It was today named as Scotland's seventh city by the Queen, to mark her Jubilee Anniversary. Here are some facts you may, or may not, know about Perth.
- Located on the banks of the River Tay, Perth is known as The Fair City, a reference to Sir Walter Scott’s story The Fair Maid of Perth, published in 1828.
- Perth was the capital of Scotland from the 9th century, hosting regular visits from the royal court. Scottish kings were crowned at nearby Scone Abbey, home of the Stone of Destiny.
- Many residents believe today's honour merely reclaims a title which is Perth’s due, as it historically held the comparable titles of both Civitas and Royal Burgh. It lost city status as a result of local government reorganisations 1975.
- The main church, St John’s Kirk, is dedicated to St John the Baptist. In medieval times the town took its name from the church and was known as St John’s Toun – a name used today by the city’s football team, St Johnstone.
- "Perth" comes from the Pictish word for a thorny woodland or copse.
- Perth is the lowest crossing point on the River Tay, and bridges have been crucial to its development, from the first, built in 1209 and destroyed by floods, to the Queen's Bridge, opened in 1960. From the mid 1600s to the late 1700s the city was without a crossing, and Tay boatmen made their living taking carrying passengers and goods across the river.
- Celebrities born in Perth include Stagecoach millionaire Brian Souter and his sister Ann Gloag, the businesswoman and charity campaigner, and the broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4's Head of Programmes (Nations and Regions) who also co-hosts BBC Radio Scotland’s football phone-in Off the Ball (as well as being an avid St Johnstone fan).
- Historical figures include John Buchan, the author of The 39 Steps, David Octavius Hill, the photographic pioneer, and the poet William Soutar.
- Perth in Australia was named after Sir George Murray who was born in the Scottish Perth. In 1829, he was MP for Perthshire and Secretary of State for the Colonies.
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