OS1/14/35/38

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 38

[Site of Royal Palace and Mint]
"Much about the same time with Forfar Dundee was honoured with a royal residence there having
been one within the Court Called St. Margaret's Close at the High Street near which that appendage
of royalty the mint was afterwards erected. The palace or at least part of it which had stood
uncovered and in ruins for a considerable time was put in a state of repair a few years before
the rebellion of 1745 by Bailie Watson a partisan of the house of Stewart + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
The palace at present is occupied by several families and upon a lintel of one
of the apartments which is of large dimensions and was recently used as a Wright's Shop there
is an uncharged escutcheon accompanied with the date 1505 this of course refers only to
some alterations or repairs and not to the erection of the house.
This palace after ceasing to be a royal residence was Confered upon and inhabited
by the Earls of Angus of the family of the Douglas, by the Scryseours of Dudhope constables
of Dundee and afterwards by John Graham of Claverhouse Viscount Dundee.
Robert III was the first Sovereign who struck coin* in the mint which was connected
with the palace and he probably was the erector of it. Silver groats bearing his impress
were minted here and are still to be seen [in] the collections of the curious. A close leading
from the High Street is still called the Mint Close." Mackie's History of Dundee pp. [pages] 146-7

*There is reason to doubt the accuracy of this assertion. Mr. C. Rogers states that a silver groat of the
reign of Robert Bruce was found some years ago on the site of the mint which would lead
to the conjecture that the mint here was founded by the latter King.