Known as the "Gateway to the Glens", Kirriemuir is a picturesque little village with narrow winding streets. There are many nooks and crannies for tourists to explore and with three museums, there is plenty here to take up your time. Even though the village is small there are plenty of accommodation here, including a five-star hotel. It was here that J.M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, was born and buried and many of the attractions in town show the pride in this fact. Kirriemuir has existed since prehistoric times, but very little of its early history is known. There is a standing stone, the Stannin Stane, in the village that dates back to the Bronze Age and Tillyloss is a rounded hill that was once the location of Iron Age roundhouses in 700 B.C. There are a total of 18 Pictish stones around the Old parish Church demonstrating that it was an important location in earlier times. The name of the town was first recorded in 1201 and there have been various spellings of the name through the years.
In 1452, the village was granted burgh status and the economy thrived on the production of textiles, which continued into the 19th century. Agriculture was also important and still is today with the many farms in the area. Music has always been important in Kirriemuir, not only for the traditional ballads, such as the Ball of Kirriemuir, but because this town is the birthplace of the late Bon Scott, the lead singer of AC/DC. The Kirriemuir Folk Festival attracts thousands of tourists each year that come to enjoy the traditional toe-tapping music. Tourist attractions include the birthplace of J.M. Barrie where you can tour the house where he was born. See his writing desk; visit the museum and the outdoor washroom while you are trying to figure out how ten people lived in this small house. There is a life size statue of Peter Pan in the centre of town as well as another in the beautiful garden that also has a large crocodile shaped topiary for the children’s entertainment.
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