Crieff

Crieff is a Town situated 17 miles west of Perth.

The Town is popular for its Visitor Centre, Golf, Crieff Hydro Hotel, Park with a Cafe, Glenturret Whisky Distillery Visits , and Drummond Castle Gardens.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

The image top is of Crieff Visitor Centre on the south side of the Town with Shops, popular Diner, Highland Drovers Exhibition, and Plant Centre.

The War Memorial is on the west end of the High Street.

Crieff Town Hall is on the east side of the High Street with James Square in the centre of the High Street. Most of the Shops and Cafes are around the Square.

Crieff Hydro Hotel is on the north side of the Town, popular for holidays, short breaks, and has about 60 activities with some extreme outdoor sports and Off Road 4X4s.

Crieff Golf Club is on the east side of the Town, a top Parks Course with a large Clubhouse.

MacRosty Park is on the west side of Crieff with Kids Play and a Cafe.

Under 2 miles northwest of Crieff is the Glenturret Whisky Distillery. The Distillery has a Shop, Bar Lounge, Cafe, and offers a range of Tours. This used to be the home of The Famous Grouse Experience until it was taken over by the French company Lalique Group in 2019.

Just over 3 miles south of Crieff are the Drummond Castle Gardens, one of the top Gardens in Scotland to visit. The Gardens are open at Easter weekend, then from 1st May to 31st October.

Four miles south of Crieff is the small village of Muthill with the Muthill Old Church, well worth visiting.

Crieff History

1600s - Crieff grew around Cattle Droving with many Cattle being brought down from the Highlands to be sold at Crieff Cattle Market. Highland Cattle at that time were Black in colour. Records state the land around Crieff would be black with Cattle.

1690s - the River Earn Bridge was built.

The busy Town attracted many Cattle Rustlers and Thieves, leading to Law and Order having to be enforced with Hanging being the main deterrent

A Hanging Tree was used at first to deter criminals. This was replaced in the 1700s by Wooden Gallows that could Hang a number of criminals at one time. These Gallows were where Gallowhill is today.

1700s early - Rob Roy MacGregor regularly visited Crieff to sell cattle. Rob Roy was a Drover with a business partner that took off with his money. This led to him turning to Cattle Rustling, becoming the most famous Cattle Rustler in Scotland.

1716 - during the second Jacobite Rising, 350 Highlanders returning from the Battle of Sheriffmuir destroyed most of Crieff with fire.

1731 - the local landowner from Drummond Castle 3 miles south, James Drummond, 3rd Duke of Perth, laid out James Square in the centre of the town then built a Flax Factory to manufacture Linen.

1730s - a Military Road was built through Crieff as the Government set about trying to control Scots Clans.

1746 - during the third Jacobite Rising, the Jacobite army camped at Crieff with Prince Charles Edward Stuart holding a meeting in the old Drummond Arms Inn in James Square.

A few weeks later, the Jacobite's were defeated for the final time at the Battle of Culloden.

1770s - Falkirk began taking much of the Cattle Droving business from Crieff.

1818 - the Glenturret Whisky Distillery opened just outside Crieff.

1850s - the Railway had linked most of Scotland's Cities and large Towns, leading to the end of Cattle Droving.

1856 - Crieff Railway Station opened with a link to Perth, and from there the rest of the UK.

1868 - Crieff Hydro Hotel opened, attracting many visitors to the area.

The Town also attracted Wealthy Businessmen from the Cities who built grand houses to serve as their second homes.

1882 - Crieff Free Church was built.

1883 - Crieff Parish Church is built.

1891 - Crieff Golf Club was founded.

1964 - Crieff Railway Station closed.

1990 - the Glenturret Distillery opened its Famous Grouse Experience visitor centre.

2019 - the French company Lalique Group took over the Glenturret Distillery, ending the Famous Grouse Experience.

You can still visit the Glenturret Distillery, and it is said the Distillery still produces some of the Whisky that is used in the Blend of the Famous Grouse.