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Arbroath, Old Harbour
Harbour (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Arbroath, Old Harbour
Classification Harbour (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Brothock Water
Canmore ID 35554
Site Number NO64SW 25
NGR NO 6442 4054
NGR Description NO c. 6442 4054
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/35554
- Council Angus
- Parish Arbroath And St Vigeans
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Angus
- Former County Angus
NO64SW 25 c. 6442 4054
For (successor and present) Arbroath Harbour (centred NO 6418 4044), see NO64SW 28.
(Area NO 6442 4054) A harbour was built at Arbroath in 1394 to the east of the present harbour and in front of the Old Shorehead. The pier extended in a SW direction from the foot of the High Street at Danger Point.
It was a wooden pier fixed in an embankment of large boulders, many of which remained in the line of the old pier till the formation of the new harbour in 1840. Extensive repairs were made to the old harbour in years 1609 and 1654.
D Miller 1860; Brodie and Salmond 1900
Publication Account (2013)
The harbour, medieval in origin, was improved by John Gibb in 1838-9 and then enlarged by James Leslie in 1841-46 to contain an area of 2.4 hectares within sea-walls of red sandstone. The old harbour of 1725 was converted into a wet dock in 1877 - the wrought iron gates are now kept open. A patent slip by Morton of Leith (the name cast into the rails) uses original gearing, coupled to a motor, in place of the engine cylinder, to haul fishing boats at McKay’s boatyard. This and a mass concrete sail loft was repaired through a Townscape Heritage Initiative. Note also the corrugated iron roofs of the “Black Shed” and of the Lifeboat House (lifeboat station was founded in 1803: slip and building are c1900).
M Watson, 2013
