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96-635: The village is approximately 6 miles ENE of Montrose at the southern end of the Howe of the Mearns. The road bridge carrying the A937 over the River North Esk is a substantial structure with four arches. It was designed by Robert Stevenson and completed in 1815 at the cost of £1,000 replacing the previous route to the village, an ancient ford. There is a rail bridge across the same river some 600 m north of

192-607: A Blue Flag for its eco credentials. The surrounding Traill Pavilion and Seafront Splash! facilities with an arcade, a playground, a café and an ice-cream stall is popular amongst locals and visitors alike. North of the town the River North Esk enters the North Sea across the beach. The historically observed average rates of erosion of the beach is between 2.8–7.0 metres (9–23 ft) per year, which has been linked to climate change . The Save our Sands Campaign (SOS)

288-505: A morthouse is located in the churchyard, built to frustrate the activities of bodysnatchers in the 19th century. From 1996-2002, and then 2009-2019 the village has held an annual raft race in the River North Esk. It could not restart after some preventative work was done on the railway bridge, making it too dangerous for the raft race to proceed. Marykirk was also the site of the world's first electricity-generating wind turbine, built by James Blyth in 1887 to light his summer residence in

384-673: A paleosub species that differed only in size from the living bird, is known from fossils found in Azerbaijan . A related paleospecies recorded from fossils and subfossils is the Giant swan, Cygnus falconeri , a flightless species that lived on the islands of Malta and Sicily during the Middle Pleistocene . Fossils of swan ancestors more distantly allied to the mute swan have been found in four U.S. states: California , Arizona , Idaho , and Oregon . The timeline runs from

480-632: A subscription library for learned men was formed. Before World War I the Royal Flying Corps established a base at Montrose (later RAF Montrose ). On 26 February 1913, it became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom. Between the wars, Montrose was a focus for key figures of the Scottish Renaissance . In 1920, a young Christopher Murray Grieve (later Hugh MacDiarmid )

576-410: A 200 to 240 cm (79 to 94 in) wingspan. Males are larger than females and have a larger knob on their bill. On average, this is the second largest waterfowl species after the trumpeter swan , although male mute swans can easily match or even exceed a male trumpeter in mass. Among standard measurements of the mute swan, the wing chord measures 53–62.3 cm (20.9–24.5 in), the tarsus

672-402: A contact sound between birds in flight. Cygnets are especially vocal and communicate through a variety of whistling and chirping sounds when content, as well as a harsher chirping noise when distressed or lost. Mute swans can be very aggressive in defence of their nests and are highly protective of their mate and offspring. Most defensive acts from a mute swan begin with a loud hiss and, if this

768-451: A copy of a gene responsible for leucism . Mute swans nest on large mounds that they build with waterside vegetation in shallow water on islands in the middle or at the very edge of a lake. They are monogamous and often reuse the same nest each year, restoring or rebuilding it as needed. Male and female swans share the care of the nest, and once the cygnets are fledged it is not uncommon to see whole families looking for food. They feed on

864-469: A flying bird, although it has been questioned whether this heavyweight could still take flight. Mute swans can achieve speeds in flight of up to 88.5 km/h (55 mph), and during take off achieve speeds of around 48 km/h (30 mph) when running to gain lift . Young birds, called cygnets, are not the bright white of mature adults, and their bill is dull greyish-black, not orange, for the first year. The down may range from pure white to grey to buff, with grey/buff

960-477: A hub for a constant stream of international pilots from all over the Commonwealth , Poland , Czechoslovakia , America , Russia , France and other allied nations. As well as a training base RAF Montrose was also an operational airfield for Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire squadrons, which flew sorties over Norway and were a part of the air defences for Edinburgh . Of course, this also made

1056-491: A lost or dead mate or cygnet. Swans will go through a mourning process, and in the case of the loss of their mate, may either stay where their counterpart lived or fly off to join a flock. Should one of the pair die while there are cygnets present, the remaining parent will take up their partner's duties in raising the clutch. Mute swans lay from 4 to 10 eggs. The female broods for around 36 days, with cygnets normally hatching between May and July. The young swans do not achieve

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1152-537: A number of promotional leaflets and have established a weekly Saturday market in the town centre. In 2002 plans were unveiled to renovate the Mid Links. The project was completed in 2003 at the total cost of £1.8million with £1.2million granted by the Heritage Lottery Fund . Plaques have been incorporated to inform visitors of the historical heritage of the town's buildings. Montrose is regarded as

