Arbroath: Angus Fishing Town Where Scottish Independence Was Declared and Smokies Are Still Made
Arbroath sits on the North Sea coast in Angus, about 17 miles northeast of Dundee. The population is around 24,000. The town is known for two things above all else. The Declaration of Arbroath, a letter sent to Pope John XXII in 1320 asserting Scottish independence, was drafted at Arbroath Abbey, a red sandstone ruin that still dominates the town centre. The abbey was founded in 1178 by William the Lion and dedicated to Thomas Becket. The second claim to fame is the Arbroath smokie, a hot-smoked haddock prepared over hardwood in small smokehouses along the harbour. The smokie has Protected Geographical Indication status from the EU, meaning it can only legally be called an Arbroath smokie if produced within a five-mile radius of the town.
The harbour area retains a working fishing fleet, though on a smaller scale than historically. The Signal Tower Museum, a Regency-era building originally used to communicate with the Bell Rock Lighthouse 11 miles offshore, covers the town's maritime history. The High Street and the Brothock Water running through the centre form the commercial area. Arbroath station is on the Aberdeen to Dundee line, with services to Dundee in about 20 minutes and Aberdeen in about 40. The A92 connects along the coast in both directions.
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Arbroath sits on the North Sea coast in Angus, about 17 miles northeast of Dundee. The population is around 24,000. The town is known for two things above all else. The Declaration of Arbroath, a letter sent to Pope John XXII in 1320 asserting Scottish independence, was drafted at Arbroath Abbey, a red sandstone ruin that still dominates the town centre. The abbey was founded in 1178 by William the Lion and dedicated to Thomas Becket. The second claim to fame is the Arbroath smokie, a hot-smoked haddock prepared over hardwood in small smokehouses along the harbour. The smokie has Protected Geographical Indication status from the EU, meaning it can only legally be called an Arbroath smokie if produced within a five-mile radius of the town.
The harbour area retains a working fishing fleet, though on a smaller scale than historically. The Signal Tower Museum, a Regency-era building originally used to communicate with the Bell Rock Lighthouse 11 miles offshore, covers the town's maritime history. The High Street and the Brothock Water running through the centre form the commercial area. Arbroath station is on the Aberdeen to Dundee line, with services to Dundee in about 20 minutes and Aberdeen in about 40. The A92 connects along the coast in both directions.
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