The Royal Burgh of Forfar stands on what was once the centre of the kingdom of the Picts - the region's first settlers. Puzzling reminders of the area's earliest inhabitants spring up around the fertile Strathmore valley in which Forfar proudly sits, with mysterious shapes carved deep into solitary stones scattered throughout the land.

A track known as the "King's Cadger's Road" once led from the town to the coast, along which fresh fish was brought to the former royal castle, today marked by an octagonal turret.


Forfar is a town of approximately 13,500 people, located in the district of Angus in Scotland It is the district capital and administrative centre of Angus and was the county capital of the former counties of Angus and its predecessor, Forfarshire. The town is also the market town for the farms of Strathmore in central Angus.

The town is extremely old. According toHector Boece Pictish chiefs met at a castle by Forfar loch to plan how best to repel the Romans who invaded on several occasions between the first and fourth centuries AD.

It is believed that King Malcolm Canmore held 'parliament' here and conferred surnames and titles to the Scottish nobility. Certainly there was a royal residence here, traces of which can be found just north of the town centre at Castlehill.
Forfar has a loch to the east and west, one of which was home to Queen Margaret (wife of Malcolm Canmore) who had a castle built.


The town earned for itself quite a notorious reputation in the 17th century, due to the number of women burned here for witchcraft. These executions took place on a tract of land just north of the town which even to this day is known as "The Witches' Hollow".

Some of the town's buildings are worthy of special mention, such as the County Buildings (1873) and the Reid Hall built in 1871. This fine structure was financed by Peter Reid, who made his considerable fortune through the manufacture of 'Forfar Rock' confectionery.

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