1248-456: A roughly rectangular shape 2 miles (3 km) long by 0.75 miles (1 km) wide, aligned in a north–south orientation. The land is relatively flat, rising gradually to around 15m elevation to the North of the town. The expanse of the town extends to the villages on its fringes; Hillside and Ferryden . It lies close to the hamlets of Lunan and St Cyrus . The rural location ensures that

1344-662: A single pair on smaller lakes, though in a few locations where a large area of suitable feeding habitat is found, they can be colonial. The largest colonies have over 100 pairs, such as at the colony at Abbotsbury Swannery in southern England, and at the southern tip of Öland Island, Ottenby Preserve, in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea , and can have nests spaced as little as 2 m (7 ft) apart. Non-mated juveniles up to 3–4 years old commonly form larger flocks, which can total several hundred birds, often at regular traditional sites. A notable flock of non-breeding birds

1440-482: A study of population sizes in the lower Great Lakes from 1971 to 2000 found that mute swan numbers were increasing at an average rate of at least 10% per year, doubling the population every seven to eight years. Several studies have concluded that mute swans severely reduce the densities of submerged vegetation where they occur. In 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to "minimize environmental damages attributed to Mute Swans" by reducing their numbers in

1536-480: A threat to infirm ones (healthy adults can usually swim away from danger and nest defence is usually successful) and there are a few cases of healthy adults falling prey to the golden eagles . In Great Britain, there has been an increased rate of attacks on swans by out-of-control dogs, especially in parks where the birds are less territorial. This is considered criminal in British law, and the birds are placed under

1632-426: A weight range of 9.2–14.3 kg (20–32 lb) while the slightly smaller females (known as pens ) averaged about 8.5 to 9.67 kg (18.7 to 21.3 lb), with a weight range of 7.6–10.6 kg (17–23 lb). While the top normal weight for a big cob is roughly 15 kg (33 lb), one unusually big Polish cob weighed almost 23 kg (51 lb) and this counts as the largest weight ever verified for

1728-531: A wide range of vegetation, both submerged aquatic plants which they reach with their long necks, and by grazing on land. The food commonly includes agricultural crop plants such as oilseed rape and wheat , and feeding flocks in the winter may cause significant crop damage, often as much through trampling with their large webbed feet, as through direct consumption. It will also feed on small proportions of aquatic insects , fish and frogs . Unlike black swans , mute swans are usually strongly territorial with just

1824-440: Is 10–11.8 cm (3.9–4.6 in) and the bill is 6.9–9 cm (2.7–3.5 in). The plumage is white, while the legs are dark grey. The beak of the mute swan is bright orange, with black around the nostrils and a black nail . The mute swan is one of the heaviest extant flying birds. In several studies from Great Britain, males (known as cobs ) were found to average from about 10.6 to 11.87 kg (23.4 to 26.2 lb), with

1920-627: Is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae . It is native to much of Eurasia , and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home to the largest populations outside of its native range, with additional smaller introductions in Australasia and southern Africa. The name "mute" derives from it being less vocal than other swan species. Measuring 125 to 160 cm (49 to 63 in) in length, this large swan

2016-406: Is a hive of activity all spring and early summer. One can watch the blue tits and barn swallows inside their nests, and take in the panoramic vista of the rolling Angus countryside and hills. In October and November there are 38,000 birds using the basin. In winter, 20,000 pink-footed geese take up residence on the mudflats, feeding in the nearby fields by day, and returning to the safety of

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2112-433: Is a town with a wealth of architecture, and is a centre for international trade. It is an important commercial port for the oil and gas industry. It is known for its wide thoroughfare and high street, which leads to picturesque closes containing secluded gardens. The town has a view of a tidal lagoon, Montrose Basin , which is considered a nature reserve of international importance. It is the largest inland salt water basin in

2208-649: Is a variant form of cycnus , borrowing from Greek κύκνος kyknos , a word of the same meaning. Despite its Eurasian origin, its closest relatives are the black swan of Australia and the black-necked swan of South America, not the other Northern Hemisphere swans of the genus Cygnus . The species is monotypic , with no living subspecies . Mute swan subfossils, 6,000 years old, have been found in post-glacial peat beds of East Anglia , Great Britain. They have been recorded from Ireland east to Portugal and Italy , and from France , 13,000 BP (Desbrosse and Mourer-Chauvire 1972–1973). Cygnus olor bergmanni ,

2304-493: Is formed from the Scottish Gaelic Moine (meaning moor or peat moss) and Ros (meaning peninsula or promontory), perhaps ultimately of Pictish origin. The first documentary evidence of the existence of Montrose is the burgh charter issued by David I who founded the town around 1140 as Sallorch or Sallork . By 1178 the name had taken the form Munross before becoming Montrose . Folk etymology attributes

