CARNOUSTIE

'Carnoustie' (Gaelic: ''Càrn Fheusda'') is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is a small town at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the east coast of Scotland. It is best known for its associations with golf, which is recorded as having been played there in 1527^[1]. This is a quarter century earlier than the first record of golf at St Andrews, dating from 1552.

Contents

History

Early history

Education

Religion

Politics

UK and Scottish parliaments

Local government

Sport

Football

Trivia

References

External links

History

The town of Carnoustie was founded only towards the end of the 18th century. In 1890, the Earl of Dalhousie, who owned the land, sold the links to the people of the town, to remain available for their recreation in perpetuity. While the townspeople are the owners, today the links are administered on their behalf by Angus Council.
The Open Championship was staged at Carnoustie Golf Links six times during the twentieth century (1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975 and 1999). It was also played there in 2007.

Early history

In the early 11th century, when Scotland as we know it now was the Kingdom of Alba, most of England had been overtaken by the Danes. The Danes were making ongoing attempts at conquering the remainder of the country and had gained considerable territory in Scotland by attacking from the north (through Moray). With the support of warriors from nearby territories the King of Alba (Malcolm II,King of Scots) engaged and defeated a major Danish invasion near the Lochty Burn in the Battle of Barry (or Barrie). This battle was instrumental in the reunification of the people of Scotland and the eventual creation of the Kingdom of Scotia^[2]. After considerable losses on both sides, the Captain in charge of the Danes (Camus) and his remaining men were pursued to nearby Monikie and slain. The scale of which was such that one legend recounts that the waters of the Lochty Burn ran with blood for three days^[3]. This is unlikely, as no battle remains have been found near the short length of the Lochty Burn. Camus Cross on the Panmure Estate is said to have been erected at the place where Camus fell^[4].
A settlement (Camuston) was named in honour of the Captain. No trace on maps remains today of a Camuston in this area, and the nearby Panbridge mentioned in the chronicles which was thought to be derived from the Latin "fanus" Bridget or the Church of St. Bridget, is now known as Panbride. The name Carnoustie is widely believed to mean "the cairn (resting place) of the heroes"^[5] and may have been the site of the original Camuston, but this may be speculation.
There is a Camus Street in Carnoustie. The Lochty Burn, which is a stream of around 3 km in length, runs through the middle of Carnoustie and empties into the sea not far from the main railway station.

Education

The town is served by an eponymous High School, and currently by four primary schools, Barry, Kinloch, Panbride and Carlogie. Carnoustie High School's teaching block is being replaced, along with the building of two new primary schools in new sites to replace Barry, Kinloch and Panbride, and the refurbishment of Carlogie, all of which is part of a large Public Private Partnership schools plan in Angus.

Religion

The Church of Scotland has three congregations: Barry linked with Carnoustie, and Carnoustie: Panbride. All of them represent unions between former Free Church of Scotland and Old Parish congregations: Barry Church now uses the old Free Church of Barry, Carnoustie Church uses the church of the former Carnoustie Old congregation in the centre of Carnoustie, and Panbride uses the former old parish building in Panbride village during the four summer months and the Free Church building in Newton of Panbride during the remaining months of the year.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has a small congregation in a delightful Church in Holyrood Street.
The Roman Catholic Church meets in the modern (built 2000) building of St Anne's Church in Thomas Street.
The United Free Church has a small Church and Halls on Kinloch Street.
The Carnoustie Christian Fellowship is an independent congregation meeting in a converted former Co-op building opposite the War Memorial.
The Churches all have their leaders appointed to the local Carnoustie Ministers' Council, which promotes joint Church events and has responsibility for the leadership of the town Boys' and Girls' Brigades. The Boy Scouts and Girl Guides are also strongly supported by local congregations.

Politics

UK and Scottish parliaments

Carnoustie is part of the Angus constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons, at Westminster.
Carnoustie is part of the Angus constituency of the Scottish Parliament which has Significantly different boundaries to the Westminster constituency. The constituency returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood and is part of the North East Scotland electoral region.

Local government

Carnoustie is represented at Angus Council by the Carnoustie & District ward, from which three councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward are; Helen Oswald (Scottish National Party), Peter Murphy (Labour Party) and Ralph Palmer (Scottish National Party).

Sport

Football

Carnoustie is home to the junior football club Carnoustie Panmure.

Trivia

★ Actor Ian McDiarmid was born in Carnoustie

★ Current industries in the town include jam making (though this industry is set to move to neighbouring Arbroath^[6]) and chocolate processing machinery

★ Carnoustie was mentioned in ''Taysiders in Space'', a sketch about a Star Trek parody also known as ''Scottish Star Trek'', which appeared in the TV program Chewin' the Fat

★ Actor Alan Cumming attended Carnoustie High School although he did not live in the town itself

References

1. History of Golf at Carnoustie, www.scottishgolfhistory.net; accessed 5 February 2007
2. History of the Scottish Nation, Vol. III, Chapter 10, www.reformation.org; accessed 5 February 2007
3. History of Affleck Castle, www.monikie.org.uk; accessed 5 February 2007
4. Camus Cross, www.monikie.org.uk; accessed 5 February 2007
5. British History Online: Carnoustie, www.British-history.ac.uk; accessed 5 February 2007
6. Mackays buy bigger plant in Arbroath, ''The Courier'', 4 October 2006; accessed 5 February 2007

External links

★ Carnoustie Golf Links website

★ Carnoustie Open 2007, website to promote Carnoustie's most famous export: golf

★ Carnoustie shops and amenities, EveryInch.co.uk