Arbroath (/ɑːrˈbroʊθ/) or Aberbrothock (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Bhrothaig[2] [ˈopəɾ ˈvɾo.ɪkʲ]) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902.

They include short-cist burials near West Newbigging, about a mile north of the town, which yielded pottery urns, a pair of silver discs and a gold armlet.

The area appears to have had importance in the early Christian period, as shown by Pictish stone carvings found during restoration of St Vigeans Church, now housed in the small museum there.

This detailed the services which their "lord and sovereign" Robert the Bruce had rendered to Scotland and eloquently affirmed Scots independence.

Manufacturer Alexander Shanks, founded in 1840 and based at Dens Iron Works from 1853,[31] supplied mowers to the Old Course at St Andrews and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

[4][32][33][34] Shanks was taken over in the 1960s by local firm, Giddings & Lewis-Fraser Ltd.,[34] which had evolved from the flax and canvas manufacturing business established by Douglas Fraser in 1832.

Quota cuts and decommissioning took their toll in Scotland from the 1980s; however, Arbroath remains a whitefish port open for landing shellfish.

[45][46][47] Angus South forms part of the North East Scotland electoral region for electing additional Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Neighbouring villages of St Vigeans, Carmyllie, Friockheim, Colliston and Inverkeilor are taken as part of Arbroath for council representation, and along with Carnoustie share its 01241 telephone area code.

A burn (or stream) named Brothock Water flows through the town from St Vigeans parallel to the railway line, before turning to meet the North Sea at Danger Point immediately east of the harbour.

The burn and its environs form a green artery between residential areas and along with the railway line divides the town, east to west.

The works, completed in December 2022, included the creation of flood storage areas at Dammy Meadows and north of the town.

This gently sloping beach is of mixed sand and pebbles and the sea here is a designated bathing water site of about 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) in length.

Bark, flax, hemp, hides, oak and fir timber, and guano for manure, groceries from London, and numerous articles of Baltic produce were imported via Arbroath, with manufactured goods (mainly sailcloth) exported.

[64] This developed in the late 19th century into waxed cotton, which drove Arbroath as a manufacturing centre until the early 1970s, when it began to decline.

A major employer, Keith & Blackman, closed in 1985 and Giddings and Lewis-Fraser wound down about the same time, with the whole plant later demolished to make way for a supermarket.

[62] In 2004, there was speculation that RM Condor would be transferred to the Army as a replacement for Fort George and the barracks become a permanent base for a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

[84] Direct services run along the east coast of Scotland to Aberdeen and via Dundee to Edinburgh and Glasgow with onward connections to London and other English cities.

[96] Twelve denominations spread over twenty two places of worship are listed for Arbroath in a survey of Scotland published in 1884; all bar The Old Church are described as "modern".

[101] Dr Fair was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2020–2021; the only time that a minister of a congregation in Arbroath has held the position.

[104][105] Falling attendances at Knox's Church lead to its congregation uniting with West Kirk in 2019 and the site in Howard Street being put up for sale.

[125] The art gallery and public library are housed within a former school, The Academy, built in 1821 to a design by Dundee architect James Black.

HRH Princess Margaret reopened the hall in October 1970 as the Webster Memorial Theatre and Arts Centre, after major works and refurbishment.

The group also spearhead Scotland's Tartan Day celebrations on 6 April in association with Angus Council as well as educational visits to local schools.

These have included, Jamie McDougall, Karen Cargill, Gordon Cree, Cheryl Forbes, Colette Ruddy and the international diva Lesley Garrett.

[143][144] The author Sir Walter Scott's famous Waverley series of novels includes Rob Roy and Ivanhoe.

[148] The preparation of smokies remains a cottage industry in Arbroath, centred almost exclusively on the harbour area known as Fit o' the Toon.

A large processor, R R Spink & Sons, supplied Arbroath smokies to several UK supermarket chains for a number of years, however this was discontinued when the firm concentrated on smoked salmon and trout.

Blaes (red shale) a type of clay court surface, was in turn replaced by floodlit, all-weather hardcourts following a successful fundraising drive and grant from Sportscotland.

[167] Medical facilities continue to be provided at Arbroath Infirmary on Rosemount Road by NHS Tayside[168] and further afield at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.