2400-697: Is found on the River Tweed estuary at Berwick-upon-Tweed in northeastern England, with a maximum count of 787 birds. A large population exists near the Swan Lifeline Station in Windsor and lives on the Thames in the shadow of Windsor Castle . Once the adults are mated they seek out their territories and often live close to ducks and gulls , which may take advantage of the swan's ability to reach deep water weeds, which tend to spread out on

2496-474: Is not sufficient to drive off the predator or intruder, are followed by a physical attack. Swans attack by striking at the threat with bony spurs in their wings, accompanied by biting with their large bill, while smaller waterbirds such as ducks are normally grabbed with the swan's bill and dragged or thrown clear of the swan and its offspring. Swans will kill intruders into their territory, both other swans, and geese and ducks, by drowning, climbing onto and pecking

2592-517: Is now allowed to be killed or held in captivity at the discretion of the Minister of Conservation . A small feral population exists in the vicinity of Perth , Australia ; however, it is believed to number less than 100 individuals. The mute swan has been the national bird of Denmark since 1984. Before that, the skylark was considered Denmark's national bird (since 1960). The fairy tale " The Ugly Duckling " by Hans Christian Andersen tells

2688-794: Is part of the Angus and Perthshire Glens constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons , at Westminster . The constituency's MP is Dave Doogan of the SNP who has been the MP since 2019. Montrose is also part of the Angus North and Mearns constituency of the Scottish Parliament that elects a single MSP and also part of

2784-425: Is reflected in the profusion of nursing and residential homes and in recent plans to extend provision for sheltered housing . Data published by Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics in 2008 records the population of Montrose & District as 15,013, which is around 18% of the population of Angus as a whole. Of this total 17.6% are children, 60% are of working age and 22% are pensioners. Around 12% of those who live in

2880-530: Is responsible for defending the cygnets while on the water, and will sometimes attack small watercraft, such as canoes , that it feels are a threat to its young. The cob will additionally try to chase the predator out of his family territory and will keep animals such as foxes and raptors at bay. In New York (outside its native range), the most common predators of cygnets are common snapping turtles . Healthy adults are rarely preyed upon, though canids such as coyotes , felids such as lynx , and bears can pose

2976-569: Is said to have slain all soldiers in sight. The site of the castle, known as Castlestead, is at the southern end of the High Street. David II visited it towards the end of his reign in 1371. The Dukedom of Montrose was created in 1488. During the 15th century, the inhabitants of the town found themselves increasingly under heel of the Lairds of Dun who ransacked and took possession of property and cattle. The lairds are said to have arrived in

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3072-735: Is shared with the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies, who were granted rights of ownership by the Crown in the 15th century. The mute swans in the moat at the Bishops Palace at Wells Cathedral in Wells , England have for centuries been trained to ring bells via strings attached to them to beg for food. Two swans are still able to ring for lunch. The pair of swans in the Boston Public Garden are named Romeo and Juliet after

3168-512: Is wholly white in plumage with an orange beak bordered with black. It is recognisable by its pronounced knob atop the beak, which is larger in males. The mute swan was first formally named by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin as Anas olor in 1789 and was transferred by Johann Matthäus Bechstein to the new genus Cygnus in 1803. Both cygnus and olor mean "swan" in Latin ; cygnus

3264-598: The Montrose Review , was edited by MacDiarmid. Since 2008 Montrose has hosted the Montrose Music Festival , or Mo Fest as it has affectionately become known, which takes place each year at the end of May. It has grown in size and stature each year to become Scotland's biggest free live music festival with over 200 free gigs over the three days in more than 26 venues across the town, including an open-air stage on Montrose's historic high street with

3360-602: The Atlantic Flyway to pre-1986 levels, a 67% reduction at the time. According to a report published in the Federal Register of 2003 the proposal was supported by all thirteen state wildlife agencies which submitted comments, as well as by 43 bird conservation, wildlife conservation and wildlife management organisations. Ten animal rights organisations and the vast majority of comments from individuals were opposed. At this time mute swans were protected under

3456-518: The Hanseatic League . The town imported flax and timber from the Baltic ; salt, fruit and wine from France and Portugal . The wealth this brought to the town is demonstrated in the surviving houses built by landowning and merchant families as well as local street names of "America Street", "California Street", "Baltic Street" and "India Street" evidencing its trading heritage. The site of

3552-773: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act due to a court order, but in 2005 the United States Department of the Interior officially declared them a non-native, unprotected species. Mute swans are protected in some areas of the U.S. by local laws, for example, in Connecticut . The status of the mute swan as an introduced species in North America is disputed by the interest group "Save the Mute Swans". They assert that mute swans are native to

