Geograph - photograph every grid square

The use of the old pier at Ferryden, in Angus, is divided between the local community on the eastern half and Seagreen to the west, with the photo being taken from the side that is in community use, principally by Usan Fisheries. It is somewhat unusual to take a photo through a meshed fence, but it is rewarding in that the view encompasses many aspects of the long history of Montrose. In the distance to the northwest by the white building is the area of Stromnay, where the Vikings had a port from around 980 AD. Close to that is the new bridge of 2004, which was floated up the estuary and through the port area of Montrose. Another notable event that took place in the area of Montrose and Ferryden was a sea battle involving two French ships, two Royal Navy ships and a number of merchant ships that were in the harbour. The second Jacobite rebellion began on August 17th, 1745, and soon after, on November 11th, 1745, the arrival of HMS Hazard in Montrose proved to be the catalyst that triggered the largest naval battle of those times. HMS Hazard was a sloop with sixteen heavy guns, twenty-four swivel guns and a crew of over eighty men that weighed anchor off Ferryden, but because no message was sent from the town, Captain Hill erroneously assumed Montrose to be a hostile port, and he bombarded it in a relentless way for a period of three days. The bombardment caused considerable damage to buildings, injuries and loss of life. This action set in motion a train of events that resulted in the unrigging and burning of ships in Montrose harbour, the sinking of the French ship ‘La Fine’ by HMS Milford and the capture of HMS Hazard by Jacobite forces on the 24th of November 1745. HMS Hazard was fired upon by cannons positioned at Horeloge Hill in the area of Stromnay while also being fired on by other cannons from the point of Rossie Island by a force of 150 men of Lord John Drummond’s Regiment aided by some Irish Jacobites. A party of French sharpshooters positioned on the high ground above Ferryden formed another group of encircling attackers, and the combined efforts of the Jacobites and their allies forced the beleaguered ship to raise the white flag. HMS Hazard was renamed “Le Prince Charles Stuart” and sailed to France for a refit and to take on a cargo of gold and munitions to further aid the Jacobite cause.

In more recent times, the multi-million-pound marine base of Sea Oil Services at Ferryden was opened by Lord Inchcape, Chairman of the P&O Group, on April 25, 1975. Beyond the meshed fence, the photo shows part of Seagreen’s wind energy offices, part of the communications mast and Inchcape Quay that extends toward Jack Smith Quay. The multi-million pound marine base of Sea Oil Services at Ferryden was opened by Lord Inchcape, Chairman of the P&O Group, on April 25, 1975. Shortly after this, on the 16th of May 1975, the Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher, the then Prime Minister, entered this waterfront area from Ferryden Pier in order to name the newly constructed quays and to declare them open. Prior to the opening, she was invited on board the Star Taurus, a brand new vessel costing about £2,000,000 and owned by Star Offshore Services Ltd. The trip took her down the estuary and beyond the Annat Bank, where, in a demonstration of her manoeuvrability, the ship was put through her paces. Back onshore Mrs Thatcher named Inchcape Quay, Jack Smith Quay, Captain Gordon Graham Quay (the harbourmaster) and Nicoll’s Knuckle, which joins Inchcape Quay to the old Ferryden Pier. Mrs Thatcher said that Montrose had a great and very proud record of the past, but it had also learned to look to the future.”