The town of Forfar lies near the centre of the county of Angus, formerly Forfarshire, in eastern Scotland. With a population of 14,000 it is the largest inland town in the county, its situation making it a prime market town. It lies 13 miles north of the city of Dundee and around the same distance from the North Sea coast to the east. It lies on the southern edge of the agriculturally fertile Strathmore, overlooking the foothills of the Grampian Mountains to the north.
The origin of the name Forfar is largely unknown, but it is thought to have come from the Gaelic 'Faur', meaning cold.
The town dates back to the Roman occupation and has been owned by the Picts and the Kingdom of Scotland. Robert the Bruce recaptured the town from the English during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The site of former ancient castle of the town, which overlooked the once much larger Forfar Loch, is marked by a small tower on a knoll above Castle Street.
The main industry of the town was the manufacture of linen and jute which was produced in over half a dozen factories scattered throughout the town, although this has been reduced to just one nowadays. The agricultural mart however, still continues to trade in the northern part of the town, as does the Forfar Bridie, a half circle of pastry containing a filling of beef and onion.
Being centrally situated the town is linked by roads to Dundee, Perth, Kirriemuir, Brechin, Montrose, Arbroath and Carnoustie, although the town was by-passed to the west in 1987 with the building of the A90 dual carriageway from Dundee to Aberdeen. The town was once served by the Strathmore railway line, but this failed to survive Dr Beeching`s cuts and the last passenger service was in 1967. A goods service continued from Perth but the station was closed in 1982. The closest railway station is now in Arbroath, 15 miles away.
Forfar`s landmarks are the 150 foot steeple of the East and Old Parish church near the centre of town, the smaller spire of the Lowson Memorial Church at the east end, and the First World War memorial tower on top of Balmashanner Hill which dominates the town to the south. The town hall is situated in the exact centre at The Cross.
The Town and County Hall occupies the site of the former tolbooth. It was erected to the plans of the Angus born, London based architect James Playfair and was completed in 1788 in a locally quarried sandstone. It held a Court room, Council room, administrative offices and jail accommodation. There was once a cupola on the roof but this was found to be not watertight and was taken down in 1804, a clock was place on the pediment underneath where it lay. By 1824 the Municipal Buildings were built immediately to the north and both the Court and jail moved out during the 19th century to new premises to the north of the town.
During the 20th century a plaque was erected on the western side of the building commemorating the stay of a Polish Reconnaissance Group in the town between 1940 and 1942. A plaque also commemorates the dead of the war and is situated on the front of the building. Memorial Windows were placed in memory of those who gave their lives on a dedication ceremony which took place on September 14th 1952.
In recent times a controversial walkway was built linking the hall at the rear to the Municipal Buildings beyond. Today, the hall stands pretty much as it has since it was built at the foot of both West and East High Streets in the lowest part of the town.