3648-875: The Miocene to the late Pleistocene or 10,000 BP. The latest find was in Anza-Borrego Desert, a state park in California. Fossils from the Pleistocene include Cygnus paloregonus from Fossil Lake, Oregon, Froman's Ferry, Idaho, and Arizona, referred to by Howard in The Waterfowl of the World as "probably the mute type swan". Adults of this large swan typically range from 140 to 160 cm (55 to 63 in) long, although can range in extreme cases from 125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in), with

3744-1051: The North East Scotland electoral region which elects seven additional Members of the Scottish Parliament. The constituency's MSP is currently Mairi Gougeon of the Scottish National Party who was first elected in 2016 as Mairi Evans. Montrose occupies a position on the North Bank of Montrose Basin at the mouth of the River South Esk on the East Coast of Scotland, 11 miles (18 km) NNE of Arbroath , 19 miles (31 km) SW of Stonehaven , and 7.2 miles (12 km) ESE of Brechin . The town lies 62.2 miles (100 km) NNE of Edinburgh , and 373.2 miles (601 km) NNW of London . The built-up area occupies

3840-671: The Royal Norwegian Navy minesweeper Thorodd during World War II with Captain Erling Hafto, his owner, who registered him as a crew member. He saved the life of Lieutenant Commander Olav Nilsen at Dundee Docks and generally protected his fellow sailors. In stories Bamse is said to have got up on his hind legs and, at over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, clamped his great paws on assailants to end any fight. On his death in July 1944 Montrose schools were closed and 800 children lined

3936-591: The Second World War the population of Montrose has increased. The presence of Dundee families in Montrose during wartime persuaded a number to settle there. This altered the demographics of the town and led to the building of housing estates in the 1960s. A number of people from the Polish community who had served with the British forces at RAF Montrose also settled. The increase in the elderly population

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4032-693: The Shakespearean couple ; however, it was found that both of them are females. While The Sydney Swans Football Club earned their nickname from the many players they recruited from Western Australia in the 1930's (the Black Swan being the State's Badge and Bird ), the Football Club adopted the Mute Swan as their symbol as it matched their red and white team colours. The swan's plumage on

4128-541: The culture and sculpture capital of Angus , with over 20 statues of note scattered around the town. They are a mix of modern and classical works, with many by the local sculptor, William Lamb ARSA, an artist of exceptional talent. From the 1920s to 1940s local architect George Fairweather's studio provided a forum for lively debate by an artistic community that included Hugh MacDiarmid, Edwin Muir, William Lamb, Helen Cruickshank and Fionn MacColla. The local weekly newspaper,

4224-510: The 1950s. Other significant employers include Tesco , Cooperative Group , Petrofac , National Oilwell Varco , Baker Hughes and Argos . The Lochside Distillery , located on Brechin Road north of the town centre, was closed down in the 1990s and the buildings demolished in 2005 after a fire. In 2009 Sainsbury's announced plans to build a new superstore on the edge of the town which was to provide work for an estimated 200 people. Construction of

4320-1067: The 2006–2007 winter, a slight decline from the peak of about 26,000–27,000 birds in 1990. This includes about 5,300 breeding pairs, the remainder being immatures. Other significant populations in Europe include 6,800–8,300 breeding pairs in Germany , 4,500 pairs in Denmark , 4,000–4,200 pairs in Poland , 3,000–4,000 pairs in the Netherlands , about 2,500 pairs in Ireland , and 1,200–1,700 pairs in Ukraine . For many centuries, mute swans in Great Britain were domesticated for food, with individuals being marked by nicks on their webs (feet) or beaks to indicate ownership. These marks were registered with

4416-512: The Basin in the evening. The haunting fluting of their calls is beloved of local people, for whom the sound marks the turning of the seasons. The many feeders attract brightly coloured field and garden birds and the occasional woodpecker. In recent years research published by Scottish Natural Heritage claimed that the population of greylag geese has fallen as a result of climate change . The 3-mile-long (4.8 km) sandy beach has been awarded

4512-512: The Crown and a Royal Swanherd was appointed. Any birds not so marked became Crown property, hence the swan becoming known as the "Royal Bird". This domestication saved the mute swan from extirpation through overhunting in Great Britain. Populations in Western Europe were largely exterminated by hunting pressure in the 13th–19th centuries, except for semi-domesticated birds maintained as poultry by large landowners. Better protection in

4608-754: The Mediterranean. It is known and recorded to have nested in Iceland and is a vagrant in that area as well as in Bermuda, according to the UN Environment Programme chart of international status chart of bird species, which places it in 70 countries, breeding in 49 countries, and vagrant in 16 countries. While most of the current population in Japan is introduced, mute swans are depicted on scrolls more than 1,000 years old, and wild birds from

