Local History

Angus is steeped in history -  feel the past come to life at Arbroath Abbey or Glamis Castle. Get hands-on with Pictish history at Aberlemno  and the Pictavia visitor centre in the Pictish heartland of Brechin or at St Vigeans Pictish and Mediaeval Stone Museum

Angus' superb ancient carved stones give us tantalising glimpses into this ancient people, and the many ethnic groups who have lived here and fought over our bountiful land have left their mark too.

 

There are many sites of historical interest, archaeological sites and historic buildings in Angus that reach out and touch the past. Museums and libraries, and medieval buildings all come together to tell their story, to tell our story.

The story of the Stone of Destiny, which for centuries played a crucial role in the coronation of Scots and British monarchs, sums up the incredible complexity that makes up Angus history and the integral part it has played in the development of Scotland.

The Stone of Destiny is reputed to have been the block upon which Jacob rested his head in Genesis 28:11: today it resides at Scone Palace, near Perth. Since the sixth century, when Fergus 1 became King of Dalriada (the ancient name for Scotland) and brought the Stone with him from Ireland, the kings and queens of Scots, and later of England as well, have stood upon the stone at their coronation.

In 1951 a group of Scots patriots stole (perhaps they would say they rescued) the Stone from Westminster Abbey and brought it back to Scotland.

After several months, it was found lying on the High Altar of Arbroath Abbey, and was returned to England, where it remained till recently.