58 Nethergate to YeamanShore.
Malthouse Close,
Has connections with Lord Lindsay, Earl of Crawford’s Lodgings of “EarlsPalace”, which predates 1700. Lindsay married a daughter of King RobertII.
86 Nethergate Our Lady Gait: Michelsons Close: Scotts Close: Crockatts Close: St Davids Court
Built around 1450. Known as a finished close. From 4’9” to 8’ wide.
Present St Davids Rooms was bought by Freemasons in 1920 although they have occupied the building since 1908. Rooms were originally the property of the Blairs of Blair Castle, now demolished, which was about 3 miles west of Blairgowrie. Reputed to be Dundee’s second oldest merchants house. Boat hooks can still be seen at the bottom of the building.
Morgan Tower Court
Back wall is 17th century line of the Nethergate. Original cobbles can be seen in courtyard.
Provost Riddoch altered the line of Nethergate after building his new house, so that the people could see how important he was.
The Wooden Land
Situated at the west end of Overgate near the WestPort.
Home of the Lucken booths where the Cordiners were situated. Beside this was the property owned by the Moncurs, “Armourers to the King” for many years.
Windmill Brae Corbies Hill
Stood to north of Overgate and west of Lindsay Street. Know as “ye tenters hill”. This hill is where the “Wapinshaws” were once held.
It was partly removed by the quarry at Lindsay Street, named after Provost Lindsay a friend of Riddoch
Barrack Street
Was known as Friars Vennel from 1280 – 1580. When Howff was opened it became Burial Wynd. In 1807 the occupants petitioned the Council and the name was changed to Barrack Street as it led up to DudhopeCastle.
Thorter Row
Goes back to 1488. Old Scottish word for ‘Cross’ i.e. to cross plough or harrow. On the east was St Blaize Chapel (1492), on the West side of Chakker
(Exchequer) Raw.
At the corner was GarlandsLand (1557 after JohnRay, brewer) AndrewGarland was a merchant in the 1700’s. Riddoch offered £25 for it but Garland valued it at £650. In 1811 the Council got an act of Parliament to force the sale. The total cost to the town was £1,600 and it was demolished in 1812.
Duchess of Monmouths House (Wonderful story)
Reform Street 1834
Certain councillors wanted it named Bond Street or Mortgage Place because of its cost.
GardynesLand Bogmill Close AlexanderKyds Close Grays Close
Opposite TendallsWyndFirst proprietor was JohnGardyne, mariner.
Later owned by JamesKyd, one of the lieutenants for the defence of the burgh.
Alexander Kyds Close was known as Bogmills Close until 1810.
It became Grays Close after JamesGray maternal grandfather of WilliamFlowerdew of Graybank.
Here DrJohnBuist published the Dundee Guardian in 1834, one of the first penny newspapers.
The Dundee Times was printed here by D. T. Clark in 1855.
A family of knokmakers by the name of Smith lived there and in 1732 one of them built the clock in the Old Town House.
A house there was occupied by the grandfather of DavidDempster of Dunnichan MP.
It housed no less than six Lord Provosts. William Kinneris 1646 – 7, Thomas Mudie 1648 - 53, Provost at the siege by Monck, David Maxwell 1723 – 5, James Fairweather 1729 – 34, who carried through the building of the Old Town House, Patrick Maxwell 1735 – 6 and David Brown 1820 – 25.
Dyers Close
Owned by the Dyer Craft in 1514 due it being near to the Meadow burn. In 1783 the Deacon, Boxmaster and Officer of the trades with most of the craftsmen lived in this area.
Commercial Street
Murraygate
n 15th Century charters is shown as Murrefgait, when Latin used it is called VicusMoravae, probably Mores Gait in honour of Randolph Earl of Murray friend of Wallace and Bruce.
In 1824 more that 26 carriers had their property in this street.
Sellers of plum cakes, roast chestnuts, fresh ling, cod, haddock, oysters, crabs, partans, dulse, whelks, almanacs, ballads and broadsheets all had stalls here. Added to this were the people coming to the Dog well at Mauchline tower.
Titled Families Involved in Siege of Dundee
Earl of Tweeddale
Buccleugh
Roseberry
Viscount Newburgh
Lords of Balcarras
Elibank
Yester
Ramsay
Master of Burley
And fifteen other persons bearing titles of Knighthood.
Eleven gentlemen of landed property.
Nine of the faculty of Advocates.
Twenty four Writers, Merchants and Indwellers of Edinburgh.
Six citizens of the Cannongate, Leith and Mussleburgh.
RobertAnnan – Wonderful story of thug turned hero. Rescued 12 people from drowning in river.
CouttiesWynd – Another great story of Couttie and JamesIV.
Provost AlexRiddoch – The most corrupt Provost in Dundee history.
Story of JohnMorgan of MorganAcademy fame.
The Council Officer who was so well educated that he used to quiz the pupils of the Dundee Seminary about their Greek and Hebrew. There is a story of a Jewish gentleman coming toDundee to give a public lecture on Hebrew. He met the Council Officer who asked him about which method of teaching Hebrew he used and other details of the language. He left the town saying that if the Council Officer was so well versed in Hebrew there was little point in him trying the tell the public anything.
After the Reform Bill was passed there is another story of a Council Officer and the ‘Calcutta’ china bowl.
Captain Kidd – Dundee born privateer wrongly accused of piracy.
In the 1950’s Thomas Shields drove a Roll’s Royce on the taxi rank.
Another Taxi owner at that time known as ‘Blawearie’ could recall having a horse taxi.
Another taxi owned by JohnReilly was a 12 cylinder Lincoln Zephyr which could drive up Hilltown from Ann Street in top gear.
There was still a Bye Law in force at that time requiring every cab to carry a bag of hay in the boot.
The Milne family are very interesting. Seven of them were master masons to the King and built Holyrood House, the first bridge over the Tay at Perth, NorthwaterBridge, GreyfriarsBridge, Londodn etc.
The Baxter family should be mentioned. Their deeds in weaving the tilts for the Prairie Schooners in America are famous as well as the sails for HMS Victory, one of which remains with 90 shot holes in it.
©Innes A.Duffus
Archivist to the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee