the famous Black Watch were formed in the county.[1] The supporters are an eagle and a warhorse, the former from the arms of the city of Perth.
Burghs
By the 1890s the county contained the following burghs, which were largely outside the county council's jurisdiction:
- Royal Burgh of Perth (which was styled a city)
- Burgh of Auchterarder (formed 1894: reinstated as a royal burgh in 1951)
- Burgh of Aberfeldy (police burgh from 1887)
- Burgh of Abernethy (burgh of barony from 1458/9, police burgh from 1877)
- Burgh of Alyth (police burgh 1834)
- Burgh of Blairgowrie (burgh of barony 1634, police burgh 1833)
- Burgh of Rattray (police burgh 1873)
- Burgh of Callander (police burgh 1866)
- Burgh of Coupar Angus (burgh of barony 1607, police burgh 1852)
- Burgh of Crieff (burgh of barony 1674, burgh of regality 1687, police burgh 1864)
- Burgh of Doune (burgh of barony 1611, police burgh 1890)
- Burgh of Dunblane (burgh of regality of the Bishop of Dunblane 1442, police burgh 1870)
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 divided burghs into two classes from 1930: large burghs, which were to gain extra powers from the county council, and small burghs which lost many of their responsibilities.
Of the twelve burghs in Perthshire, only Perth was made a large burgh. There were ten small burghs: Blairgowrie and Rattray being united into a single burgh. In 1947 Pitlochry was created a small burgh.
Civil parishes
Perthshire and Clackmannanshire c. 1851.[2] Parishes outlined in red
In 1894 parish councils were established for the civil parishes, replacing the previous parochial boards.
The parish councils were in turn replaced by district councils in 1930.
Following the boundary changes caused by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, the county contained the following civil parishes:
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Towns and villages
Bridge of Earn from Moncreiffe Hill
Perthshire includes the City of Perth and the following other towns and villages (see also Civil Parish list):
- Bridge of Earn
- Bankfoot
- Crieff
Dunkeld and Birnam
- Kenmore
- Kinloch Rannoch
- Luncarty
- Pitlochry
- Strathtay
Other towns and villages
Some others listed in alphabetical order in the Land Register Counties :[3]
- Aberargy
- Aberdalgie
- Aberruthven
- Acharn
- Almondbank
- Altamount
- Amulree
- Ardagie
- Ardeonaig
- Ardler
- Argaty
- Ashfield
- Auchinlay
- Auchmore
- Auchtoo
- Auchtugh
- etc..
Districts
In 1930 the landward area of the Local Government councils (the part outside of burgh boundaries) was divided into five districts, replacing the parish councils established in 1894:
- Central District
- Eastern District
- Highland District
- Perth District
- Western District
Parliamentary constituencies
Following the Act of Union, Perthshire returned members to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708.
1707–1885
- The Royal Burgh of Perth originally formed part of the Perth burghs constituency along with burghs in Fife and Forfarshire. The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832 made Perth a separate burgh constituency.
- The remainder of the county returned a single member as the parliamentary county of Perthshire. The parishes of Tulliallan, Culross, Muckhart, and the Perthshire portions of the parishes of Logie and Fossaway were annexed to constituency of Clackmannanshire and Kinross in 1832.
1885–1918
In 1885 seats in the House of Commons were redistributed: Perthshire received three seats.
- Perth remained a burgh constituency.
- Perthshire Eastern
- Perthshire Western
1918–1975
In 1918 there was a further redistribution. Perthshire was combined with Kinross-shire to form a parliamentary county, divided into two constituencies:
Perth constituency consisted of the burgh of Perth, the former Eastern constituency and part of the Western constituency. In 1950 it was renamed Perth and East Perthshire. The area included in the constituency was defined in 1948 and 1970 as the burghs of Perth, Abernethy, Alyth, Blairgowrie and Rattray and Coupar Angus; and the Eastern and Perth districts of the county of Perth.[4]
Kinross and Western Perthshire: the constituency consisted of the entire County of Kinross, the burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune, Dunblane and Pitlochry; and the Central, Highland and Western districts of the county of Perth.[4]
These boundaries continued in use until 1983, when new constituencies were formed based on the Local Government regions and districts created in 1975.
