Strathmartine
| Strathmartine | |
| Angus | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NO387348 |
| Location: | 56°30’5"N, 2°59’51"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Dundee |
| Postcode: | DD4 |
| Dialling code: | 01382 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Angus |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Dundee East |
Strathmartine is an area of Angus, once a parish, along the course of the Dighty Water. Local legend has it that the place was named from a farmer's boy named Martin who slew a dragon here, which legend is tied in with a cluster of local place-names. In truth, the parish was named after the former dedication of its church to St Martin (hence 'Strath Martin').
Strathmartine is not marked as such on most maps. It lies just to the north of Dundee. This and the surrounding district are often referred to as "the Howe o Strathmartine".
The Strathmartine Hospital is found here; a long stay hospital for people with mental disabilities.
History
The parishes of Mains and Strathmartine were united on 21 Nov 1792. Anciently, Mains was called 'Earl's Strathdichty', Strathmartine was called 'Strathdichty Martin'.
William Lorimer, the classicist, known for producing a translation of the New Testament in Lowland Scots was born in Strathmartine.The area is home to Strathmartine Hospital which is a long stay hospital for people with mental disabilities.
On 18 May 1249, Bishop David de Bernham dedicated the church at this place to St Martin, which gave Strmartine its name. The church, referred to as being close to the Nine Maidens, is no longer there, but this chapel was supposed to have been in Strathdichty at Pitempan [Pitempton].[1]
Nine maidens and the dragon
A local tale tells that a farmer in Pitempton sent his youngest daughter to fetch water from the well. When she did not return, his second daughter went to find out why she tarried. She too did not return. When all his nine daughters had gone out in turn, the famer followed to find his daughters dead beneath the claws of a fearsome dragon, all but the last, whose cries roused the neighbourhood.
In ione version of the legend "These maidens were the daughters of a certain Donewalde or Donald in the eighth century, and led, along with their father, a saintly life in the glen of Ogilvy in the same county."[2]
On hearing the cry, the girl's sweetheart, named Martin, rushed to the well and fought and slew the dragon. The girl died of fright or of her injuries, according the which version is followed.[3][4]
The well is now the Nine Maidens Well and the parish Stramartine. Baldragon is now a neighbourhood in the north edge of Dundee.
Outside links
References
- ↑ Mackinlay J M: 'Traces of the Cultus of the Nine Maidens in Scotland' (1906)
- ↑ James Mackinley: 'Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs' (1893)
- ↑ The Dundee Dragon - The Dundee Messenger (William Shand)
- ↑ [ The Stramartine Dragon] - Mysterious Britain and Ireland
- Mains and Strathmartine
- Warden, Alex J: Angus or Forfarshire, the land and people, descriptive and historical (1880) Vol I, pp 252–253