Crieff, King Street, Market Park

NN82SE 270.00 centred 86138 21180

For second group of military buildings see NN82SE 287.

The rectangular shaped park is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Perthshire 1866, sheet xcvi) and annotated as 'Cattle Market'. It is now known as Market Park. The area is described in the Object Name Book (ONB) as a' large level field close to the railway station, in which the markets or fairs for sheep and cattle are held. The field is the property of Lord Willoughby; and is rented for the purpose, since 1859 when the old cattle market was purchased by the trustees and now belongs to Morrison's Academy. (Name Book 1865)

The Historic Scotland listing document states that 'The ground belonged to the Earl of Ancaster, and in April 1890 was let for £6.5s to Messrs McKenzie and in July of the same year, the Crieff Highland Games Committee were granted permission to erect a permanent Grand Stand' (Historic Scotland Listing document). Later Ordnance Survey maps show the addition of a grandstand' and slaughter houses at the SW boundary. During WW II the park was possibly utilised by the miltary, as immediate postwar vertical air photographs (541(A) 396, 4041-4042, flown 19 May 1948) show that at least eighteen, mainly Nissen type huts had been placed around the perimeter with a football pitch in the centre. At the date of the photograph only nine huts were still standing, evidence for the location of the others provided by the concrete bases.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), November 2005