Montrose

Montrose, a seaport of Forfarshire, 76 miles NNE. of Edinburgh and 42 SSW. of Aberdeen. It stands on a level peninsula between Montrose Basin (a tidal loch, measuring 2 by 1¾ miles, but almost dry at low-water) and the mouth of the river South Esk. A fine suspension bridge (1829), 432 feet long, leads to Inchbrayock or Rossie Island, in the Esk's channel, and is continued thence by a drawbridge; and there is also a railway viaduct (1883). Montrose has a plain town-hall (1763-1819); a large parish church (1791-1834), with a steeple 200 feet high; an academy (1820); a lunatic asylum (1868), 2 miles NNW.; good links; and a wet-dock (1840). The foreign trade—timber its staple—is chiefly with the Baltic and Canada; and the average tonnage of ships entering the port exceeds 90,000 tons per annum. Flax-spinning is the principal industry; and ropes, canvas, soap, &c. are also manufactured. Montrose was the birthplace of Robert Brown, botanist; Joseph Hume; Sir Alexander Burnes; and Paul Chalmers, R.S.A. It has memories, too, of Edward I., the two Melvilles, the Great Marquis, the Old Pretender, Dr Johnson, and Lola Montez. A royal burgh since 1352 and earlier, it unites with Arbroath, Brechin, Forfar, and Bervie to return one member to parliament. Pop. (1851) 15,238; (1891) 13,079. See Mitchell's History of Montrose (Montrose, 1866).