History of Perth

When Sir Walter Scott wrote his novel "The Fair Maid of Perth" he put this pretty town 22mi/35km west of Dundee firmly on the map. Although relatively few historic buildings from this former Scottish capital have survived, the town can claim to have been the scene of a number of important events in the history of Scotland.

Tourist Attractions in Perth

Balhousie Castle Museum
The present Balhousie Castle in Perth was built in 1860 but incorporates a 16th-century L-plan tower house. The property originally belonged to the Eviot family but was sold by them in 1478. In 1962 it became the regimental headquarters and museum of the Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment. The displays tell the story of the regiment from its founding in 1739 to the present day, with many medals, uniforms, weapons, pictures and audio-visual displays and tableaux.

Crieff
The upper terrace provides the best view of these terraced gardens which were laid out in 1630 by John Drummond. After Cromwell's troops had burnt down the medieval castle (15th century), it was gradually rebuilt. The castle was extended in the 19th century and in early Victorian times alterations were also made to the lower sections of the parkland.

Innerpeffray
It’s Historic Scotland’s annual free weekend 12 - 13 April 2008. There’s free entry to historic properties all over Scotland. As well as favourites such as Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, why not venture a little off the beaten track to some less well known castles?Elcho Castle is a well preserved 16th century castle by the River Tay, a few miles south east of Perth. It belonged to the Wemyss family until they gifted it to the nation in 1929 I have to admit that I’d not heard of Elcho Castle before I visited in April 2007. I think it is well worth a visit as the building is fairly intact and it’s in a lovely setting. Elcho Castle is a fortified mansion (3mi/4.8km to the southeast of Perth) in Scottish baronial style (16th C). It was once the seat of the Wemyss family. Note the small corner towers and projecting round oriel windows.

Huntingtower Castle
A footpath leads up Kinnoul Hill (729ft/222m) which affords a fine view over the surrounding countryside.

Scone Palace
Scone Palace (2mi/3.2km to the north of Perth) is situated near the old but now non-existent abbey of Scone where Scottish monarchs from Kenneth II to James IV were crowned. In the ninth century Kenneth MacAlpin chose Scone as the royal residence and brought the Scottish coronation stone ("Stone of Scone") here, but in 1297 Edward I took it to Westminster Abbey in London where it has remained. The stone was once placed on Mote Hill, a spot where, according to legend, earth from all parts of the kingdom had been scattered. The major part of the palace was built at the beginning of the 19th C and it is now the seat of the earls of Mansfield, whose ancestors are shown in the portraits which line the Long Gallery. Porcelain from Meissen, Sèvres and Derby, fine Chippendale furniture, 17th and 18th C ivory carvings and some extremely unusual papier mâché objets d'art (c1730) by the Parisian Martin brothers are the principal art treasures on view inside. The surrounding parkland boasts a number of rare trees.

St John's Church
The parish church of St John which was built in the 15th century and then restored in 1923/1924 by Sir Robert Lorimer was the stage for the reformer John Knox to launch his campaign against idolatry. His sermon culminated in a iconoclastic crusade in which the majority of art treasures in Scotland's churches were destroyed.

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