Famous places
- Ashintully Castle
- Balvaird Castle
Birnam Wood and Dunsinane Hill, famous from Shakespeare's Macbeth
- Blair Castle
- Cateran Trail
- Dirnanean House
- Drummond Castle
- Dunkeld Cathedral
- Edradour Distillery
- Gleneagles Hotel
- The Hermitage
- Kindrogan House
- Scone Palace
- Near Strathtay and Strathmore, where many four-poster stone formations can be found
Notable people
- Archbishop Patrick Adamson
- Duke of Atholl
- James Bannerman
- Edward Braddock
- Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet
- James Croll
- Alan Cumming
- Sir Charles Douglas
- David Douglas
- Daniel Dow
- Duleep Singh
- Alexander Duff
- Thomas Duncan
- Adam Ferguson
- Duncan Forbes
- Stephen Hendry
- Lady of Lawers
- Alexander Mackenzie
- Dougie MacLean
- John James Rickard Macleod
- Ewan McGregor
- Sir Charles Menzies
- Baron Reid
- J.K. Rowling
- James Small
- Major-General John Small
- William Small
- Rory Stewart
- Robert Stirling
George Thompson, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- John Sen Inches Thomson
- Dr William Marshall
Rivers
- River Ardle
- River Earn
- River Ericht
- River Farg
- River Forth
- River Garry
- River Isla
- River Tay
- River Teith
- River Tummel
Mountains
Ben Vrackie: View west to the Lawers range, Schiehallion, lochs Tummel and Rannoch, and very distant Glen Coe peaks
- Ben Lawers
- Schiehallion
- Ben Vorlich
- Ben Mhor
- Beinn a' Ghlò
- Ben Vrackie
Glens and straths
- Glen Almond
- Glen Isla
- Glen Shee
- Glen Garry
- Glen Tilt
- Glen Bruar
- Glen Errochty
- Glen Rannoch
- Glen Lyon
- Glen Lochay
- Glen Dochart
- Strathmore
- Strath Ardle
- Strath Braan
- Strath Tay
- Strath Tummel
- Strath Fillan
- Strath Earn
Schools
- Ardvreck School
- The Community School of Auchterarder
- Blairgowrie High School
- Craigclowan Preparatory School
- Dollar Academy
- Glenalmond College
- Kilgraston School
- Morrison's Academy
- Perth Academy
- Perth Grammar School
- Perth High School
- Pitlochry High School
- Rattray Primary School
- Strathallan School
Surnames
Most common surnames in Perthshire at the time of the United Kingdom Census of 1881,[5] by order of incidence:
- Robertson
- Stewart
- Campbell
- McGregor
- McDonald
- Cameron
- McLaren
- Anderson
- Smith
- Ferguson
See also
- Earl of Perth
- Glasgow Perthshire Charitable Society
- Highland Perthshire
- Perthshire Rugby Football Club
- Perth and Kinross
- Scottish Highlands
- Stirling
- Trossachs
- List of counties of Scotland 1890–1975
References
^ Patton, David (1977). Arms of the County Councils of Scotland. Port Charlotte: Argyll Reproductions Ltd..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Wilson, John Marius. "The Imperial gazetteer of Scotland; or, Dictionary of Scottish topography". Edinburgh A. Fullarton. Archived from the original on 2016-08-05 – via Internet Archive.
^ Registers of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-07-07. Retrieved 2013-07-13.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
^ ab The Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 1970 (S.I. 1970 No. 1680)
^ "Perthshire Genealogy Resources & Parish Registers". forebears.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-03-21.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Towns and villages in Perth and Kinross. |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Perth, Scotland. |
External links
- Perth 800
- "Perthshire" from A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland by Samuel Lewis, London, 1846 (British History Online)
- Perth & Kinross Council
- A Vision of Britain Through Time: A vision of Perth and Kinross
Coordinates: 56°30′N 4°00′W / 56.500°N 4.000°W / 56.500; -4.000
