Inverbervie Local History

Local Names Index Click Here	Inverbervie Local History These pages detail local history in Chronological Order.
	We are constantly needing information to update this section, if you have specific memories or information, please get in touch and we can include it. We will try to input information on a time line and link it to any specific areas of interest that can be identified today.

	The walks below give further details
Burgh Heritage Trail Walk	Gourdon Heritage Walks	Inverbervie Walks

Summary of Events

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Pre- History-

The present site of Inverbervie and its neighbourhood has been occupied by man since the Middle and New Stone Ages. Discoveries of stone and flint tools, weapons, coins, cist-graves and cairns, also the pre-historic burial mound ofWar-Woof o’ Cairn near the Lang Rig (Old Turnpike Road), point to its continuous occupation for thousands of years. Its site seems to have been selected as it adjoined a bridging point of the river; it could be easily defended, it commanded the high ground (raised beach) at the top of the Bervie Bay. Access to the sea, good water supply and drainage were also important features of location.

12th Century -

As far back as the twelfth century, in a document relating to Arbroath Abbey, we read that Simon of Inverbervie witnessed a charter transferring the lands of Balfeith to Arbroath Abbey.

13th Century -

In the thirteenth century, David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of King William the Lion, had the lands of Inverbervie as part of his inheritance.

1249-1285 -

During the reign of Alexander III (1249-85), Inverbervie received its first known charter.

1262 -

The Carmelite Friars came to Scotland , Their Friary at Inverbervie was established in 1443

1291-

In 1291 there is mention of a lease of land at Bervie by Robert de Bruce, Lord of Annandale, to John de Stirling of Moray.

1341 -

In 1341, King David II and his Queen, Joanna were returning after nine years in exile and although their destination is not certain, it is known that Bervie Beach was often used by the Royalty about that period when they were on their way to Kincardine Castle, near Fettercairn.
In thick fog, their ship came ashore on the rocks below Bervie Brow, a few hundred yards north of the mouth of the Bervie Water. The ship was wrecked and after scrambling ashore, they searched the area and came across a group of fishermen who took them to their homes.
As a result of the hospitality they received, the King elevated the small hamlet to the status of a Royal Burgh.

Hercules Linton, in his short history, mentions that in the 1830s, the building which stood at the south-west corner of Market Square was demolished and one of its rooms was known as the King’s Room.

1342 -

A summary of the Charter which was bestowed on 22nd June, 1342, states:

“Know ye that we have granted, and by this our present charter confirmed to our burgesses and community of Inverbervie, that they and their successors have, hold and possess for ever the foresaid town of Inverbervie as a free burgh with suitable liberties, commodities, easements, free customs and all just pertinents that belong or can of right in any wise belong to a free burgh.”

This privilege gave the medieval burgh self-government and enabled it to be economically viable.

1376 -

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Hallgreen Castle was founded.

1443 -

The Carmelite Friars came to Scotland in 1262 and had convents in eight places including Bervie. Their Friary at Inverbervie was established in 1443 and is said to have been in the vicinity of Market Square, Cowgate and School Wynd. It was dissolved about the time of the Reformation.

1474 -

The first known bridge across the Bervie was built in 1474 by Alexander Straiton of Knox

1567 -

The town was destroyed by fire by order of the Regent Moray.

1569 -

The Town-House was built (or re-built) in the Market Square.

1595 -

A Charter of Confirmation of rights and privileges was granted to the Magistrates and Burgesses by King James VI which is even more explicit and elaborate than the 1342 charter.

1641 -

Sir Robert Arbuthnott of that Ilk was raised to the Peerage by Charles I with the titles of Viscount of Arbutbnott and Lord Bervie.

1667 -

Birth of John Arbuthnot - Mathematician

1696 -

A second bridge of two arches known as Beattie’s Bridge was built in 1696 and the remains of its middle pier can be seen directly below the arch of the third bridge which was built in 1797.

1722 -

The Town Hall was re-built in the Market Square.

1735 -

Death of John Arbuthnot - Mathematician

1737 -

The Market Cross bears the date 1737 and this would most likely be the date when it was erected. It may well have replaced a previous cross, as this was used as the centre of the community from which all proclamations and declarations were made.

1781 -

Church built at Kirkburn in 1781 and it replaced an earlier building on the same site.

1790 -

The first flax spinning mill in Scotland was started in the Haughs in 1790.

1791 -

In 1791, the bell which now hangs in the Parish Church was presented to the Burgh by Provost Barclay. It said that these bells were exchanged at one period, possibly when the Church was built in 1837.

1792 -

The Town Bell which is now replaced on top of the Town Hall bears the date 1792.

