Forfar (; , ) is a market town, historical royal burgh and 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. In 2022, Forfar had a population of 13,801.
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 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 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 was occupied by English forces before being recaptured by the Scots and presented to Robert the Bruce. Forfar has been 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 the League Two football club, Forfar Athletic.
The Forfar bridie, a Scottish meat pastry snack, is traditionally identified with the town.
Etymology 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".
History Early history During one of the Roman invasions of modern-day Scotland, 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.Alan Reid, The Royal Burgh of Forfar: A Local History, 1902, Houlston & sons; 445 pages From Battledykes northward the Romans established a succession of camps including Stracathro, Raedykes and Normandykes.C. Michael Hogan, Elsick Mounth, Megalithic Portal, ed Andy Burnham (2007), Megalithic.co.uk
Middle Ages 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 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.
Early modern history During the 16th and 17th century, several witch trials took place in Forfar, the last of which took place in 1662 and in which 52 people were accused. At the time, Forfar was a town of around 1000 inhabitants, with an additional 2000 people residing in the county.
The accidental killing of the 6th Earl of Strathmore After attending the funeral of a daughter of Patrick Carnegie of Lour on the 9th of May 1728, Forfar became the place of the accidental killing of Charles Lyon, 6th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne by James Carnegie of Finhaven. Lyon of Brigton who was of foul temper, bullied Carnegie throughout the day during and by 9pm a mortally drunk Carnegie was attack by Lyon of Brigton who threw him into a kennel, (sewer) on Castle Street. Carnegie humiliated drew his sword and stumbled towards the retreating Brigton. The Earl stepped in between them at the tragic moment and was run through by Carnegie. He died 49 hours later. The subsequent trial established the "not guilty" verdict in Scots Law.
Industrial history Like other parts of Angus, Forfar 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 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 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 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.
Social history
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 is also an art gallery and a meeting place for local speakers, summer clubs for children and groups. The story of Forfar takes visitors 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 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 is a canoe, excavated from Forfar Loch, that dates back to the 11th century (one of two that were found).
Modern history 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 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 the town on 7 March 1941. The 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, 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.
Governance
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 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).
Demography
Population At the 2022 Scottish census, Forfar had a population of 16,240, making it the second-largest settlement in Angus, after Arbroath.
Transport Road The town is located just off the main A90 Dundee to Aberdeen road; having once passed through the town centre, the bypass was completed in 1987.
Railway The nearest stations to Forfar are , and , which are all around 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 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, 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.
Buses Local bus services are operated predominantly by Stagecoach Strathtay, Moffat & Williamson and JP Coaches. Key routes connect the town with Dundee, Kirriemuir, Edzell and Arbroath.
Ember route E1 from Aberdeen to Edinburgh serves a prebooked stop here.
Climate 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 above sea level.
Local sport Football 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 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). All the clubs have SFA Quality Mark Award at some level.
Rugby league Forfar has a National League rugby league team, the Strathmore Silverbacks, who share Inchmacoble Park as their home ground with the local rugby union team.
Rugby union 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.
Golf The Forfar Golf Club, founded in 1871, has the fourth oldest 18 hole course in the world, and is the first club to have an 18-hole course from inception and inauguration. The course was designed by Old Tom Morris, and in 1926 alterations recommended by five time Open Championship winner James Braid were implemented. The letter with Braid's recommendations is on display in the clubhouse.