4704-561: The UK, and an important habitat for the mute swan . Just outside Montrose is the 18th-century House of Dun , designed by the Scottish architect William Adam and built in 1730 for David Erskine, Lord Dun , 13th Laird of Dun. Prehistoric elements are found in the vicinity of Montrose, including the Stone of Morphie located to the north. One ancient name for Montrose was Celurca. The place-name

4800-627: The Young Pretender), 30 years later and in February 1746 the largest naval battle of the war was fought in Montrose Harbour. During the 18th century the town was a major smuggling centre. It profited from the slave trade but only for a brief time. The wealth accrued by trade was substantial. Wealthy merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries dominated the town and built their houses gable to gable. Hence Montrosians have inherited

4896-526: The ability to fly before about 120 to 150 days old. This limits the distribution of the species at the northern edge of its range as the cygnets need to learn to fly before the ponds and lakes freeze over. The mute swan is found naturally mainly in temperate areas of Europe, then across the Palearctic as far east as Primorsky Krai , near Sidemi. It is partially migratory throughout northern latitudes in Europe and Asia, as far south as North Africa and

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4992-410: The air quality is good, with low levels of nitrogen dioxide and PM10 . The Montrose Basin is a shallow estuary approximately three miles in diameter. It is situated where the River South Esk meets the North Sea . During the 16th century, local landowners desiring more arable land considered reducing its size, but their plans were never carried out. In 1981 the Montrose Basin Nature Reserve

5088-406: The back of the head and forcing the other bird underwater. The wings of the swan are very powerful, though not strong enough to break an adult man's leg, as is commonly misquoted. Large waterfowl, such as Canada geese (more likely out of competition than in response to potential predation), may be aggressively driven off, and mute swans regularly attack people who enter their territory. The cob

5184-462: The busking posture for wind-assisted transportation over several hundred meters, so-called windsurfing. When very young, cygnets may climb onto the back of one of their parents if they become tired while on the water, with the adult proceeding to carry them around. Cygnets may also shelter beneath their parent's wings during periods of heavy rain as a means to stay warm and dry. Like other swans, mute swans are known for their ability to grieve for

5280-407: The castle, now known as Castlestead was the birthplace of the famous James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose . Graham signed the National Covenant against Charles I 's reorganisation of the Kirk in Scotland, fighting in the ensuing Bishops' Wars , but later switched to the King's side only to be captured and executed in Edinburgh in the year 1650. Between 1677 and the summer of 1678 a dyke which

5376-528: The coastline around Montrose in a two-year study to decide the best way of managing coastal erosion . The film titled "SOS Montrose Dredging" has been posted on YouTube in 2009. In November 2023, during Storm Babet , the beach eroded by three metres, leading to the promenade walkway collapsing. The 2001 census gave Montrose's total resident population as 10,845. This makes it the third largest town in Angus , after Arbroath (22,785) and Forfar (14,048) with Carnoustie in fourth place (10,561). Since

5472-573: The dominating Montrose Steeple behind the stage, which draws crowds of all ages from all over the country. In 2014 the MoFest team took a leap and hosted a gig on Montrose East Links for 5000 revellers on the Friday night. The 7th annual festival kicked off with rock legends Status Quo playing to the sell-out crowd. Other notable headliners have included Average White Band , Deacon Blue , The Proclaimers , Ocean Colour Scene , Toploader , Eddi Reader , Bryan Adams , The Beach Boys & Madness . Mute swan The mute swan ( Cygnus olor )

5568-507: The dunes, as one of the oldest in the world, should be protected. The sand dunes are becoming unstable due to increasing tides which has forced the Montrose Golf Links to consider moving elements of the golf course more inland. A major scheme of engineered coastal protection was discouraged by Scottish Natural Heritage on the grounds that it would be unsustainable and could impact a protected coastal site at St Cyrus . A film made by local broadcaster Anthony Baxter in January 2009 highlighted

5664-405: The eastern United States and Great Lakes , much as the Canada goose has done in Europe. The total native population of mute swans is about 500,000 birds at the end of the breeding season (adults plus young), of which up to 350,000 are in Russia . The largest single breeding concentration is 11,000 pairs in the Volga Delta . The population in the United Kingdom is about 22,000 birds as of

5760-426: The establishment of Scotland's first lunatic asylum in Montrose in 1781 which eventually became known as Sunnyside Royal Hospital . The asylum, initially called Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary was founded by Susan Carnegie of Charleton to treat both paupers and private patients and was originally situated on Montrose Links. It was granted a royal charter in 1810. In 1858 it moved to Sunnyside farm at

