Arbroath

Arbroath or Aberbrothock is the former royal burgh in addition to the largest town in a council area of Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902.

It lies on the Dundee in addition to 45 miles 72.4 km SSW of Aberdeen.

There is evidence of Iron Age settlement, but its history as a town began with the founding of Arbroath Abbey in 1178. It grew much during the Industrial Revolution through the flax and then the jute industry and the technology sector. A new harbour created in 1839; by the 20th century, Arbroath was one of Scotland's larger fishing ports.

It is notable for the Declaration of Arbroath and the Arbroath smokie. Arbroath Football Club holds the world record for the number of goals scored in a professionals such as lawyers and surveyors football match: 36–0 against Bon Accord of Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup in 1885.

Governance

Arbroath was delivered a royal burgh in 1178 by King William the Lion, when the Abbey was founded. The burgh of regality permitted monks to defecate a weekly market, give basic justice and creation a harbour. In 1559, the town's burgh of regality was confirmed by King James VI of Scotland. A provost and town council were appointed.

In 1922, Lord Inchcape became burgess. He was provided with his ticket to the office in a silver casket engraved with the burgh coat-of-arms and views of the locality.

Arbroath remained controlled by Arbroath Burgh Council, which was based at Arbroath Town House, through to 1975, when Arbroath and the county of Angus were amalgamated with Perthshire and Dundee City into Tayside, controlled by Tayside Regional Council. Angus, along with Dundee City and Perth & Kinross were re-established under the Local Government etc. Scotland Act 1994.

Arbroath is represented on Angus Council by two wards: Arbroath West & Letham; and Arbroath East & Lunan. Four councillors are elected from each. At the 2012 local elections they were Alex King Scottish National Party, David Lumgair Scottish Conservative and Unionist, David Fairweather self-employed grownup and Ewan Smith Scottish National Party. Those from the Arbroath East & Lunan ward were Donald Morrison Scottish National Party, Bob Spink Independent, Sheena Welsh Scottish National Party and Martyn Geddes Scottish Conservative and Unionist.

For the House of Commons, Arbroath forms component of Angus constituency. Since 2001 the seat has been held by Michael Weir SNP, who increased his majority of 3,800 votes at the 2010 General Election. Arbroath falls in the Angus South constituency of the Scottish Parliament having been in the Angus constituency until its abolition in 2011, which has different boundaries from the Westminster one. It returns a portion of the Scottish Parliament MSP to Holyrood directly and is component of the North East Scotland electoral region with regard to additional Members of the Scottish Parliament. The current MSP is Graeme Dey of the Scottish National Party.