1799 -

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Third bridge which was built in 1799. It still stands and carried all the traffic on the A92 before the present bridge was opened in King George V’s jubilee year of 1935. It took three years to build.

1830 -

The present Town Hall buildings were built with some of the stone coming from the old Town Hall in the Market Square. The buildings were restored in 1965 when the belfry was taken down.The hall was made into a Council Chamber and the Burgh Office (now the District Council Office) established. At this time a new library was made by means of a generous bequest from the late Miss Margaret Crichton, niece of the late Provost Gibb (1890) who bequeathed the sum of £2,400 for the provision of a library and community centre.

1835 -

Linty Mill Opened, which was originally a meal mill

1836 -

Birth of Hercules Linton - Designer of Cutty Sark

1837 -

The present church was opened on 1st January, 1837.

As early as 1837 there was a Parish school and five private schools.

Pre 1841 -

Upper Mill Opened.

1844 -

Broadyards school was built from a legacy left by John Gordon.

1845 -

Gas was introduced in 1845 by the Bervie Gas Light Co.

1865 -

The railway from Montrose was opened in 1865.

1869 -

Launch of Cutty Sark

1877 -

Laurel Mill Opened.

1884 -

Springworks and Klondyke Mills Opened.

1899 -

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Haugh Mills (Old Mill and New Mill), Pitcarry Mill Opened.

1900 -

Death of Hercules Linton - Designer of Cutty Sark

1907 -

Craigview Mill Opened.

1910 -

Upper Mill Closed, with its production being relocated at Selbie Works, Gourdon which closed in 1997.

1914 -

Haughs Old Mill destroyed by fire.

1919 -

Haughs New Mill destroyed by fire.

The first buses in Inverbervie were started.

The first Council houses were built in 1919.

1935 -

King George V’s bridge built in jubilee year of 1935.

1937 -

New school in Church Street was opened in 1937 , a junior secondary school.

Electricity was brought into the town in 1937 but the streets were still lit by gas until the war started.

1940 -

Pitcarry Mill destroyed by fire.

1948 -

Electric street lighting was installed in 1948.

1965 -

1969 -

Church Street School demoted to primary in 1969 at which time the Broadyards was closed.

Linton Memorial unveiled by Sir Francis Chichester.

1975 -

The Royal Burgh was not abolished in 1975 when regionalisation took place. Only its powers were taken away.

1990 -

Sports Centre built in 1990 by the District Council.

1992 ? -

Craigview Mill closed.

1997 -

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Selbie Works, Gourdon Flax Mill closed.

Tall Ships In Bervie - Gala day in honour of Hercules Linton on July 11. A service of re-dedication was held at Linton's memorial at Jubilee Bridge.

Abolishment-

The Royal Burgh was not abolished in 1975 when regionalisation took place. Only its powers were taken away.

Bridges -

The first known bridge across the Bervie was built in 1474 by Alexander Straiton of Knox.
A second bridge of two arches known as Beattie’s Bridge was built in 1696 and the remains of its middle pier can be seen directly below the arch of the third bridge which was built in 1797. It still stands and carried all the traffic on the A92 before the present bridge was opened in King George V’s jubilee year of 1935. It took three years to build.

Third Bridge	Jubilee Bridge

Burgh Layout -

It occupied three sides of a rough square.

To the west lay the Cowgate (part of present-day King Street), along which the livestock of the inhabitants were driven by the Burgh Herd to graze on the Burgh Muir at Townhead.

The north section consisted of the Mercatgait (Market Square and High Street). This was the administrative and commercial centre of the Burgh.

The eastern part was known as Fisher or Seagait (present-day David Street). It is interesting to relate that these streets retained their medieval names until altered by a decree of the Town Council in 1876.

Access to and exit from the Burgh was by means of Gaits or Ports, i.e. North, South and East Ports. The latter gave access to the harbour. No town walls existed and a certain measure of protection was achieved by townsfolk who built up the backdykes of their long narrow garden plots.

Outside the town proper, lay the burgh roods where the people still grew most of their food using the Runrig System of rigs separated by uncultivated balks. Middens lay in front of every house. Water was obtained from private or public wells. The main thoroughfares were paved with flat stones (causey). Open gutters occupied the edge of the street.

The Mercatgait housed the Tolbooth (rebuilt after the fire of 1567). Taxes were paid here and in an upper room the Town Council met. Prisoners were kept in a tiny cell known as the “Thief Hole”. Near it stood the Tron, or public weighing beam where all goods bought or sold were publicly weighed.

Also close by was the Mercat Cross, Stocks, Branks, and Jougs for the punishment of offenders. The Parish Church in the Kirkburn stood well outside the built up area. It was approached from the town via Kirk Lane.

