population 7427 6766 date of map 1856 1896 cupar In 12th century Cupar was established as the county town of Fife. It prospered in its early days on the back of the wool industry and later grew as a market town and administrative centre. It served a huge population encompassing much of south east fife. The 19th Century saw Cupar at its most fortunate. The early part of the century saw it establish itself in financial services and as home to the county newspaper. Further development occurred with the arrival of the railway in 1847. The population of the town grew steadily throughout the century from 4463 in 1800 to 6766 in 1901. Due to its wealth the town housed numerous fine buildings and churches many of which can still be seen today. Although stripped of its role of county town in 1974 when the council gave the title to the new town of Glenrothes, the town has continued to prosper and grow. This may have been aided by the retention of the railway and location close to the M90 motorway. 63.36 % 245,220 355ha 3805 10.7 dwellings/ha
8085 8800 1938 2008 m a r k e t 21 1850 county town of fife 1900 cupar thrives as financial centre 1950 town continues to prosper 2008 retains market town character 10 000
population 2364 2758 date of map 1876 1906 dingwall It is believed that Dingwall was first established around 1050 lying in a strategic position at the head of Cromarty forth. In 1814 the bridging of the rivers Conon and Buely and the construction of the parliamentary roads, lead to Dingwall becoming the centre of communications for the north. It became the administrative centre for much of northern Scotland. In 1820 the harbour arrived and it became a port. Agricultural change in the 1800 s lead to commercial farming and brought new business to the town. The arrival of the railway in 1862 lead to further growth and the town established itself as an agricultural market place. In 1890 the town set up permanent livestock markets however these have since been relocated to allow for a large superstore in the town centre. Originally in the 1900 s the high street was part of the A9. The creation of the Cromarty Firth bridge redirected this and relieved the town of the heavy traffic it experienced in the 19th century when it was the busiest route centre in Northwest Scotland. 78.86% 207,111 326 ha 2163 6.64 dwellings/ha
3604 5080 1959 2008 m a r k e t 23 1820 1862 railway arrived 1900 s high street part of the A9 2008 bustling market town became a port 10 000
population 4069 5241 date of map 1873 1906 forres Forres is one of the oldest towns in Scotland, holding Royal Burgh status since 1140. With limited growth from the 17th century, Forres entered a period of development beginning in 1810 and by the 1820 s the town experienced rapid expansion with new developments emerging on the outskirts of town. Nestled on the flood plane of river Findhorn, the great flood of 1829 transformed the town with many of the population seeking high ground and relocating to the Cluny Hills. However despite this natural disaster Forres transformed in the 19th century with the help of the introduction of the railway. This strengthened the economy, allowing export of agriculture by rail, which in turn brought improved road connections and infrastructure investment. Today the composition of the town remains relatively unchanged having retained the original layout of the medieval town plan. The market history of the town is still evident, the high street widening where the market was originally held. Many fine buildings also remain including the tolbooth and mercat cross. Through retaining it heritage and tradition Forres today is an attractive place to visit, famous for its floral displays. 83.37 % 170,600 381 ha 3801 9.97 dwellings/ha
5231 8990 1959 2008 m a r k e t 25 1820 s large expansion 1910 market town 1985 bypass introduced 2008 town centre largly unchanged 10 000
population 5634 4525 date of map 1862 1899 kelso Located where the rivers Tweed and Teviot meet, Kelso developed from a small hamlet as a direct result of the Kelso Abbey which was established in 1128. Upon completion, the town flourished and attracted monks who were skilled craftsmen, this helped the population to expand. However there were large scale fires in 1645 and 1742 which destroyed the central part of town. Controlled predominately by the abbey the wealth and power declined in the 16th century yet the construction of the Kelso Bridge in 1754 lead to Kelso becoming an important stop on the London to Edinburgh coach route. During the 18th and 19th centuries stately homes were built outside the town centre due to the growth of a richer middle class. Today the town retains the original central layout with four cobbled streets merging into a central cobbled market square. Most of the current town centre features Georgian or Victorian architecture with the town hall from 1816 sitting on the site of the original tollbooth. 64.7% 192,753 151 ha 2363 15.6 dwellings/ha
4518 5380 1938 2008 m a r k e t 27 1128 developed with creation of abbey 1803 first bridge constructed 1905 largest market square in scotland 2008 a charming town 10 000