5856-416: The head and neck) are often stained orange-brown by iron and tannins in the water. The colour morph C. o. morpha immutabilis ( immūtābilis is Latin for "immutable, unchangeable, unalterable"), also known as the "Polish swan", has pinkish (not dark grey) legs and dull white cygnets; as with white domestic geese , it is found only in populations with a history of domestication. Polish swans carry

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5952-460: The highest protection due to their association with the monarch. Mute swans will readily attack dogs to protect themselves and their cygnets from an attack, and an adult swan is capable of overwhelming and drowning even large dog breeds. The familiar pose with the neck curved back and wings half raised, known as busking, is a threat display. Both feet are paddled in unison during this display, resulting in more jerky movement. The swans may also use

6048-439: The historicity of this account has been disputed. In the two proceeding centuries there are no precise dates in its history. During the 1140s it was an important trading town. The trading revenues received from Montrose as well as Forfar and Dundee were acquired by Malcolm IV and contributed to Restenneth Priory . In 1178 William the Lion built a castle nearby in which he would occasionally reside. The ruins have acquired

6144-467: The ill-fated 1715 Jacobite rebellion was also played out in Montrose. Towards the end of the uprising (which had lasted nearly six months, from September 1715 to February 1716) James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender; formerly James, Prince of Wales) arrived in Montrose, where he spent his last night in Scotland, on 4 February 1716. He sailed from Montrose to exile in France. The town was held for his son, Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie;

6240-414: The issue and was designed to attract attention for urgent action and put pressure on local politicians. The group are concerned that Angus Council are not acting efficiently to halt the effects of erosion and believe a full study should be carried out. The film won the best short film category in the BFFS Community Cinema Festival in 2009. Since 2009 a team from the University of Dundee has begun assessing

6336-556: The late 19th and early 20th centuries allowed the species to expand and return to most or all of their former range. More recently in the period from about 1960 up to the early 1980s, numbers declined significantly again in many areas in England, primarily due to lead poisoning from birds swallowing lead shots from shooting and discarded fishing weights made from lead . After lead weights and shots were mostly replaced by other less toxic alternatives, mute swan numbers increased again rapidly. Since being introduced into North America,

6432-437: The mainland Asian population still occur rarely in winter. Natural migrants to Japan usually occur along with whooper and sometimes Bewick's swans. The mute swan is protected in most of its range, but this has not prevented illegal hunting and poaching . It is often kept in captivity outside its natural range, as a decoration for parks and ponds, and escapes have happened. The descendants of such birds have become naturalised in

6528-478: The middle of one night on horseback heavily armed. The burghesses of the town immediately sent out an appeal to the Duke of Montrose for protection but the messenger was purportedly murdered before the appeal arrived. It was then that James IV of Scotland intervened and settled the matter. From its early inception as a port Montrose had traded in skins, hides and cured salmon but in the 17th century began to export wheat and barley in regular trading transactions with

6624-415: The morning and found it well-built, airy, and clean. The town house is a handsome fabrick with a portico. We then went to view the English chapel , and found it a small church, clean to a degree unknown in any other part of Scotland, with commodious galleries, and what was yet less expected, with an organ." . Alexander Christie (c. 1721–1794) was provost in the town during the 1760s and 1780s and oversaw

6720-419: The most common. The white cygnets have a leucistic gene. Cygnets grow quickly, reaching a size close to their adult size in approximately three months after hatching. Cygnets typically retain their grey feathers until they are at least one year old, with the down on their wings having been replaced by flight feathers earlier that year. All mute swans are white at maturity, though the feathers (particularly on

6816-542: The mouths of the North and South Esk rivers. It is the northernmost coastal town in Angus and developed as a natural harbour that traded in skins, hides, and cured salmon in medieval times. With a population of approximately 12,000, the town functions as a port, but the major employer is GlaxoSmithKline , which was saved from closure in 2006. The skyline of Montrose is dominated by the 220-foot (67 m) steeple of Old and St Andrew's Church , designed by James Gillespie Graham and built between 1832 and 1834. Montrose

6912-652: The mute swan has increased greatly in number to the extent that it is considered an invasive species there. Populations introduced into other areas remain small, with around 200 in Japan, fewer than 200 in New Zealand and Australia , and about 120 in South Africa . The mute swan was introduced to North America in the late 19th century. Recently, it has been widely viewed as an invasive species because of its rapidly increasing numbers and its adverse effects on other waterfowl and native ecosystems . For example,

