The ancient town of Arbroath is special to all Scots. It was here, in 1320, that the
nobles of Scotland met and signed Declaration of Arbroath, which stated that
the country was an independent kingdom, and not beholden to England. It was
sent to the Pope in Rome, and in it, they claimed that they weren't fighting
for glory, riches or honour, but for freedom. They also, in no uncertain
terms, claimed that they would remain loyal to their king, Robert the Bruce,
only as long as he defended Scotland against the English. The Declaration
was drawn up in Arbroath Abbey (Historic Scotland), the ruins of which still
stand within the town, and sometimes a re-enactment of the signing is held there.

The award winning Arbroath Museum, at Ladyloan, is housed in the elegant
signal tower for the Bellrock Lighthouse, and brings Arbroath's maritime
and social history alive through a series of models, sounds and even smells.

Arbroath has had a harbour at the "Fit o' the Toon" (Foot of the Town) since
at least the 14th century, and it supported a great fishing fleet. The town
gave its name to that delicacy called the Arbroath Smokie (a smoked haddock)
though the supposed origins of the smokie are to be found not in the town,
but in Auchmithie, a fishing village four miles to the north. The story goes
that long ago it was the practice to store fish in the lofts of the fishermen's
cottages. One day, a cottage burned down, and the resultant smoked fish was
found to be delicious. Not only that - it preserved them.