Aberbrothock, a seaport and manufacturing town of Scotland, in the county of Forfar, 17 miles north-east of Dundee, 15 miles E.S.E. of Forfar, and 60 miles N.N.E. from Edinburgh, situated on the North Sea, at the mouth of the river Brothock, 12 miles north-west of the Bell-Rock lighthouse, in Lat. 56. 34. N. Long. 2. 35. W.

Arbroath was early celebrated for its abbey, founded by William the Lion in 1178, and dedicated to the famous Thomas à Becket, archbishop of Canterbury. It was created a royal burgh in 1186, and the charter was renewed in 1589. King John of England granted it very unusual privileges; for, by charter under the great seal, he exempted it a talonis et consuetudine in every part of England, except London. The founder of this abbey was buried there, but there are no remains of his tomb. The monks belonged to the Tyronensian order, and came from Kelso, the abbot of which place declared them to be free from his jurisdiction. In 1320, a convention of the Scottish nobles was held in this abbey by Robert I., where a letter was addressed to the pope, praying him to admonish and exhort Edward II. not to invade their territory. This letter is remarkable for the spirit and independence of its style, considering the time and circumstances under which it was written.—See Hailes' Annals of Scotland.

In 1394, an agreement was entered into by John Geddie, the abbot, and the burgesses of Arbroath, by which the former obliged himself and his successors to maintain a sufficient harbour at their own expense. The last abbot was the too famous Cardinal Beaton, at the same time archbishop of St Andrews. This abbey, like many other buildings of the same class, fell a sacrifice to the zeal of the Reformers in 1560; but its former magnificence and splendour are attested by the remains of its walls, cloisters, towers, piers, and the fine window of the chancel.

At the commencement of the eighteenth century, Arbroath was a place of little importance, but it has gradually been enlarged and improved, and is now a flourishing town, with considerable manufactures of hemp and flax. The principal manufacture is that of linen, which gives employment to a great part of its population. It has seventeen spinning mills, several bleach-works, two tanneries, two iron foundries, several ship-building yards (with a patent slip), rope-works, and breweries. Among its public buildings are the town-hall, prison, trades-hall, and the parish church, to which a handsome spire 150 feet high has lately been added; two chapels of ease, three Free churches, an Episcopal, a Catholic, an Independent, and several Secession chapels. It has three branch banks, a savings bank, three news rooms, a subscription and a mechanics' library, and an academy. A weekly newspaper, the Arbroath Guide, is published on Saturday. During the course of last century, the Abbot's harbour was superseded by a more commodious one a little to the west of the other, which has lately been much enlarged and improved at a cost of £50,000. A neat signal tower 50 feet in height, with an excellent telescope, communicates with the Bell-Rock lighthouse; and on its north pier is a fixed red light, at an elevation of 24 feet, which is visible eight miles off. Its imports are hemp, flax, vitriol, manganese, coal, &c.; its exports, paving-flags, barley, potatoes, fish, &c. In 1849, there were 116 vessels, of the aggregate burden of 12,609 tons, belonging to the port; and in that year the gross amount of customs' duty received at its port was £13,946, being upwards of £2000 above that of the preceding year. It is connected with Forfar by a railway, which also unites it with the Scottish Midland and the Aberdeen lines; and it communicates with Dundee by the Arbroath and Dundee Railway. The municipal government is vested in a provost, two bailies, a treasurer, a dean of guild, and twelve councillors; and it has seven incorporated trades. Arbroath unites with Forfar, Montrose, Brechin, and Berrie, in sending a member to parliament. By the census of 1851, Arbroath had 1737 inhabited houses, and 17,008 inhabitants. The market-day is Saturday; and fairs are held on the last Saturday of January, the first Saturday after Whitsunday, the 1st of July if a Saturday, or on the first Saturday thereafter, and the first Saturday after Martinmas.