7008-528: The name Red Castle . The last record of a charter there was in 1198. A convent dedicated to the Virgin Mary is said to have been founded in 1230 by Alan Durward but the precise location is unknown. In 1244 the town succumbed to fire. In July 1296 during the Wars of Independence, Edward I visited the town with 30,000 of his men and stayed at Munros castle for three nights. Some accounts state that it

7104-478: The nearby village of Hillside. Its facilities were expanded several in the next few decades and it underwent various changes in name, finally becoming Sunnyside Royal Hospital in 1962. Sunnyside remained in use for the treatment of people with mental illnesses until its final closure in 2011 when many of its patients and functions moved to the Susan Carnegie Centre at Stracathro Hospital . In 1785

7200-585: The new Sainsburys store was approved by Angus Council in August 2011 and spokespersons from Sainsburys believed at the time that the store would open in less than a year, unfortunately Sainsburys cancelled these plans and 4 commercial units were built on the site in 2018. BT initially upgraded the local telephone exchange to grant the town access to super fast fiberoptic broadband services one of only three towns to be chosen in Scotland. The average price of housing in

7296-425: The origin of the town's name as "Mount of Roses". This is reflected by the motto on the town's seal: Mare ditat, rosa decorat . ( English : The sea enriches, the rose adorns ) Montrose was visited and plundered in numerous instances by Danes . In the year 980 it was sacked and razed to the ground. It was once believed that a castle existed in Montrose in the 10th century and was destroyed by Kenneth III . However

7392-411: The painter Edward Baird . Willa and Edwin Muir lived at her mother's house in Montrose at various times during the 1920s. The poet Helen Cruickshank attended Montrose Academy , though she had moved to Edinburgh by the 1920s. She was a key figure in maintaining the network of contacts between writers and artists of Scotland's inter-war cultural renaissance. During World War II Montrose became

7488-580: The region and therefore deserving of protection. They claim that mute swans had origins in Russia and cite historical sightings and fossil records. These claims have been rejected as specious by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The mute swan had absolute protection in New Zealand under the Wildlife Act 1953 , but this was changed in June 2010 to a lower level of protection. It still has protection, but

7584-408: The rhythm of the song typically fails to match the pace of the head movements of two dating swans. Mute swans usually hiss at competitors or intruders trying to enter their territory. The most familiar sound associated with mute swans is the vibrant throbbing of the wings in flight which is unique to the species and can be heard from a range of 1 to 2 km (0.6 to 1 mi), indicating its value as

7680-461: The road bridge and the village once had a rail station to the north east. The present parish church was rebuilt in 1806 replacing the previous church, the remains of which can be found in the adjacent kirkyard. The older church was dedicated to St Mary and consecrated in 1242 by the Bishop de Bernham. The settlement and parish were called Aberluthnot before being renamed after the church. The village

7776-813: The route to his graveside funeral. The Bamse Project raised £50,000 to erect a larger than life-size bronze statue of Bamse at Montrose Harbour. Half the donations came from Norway. The statue was created by internationally known sculptor Alan Herriot , and was unveiled by The Duke of York in October 2007. Montrose is represented within Angus Council by the Montrose & District Ward, from which four councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward are, as of 2022: Bill Duff ( Scottish National Party ), Tommy Stewart (Independent), Kenny Braes (Scottish National Party) and Iain Gall ( Conservative ). The town

7872-554: The sobriquet, "gable-enders". A statistical account taken between 1791 and 1799 estimates the population in the 1750s as 4248; in 1776 as 4465; in 1784 as 4866 and in 1790 as 5194. Contemporaries expected that many would emigrate at the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War but those that did leave were few. Samuel Johnson made a tour of the town on his visit to Scotland in the 1770s. He said of it: "...we travelled on to Montrose, which we surveyed in

7968-573: The story of a cygnet ostracised by his fellow barnyard fowl because of his perceived unattractiveness. To his delight (and to the surprise of others), he matures into a graceful swan, the most beautiful bird of all. Today, the British Monarch retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, but King Charles III exercises his ownership only on certain stretches of the Thames and its surrounding tributaries. This ownership

8064-472: The surrounding agricultural lands, including a part time post office and newsagents the village now has no shops and only the hotel. The nearest shop is a short drive to Montrose or Laurencekirk in the other direction. The village also has a small primary school of three teachers with between 30 and 40 pupils. as well as a hotel, the 19th-century coaching house, the Marykirk Hotel. A rare example of

8160-475: The town a target for German aircraft and it was bombed on more than one occasion. Despite its coastal location presenting a danger however, large numbers of children and young mothers from Dundee were evacuated there during the period of the Phoney War . Initially numbers totalled around 2,000 but in a second wave around 1,200 more were sent. As was the case in many other receiving areas, the local population

