The Scotscriag Estate
Local History
The Scotscraig estate has a long documented history which I will not cover here in detail, save for the following highlights:
Sir Michael Scott, who feued the property from the Bishop of St Andrews in 1240, was the father of the great Sir Michael Scott, who was reputed to be the cleverest man of his time. Having studied at Oxford, he visited many of the countries of Europe in pursuit of knowledge, acquiring their languages. He was pronounced to be one of the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, physicians, and linguists of his day. No doubt when he succeeded to the estates he would make his influence felt on the district, and it is, therefore, little to wonder at that the lands were ever afterwards known as Scotscraig.
In the year 1606 Ferry-Port-on-Craig and the estate of Scotscraig were disjoined from Leuchars and became the Parish of Ferry-Port-on-Craig. It was during Sir John Buchanan’s time that the lands of Tents Moor and Shanwell, with a number of salmon fishings, were added to the estate, these being purchased by Sir John from Earl of Kinghorn (Patrie Lord Glamis), and have ever since remained a part of the Scotscraig estate. Sir John Buchanan died in 1644.
The estate was sold to the Rev. William Dalgleish, who was minister of the parish in 1742. At the time of his death the estate passed to Dr Robert, who also became minister of the parish. Dr Robert built the present house of Scotscraig in 1807, the steading and house of Scotscraig Mains in 1821, the steading and house at Shanwell, and house at Garpit. It was also in his time that the present road to Newport was made.
In 1918 the [Scotscraig] estate was bought by the Town of Dundee for ?52,000.
sources:
- History of Tayport, by Sir James Scott, Kt. (at the age of 87), printed in Cupar by J. & G. Innes Ltd., 1927.