Dundee History 

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Dundee’s reputation as a modern, industrial city belies its long and colourful history. It became a Royal Burgh in 1190 and has since been the scene of many battles for Scottish independence. In 1309 Robert the Bruce was proclaimed the rightful king of Scotland here and during the reformation the city harboured radical figures like John Knox.

During the 18th century Dundee was renowned as a major centre for the whaling industry and this led to its development as Britain’s major jute producer. It was discovered that if raw jute was mixed with whale oil it could be woven into a strong, coarse fabric with many commercial uses. Verdant Works is a recreated jute mill and tells the story of this strand of the city’s industrial heritage.

• The collapse of the jute industry in 19th century led to widespread poverty in Dundee and set the scene for rapid economic decline. Dundee is now beginning to leave this reputation behind with extensive redevelopment is becoming a genuinely pleasant Scottish destination.