8256-401: The town are unemployed and 14.1% of households are ‘income deprived’. Census: 1801–2001 Schools include six primary schools - Lochside, Ferryden, Southesk, Rosemount, Borrowfield and St Margaret’s - and one secondary school, Montrose Academy . The economy of the town has been expanding since the end of the Second World War . GlaxoSmithKline has been a major source of jobs since

8352-853: The town is between £106,054 and £131,539, a rise on the 1998 average between £42,640 and £51,200. Since 2002 there has been a focus on attracting new visitors to the town with the foundation of the Montrose Town Partnership, the aim of which is to "encourage representatives of the public, private and community sector to act together to develop the economic potential of Montrose to address the needs of local people and visitors alike". Membership includes The Montrose Society, Montrose Heritage Trust, Montrose Community Council, Montrose Golf Links Ltd, MERPRO Leisure, Montrose Business and Retailers Association, Scottish Wildlife Trust , Angus Council , Ferryden & Craig and Hillside, Dun and Logie Pert community councils. Since 2002 they have produced

8448-540: The village. Up until the end of July 2010, the village also had its own amateur weather station. 56°46′54″N 2°30′56″W  /  56.7816°N 2.5155°W  / 56.7816; -2.5155 Montrose, Angus Montrose ( / m ʌ n ˈ t r oʊ z / mun- TROHZ ; Scottish Gaelic : Mon Rois [mɔn ˈrˠɔʃ] ) is a town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland . Situated 28 miles (45 kilometres) north of Dundee and 37 miles (60 kilometres) south of Aberdeen , Montrose lies between

8544-427: The water surface. The mute swan is less vocal than the noisy whooper and tundra swans ; they do, however, make a variety of sounds, often described as "grunting, hoarse whistling, and snorting noises." During a courtship display, mute swans utter a rhythmic song. The song helps synchronize the movements of their heads and necks. It could technically be employed to distinguish a bonded couple from two dating swans, as

8640-495: Was begun across the Montrose Basin, designed to drain and reclaim the northern half, by Dronner, a Dutch engineer. It was destroyed shortly after in a storm. One of the most vocal objectors to the scheme was the elderly Meggie Cowie, who was said to have made blasphemous comments to those who were involved. She was tried, found guilty of witchcraft , and was burnt at the stake on 14 January 1679. The final chapter of

8736-534: Was concerned by the condition of the urban poor and impetigo and vermin were found on some of those evacuated. By June 1940 Montrose could no longer provide shelter. Montrose was a royal burgh until 1975. Bamse (meaning 'teddybear' in Norwegian), a St Bernard dog famed for his exploits and popular in local imagination, is buried in the town. Bamse the Norwegian Sea Dog arrived in Montrose on

8832-407: Was created. The Scottish Wildlife Trust operates a modern, purpose-built wildlife centre at Rossie Braes, which offers good telescopic and televisual views of the area, and of the thousands of migratory birds which pass through the area in all seasons. In summer one might see the osprey which hunts along the length of the Basin, or a kingfisher flitting past. The artificial sand martin bank

8928-514: Was employed as a reporter on the Montrose Review . By 1922 he had been elected as an Independent Labour Party councillor. The poet and novelist Violet Jacob was brought up at the nearby House of Dun and spent time in Angus during the 'twenties. The sculptor William Lamb was born in Montrose and returned to the town in 1924. Another native of Montrose, the writer Tom MacDonald ( Fionn MacColla ) returned to Montrose in 1929, as did his friend

9024-479: Was made a burgh of barony in 1540 in favour of David Barclay of Mathers by Cardinal David Beaton in 1540, confirmed in 1543 by Queen Mary . The centre of the village has an ancient market cross. The grand gates to the now demolished mansion Kirktonhill House, built in 1799 for the Taylor family, once the home of oil merchant R W Adamson, can be found still in position. Once boasting many small businesses supporting

9120-418: Was set up on 26 March 2009 to raise awareness amidst concerns over the erosion of Montrose beach, caused by the "one million tonnes of sand, swept by the tide into the harbour...removed from the local area over the past 25 years". In 2006 150,000 tonnes was shipped to Aberdeen to fortify its dwindling beach. This was met with opposition from Montrose Golf Links who believed that the golf course built on top of

9216-453: Was there that he humiliated Scottish King John de Balliol by publicly stripping him of his royal insignia and status; other accounts claim that this occurred in Brechin . Twelve burgesses of the town swore allegiance to Edward I to protect themselves and the community of the town. The following year the castle, which was manned by an English garrison, was destroyed by William Wallace who

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