The small harbour contained fishing boats and small ships which traded with Northern Europe. The Royal Charter of 1595 mentions that fishermen and fish sellers are allocated “The whole customs and anchorages of the aforesaid harbour of Inverbervie”.

Bervie harbour disappeared at the beginning of the nineteenth century due to the build up of the bar at the river mouth. Hallgreen Castle was founded by the Dunnet family in 1376 and passed into the possession of the Raits in the fifteenth century. The house is still occupied.

Bus Service -

The first buses in Inverbervie were started before the first War by the Davidson brothers. In 1919, James Peter set up a bus company and ran a service between Aberdeen, Stonehaven, Montrose, Brechin and Edzell. They were taken over by Alexanders in the early 1930s.

Church -

The present church was opened on 1st January, 1837, replacing the one in Kirkbum, a gable of which still stands. The latter was built in 1781 and it replaced an earlier building on the same site.

Council Houses -

The first Council houses were built in 1919 and about twelve blocks were built before the war. Up until this time, Church Street stopped at the Church Street Hall and beyond this were green fields.

Electricity -

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Electricity was brought into the town in 1937 but the streets were still lit by gas until the war started, when like the rest of the country, the black out took place. Electric street lighting was installed in 1948.

Flax Mills -

The first flax spinning mill in Scotland was started in the Haughs in 1790.

As time went on, other mills were built until at the peak in 1910 there was a total of nine in operation employing some 500-600 workers.

The town mills consisted of the Laurel (1877), Springworks and Klondyke (1884), and Craigview (1907).

The riverside mills were the Linty (circa 1835), which was originally a meal mill, Haugh Mills (Old Mill and New Mill), Pitcarry Mill (1899) and the Upper Mill (pre-1841). The Old Mill and New Mill were destroyed by fire in 1914 and 1919 respectively, and in 1940 Pitcarry Mill suffered the same fate.

The Upper Mill was closed in 1910 with its production being relocated at Selbie Works, Gourdon which is still in operation. The recent closure of Craigview Mill marks the end of over 200 years of flax spinning in Inverbervie.

Gas Supply -

Gas was introduced in 1845 by the Bervie Gas Light Co. who set up a Gas Works in the Haughs.

Linton Memorial -

Click Here for Picture of Linton Monument

The Linton Memorial, near the Bridge, was erected by the Town Council and the Cutty Sark Society in 1969 to commemorate the life and work of Hercules Linton, designer of the clipper ship, Cutty Sark, who was born in Inverbervie in 1836 and died here in 1900. The monument was unveiled by the late Sir Francis Chichester.

A service of re-dedication was held at Linton's memorial at Jubilee Bridge in July 1997, with the unveiling of a new monument.

Magistrates Court -

There was also a Magistrates Court held once a week when necessary. The Provost and the Bailies were all eligible to sit on the bench and took the duties in turn.

Population -

The earliest figures available show a population

Year Population

1755 655

1774 704

1792 985

1831 757

1861 952

1871 1,859

1901 2,523

1931 1,032

1951 885

1991 1900 (700*)

This large increase between 1831 to 1901 can probably be accounted for by the influx of workers to the flax mills. After 1901 the population decreased.

In the last twenty years the Town was expanded greatly with over two hundred private and Local Authority houses at five or six different schemes. Many of these houses are outside the old Burgh boundary.
700* indicates 700 for Gourdon and 1900 for Bervie.

Railway -

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The railway from Montrose was opened in 1865 and closed in 1965. At the turn of the century there were twenty trains daily at the Station.

School -

As early as 1837 there was a Parish school and five private schools where children could get lessons for a few pence a week.

In the 1880s education was made compulsory and the Bervie School Board had to provide schools and teachers for all children between the ages of six and twelve. Broadyards School was built from a legacy left by John Gordon, a labourer who was accidentally killed at work in 1844.

It was latterly used as the infant school where children started at the age of five, and after two years, went to the school in School Lane. When the new school in Church Street was opened in 1937 it was a junior secondary school, but it was demoted to primary in 1969 at which time the Broadyards was closed.

Sports centre-

The most recent asset to the Burgh is the Sports Centre built in 1990 by the District Council.

Town Council -

This is a few words about the Town Council as it was between 1900 and 1975.

There were nine elected members; Provost, Senior and Junior Bailies, Honorary Treasurer, Dean of Guild and four Councillors.

The posts of Town Clerk, Burgh Surveyor and Town Chamberlain were salaried appointments.

The Town Council had the authority to set the rates, build new council housing, arrange for the upkeep of streets and lighting, water supply and drainage as well as sports and parks.
In short, they had full authority for all that took place within the Burgh boundary.

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