population 3555 3309 date of map 1854 1909 kirkcudbright Situated on the River Dee, Kirkcudbright achieved Royal Burgh status in 1455. This gave the town the right to trade with ports outside Scotland an emphasised the importance of the harbour. The original town was built around the high street. The River Dee protected its castle, habour and moat on all sides giving security which lead to the town prospering. The town gained considerable wealth in the early centuries and during the 1400 s a quarter of all Scotland s cloth exports left from Kircudbright s harbour. The town then faced a time of decline in the 1600 and 1700 s however the arrival of the railway in 1864 allowed Kircudbright to make its mark as a centre for artists and maintain a steady population through the 19th and 20th century. The high street in kirkcudbright is unusual as it wraps around the two sides of the town core rather than forming a central thoroughfare, this can be clearly seen in the figure grounds above. Many old town houses still line the high street hinting to kirkcudbright s history. 80.33% 273,720 152 ha 1620 10.65 dwellings/ha
3316 3240 1951 2008 m a r k e t 29 1854 arrival of railway 1900 high street is wrapped 2 sides of core 1950town retains character as artist town 2008 scenic scottish fishing town 10 000
population 8243 8103 date of map 1864 1898 lanark Becoming a Royal Burgh in 1140, Lanark has been an important market town since medieval times and was the location of the first Scottish parliament meeting in 978. 1785 brought large change when the water power of the river Clyde was harnessed by the cotton mills built at New Lanark (located one mile from the existing town). Whilst Lanark served as a focus for the wider rural community New Lanark drove the local economy. In 1845 the railway arrived and Lanark flourished as a market town holding regular livestock markets. The mills in New Lanark closed in 1968 & 74 which threatened its existence and the economy of the surrounding areas. However, it began a process of regeneration and survived. Today the older buildings lining the high street reveal Lanark s character as a market town. There has been a considerable amount of investment in Lanark over recent years, though the narrow streets and vennels have prevented major redevelopment of the shops. The site of the original mercat cross marks the foot of the high street and is still known as the cross. Today there is little industry although it still holds one of Scotland s largest farming markets. 70.25 % 200,741 268 ha 3656 13.6 dwellings/ha
9250 8200 1958 2008 m a r k e t 31 1785 mercat cross demolished 1855 railway arrived 1950town continued to flourish 2008 retains market town character 10 000
population 3574 2756 date of map 1879 1907 tain Tain is Scotland s oldest Royal Burgh granted the title in 1066. It developed as a market and administrative centre. It was an important religious centre containing the shrine of St Duthus, a Christian figure in the 8th and 9th century. The town is dominated by its Tollbooth, first constructed in 1630. This historically held many administrative functions. The railway arrived in in 1864 and helped the town continue to prosper in its original role. The railway effectively cut the town off from its sea front. Although enjoying a coastal location, Tain does not interact with the water, in fact the water s edge is lined with a golf course. This is perhaps not surprising as the town never functioned as a port, but is unusual for a sea side town. In the 1930 s Tain was home to many RAF with the construction of an aerodrome. The population of Tain has remained relatively stable through out its existence varying between 2277 in 1800 to 3340 in 2006. Its lack of industry failed to attract a vast population. It may have lost its administrative role, but remains a popular place, partly due to its intact townscape and good road and rail connections. 87.02% 204,125 279ha 1536 5.5 dwellings/ha
2348 3380 1960 2008 m a r k e t 33 1800 royal burgh and admin centre 1864 railway arrived - remains admin centre 1930war time air base 2008 popular with visitors & locals 10 000
economy social top three employment types % in employment [s.a. 44.67] education: % with a quailification [s.a. 66.77] health: % good general health [s.a. 89.85] cupar calckmannan brechin 43.63 61.41 91.41 41.77 64.9 87.69 44.79 76.04 91.77 dingwall 46.86 63.8 91.25
housing connections growth % +/- average house price [s.a. 150,257] % owner occupied [s.a. 62.59] railway station within thirty miles of large settlement % growth 1954-2006 12 56.93 p - 15.28 m a r k e t 35 16 57 p 13.09 39 70.98 8.84 138 61.77 36.23
economy social top three employment types % in employment [s.a. 44.67] education: % with a quailification [s.a. 66.77] health: % good general health [s.a. 89.85] lanark kirkcudbright kelso forres 47.93 47.77 41.6 44.81 70.09 92.66 55.84 92.47 65.76 90.95 56.65 89.96
housing connections growth % +/- average house price [s.a. 150,257] % owner occupied [s.a. 62.59] railway station within thirty miles of large settlement % growth 1954-2006 m a r k e t 13 63.03 71.86 37 28 58.27 p 19.07 82 70.8 p - 2.3 34 65.12-11.36
economy social top three employment types % in employment [s.a. 44.67] education: % with a quailification [s.a. 66.77] health: % good general health [s.a. 89.85] tain 42.01 60.53 91.6