Arbroath is an ancient port with origins dating back to Pictish times. It entered recorded history with the founding of the splendid Arbroath Abbey in 1174. There was a wooden pier at Arbroath by 1194, and the first harbour, known as the Abbot's Harbour, dated from 1394.
Arbroath's name comes from its position at the mouth of the Brothock Burn: it is a shortened form of Aberbrothock. The town's name has since reached a world-wide stage for two very different reasons.
If Arbroath's early growth depended heavily on Arbroath Abbey, the last few centuries have seen it look to the sea for its prosperity. And not just to fishing, though this has been and continues to be important to the town.
Arbroath and the SeaThe 1394 harbour was built at the interestingly named Danger Point, and remained in operation until destroyed in a gale in 1706. Its 1734 replacement was expanded in 1842 and again in 1877, and Arbroath in its time has been an important trading port with destinations in Scandinavia and as far a field as North America.
Near the harbour is the Arbroath Signal Tower Museum. This was built in 1813 as the shore station for the Bell Rock lighthouse, erected by Robert Stevenson in the years up to 1811 to warn mariners of notorious rocks 12 miles south east of Arbroath. This was the first time anyone had ever built a lighthouse on a rock that was submerged every high tide and the construction of the 115ft high structure marked the pinnacle of the lighthouse building achievements of the Stevenson family.
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