Plate LXXII., Broughty Ferry, p.143.

[Scotland Illustrated Contents]

BROUGHTY FERRY is a handsome village, on the northern shore of the frith of Tay, four miles east of Dundee, and directly opposite Ferry-port-on-Craig in Fifeshire, with which it has hourly communication, the frith being little more than a mile broad here. In 1834, portions of the adjacent parishes of Monifieth and Dundee, comprising this village, were united into a quoad sacra parish, with a population which was estimated, in 1837, at 1,998, and which, during two or three months in summer, is augmented by 400 or 500 visitors. This place is now much resorted to as a sea-bathing residence during summer by the citizens of Dundee and Perth. That part of the village which lies in the parish of Dundee, is often called the West ferry; the other and more considerable portion – between which and the former there is indeed a vacant space of ground – bears the name of East ferry, as well as that of Broughty ferry. North and west of the sandy plain over which most of the houses are spread, the ground rises with some abruptness. To the east and south-east, are uneven links, stretching towards Monifieth. South-east of the village, a point of land stretches southward into the frith, which it contracts in width so as to render the ferry across to Fife shorter than any other between Errol and the sea. On this point, named Broughty Craig, yet stand considerable remains of a fortress, not undistinguished in history. The castle – of which, however, not much is left – is a very interesting object, and a point towards which the promenaders of Broughty often direct their steps. The first transaction of importance connected with it was its occupation by the English, in 1547, after the battle of Pinkie. The party of English by whom Broughty castle was garrisoned, had scarcely secured themselves within the fortress, when they were blockaded by Arran; who sat down before it on the 1st of October, 1547, but on the 1st of the following January hastily raised the siege. Immediately after his departure, the English fortified the neighbouring hill of Balgillo, and ravaged great part of the county of Angus. Archibald, fifth earl of Argyle, hearing of this, hastily collected a party of his clansmen, and led them against the English at Broughty, where he sustained a defeat, as not long after did a numerous body of French and German troops. On the 20th of February, 1550, both the castle and fort were taken by Des Thermes, who brought against the English in this quarter an army composed of Scots, Germans, and French. The works at both places were now dismantled; and although, at least on the castle, repairs were, perhaps more than once, bestowed, yet we find in the annals of subsequent times little of consequence recorded concerning them.