Find images
Highlights
John Slezer
About the views
Making engravings
Contact us
Dundee - 'The Prospect of ye Town of Dundee'
This is one of two views of Dundee Slezer gave us. The prospect shows the city from the north, with Fife in the background and the River Tay between the two. The tall tower (160 feet high!) is that of St Mary's Church, which still survives today as the oldest building in Dundee.
Travellers on the road in the foreground include a horseman and a man with horse and cart.
Image from Theatrum Scotiae by John Slezer, 1693.
To the Right Honourable Patrick Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn, Viscount of Tannadice, Lord Lion and Glammis, &c.
A Town in the Shire of Angus, so called from Dun, which in our old Language signifies a Hill, and Tay the Name of a River, it being situated at the Foot of a Hill on the North side of the River Tay, not far from its Entry into the Ocean.
It stands on a most pleasant Plain, and is adorned with excellent Buildings of all sorts. It hath two Churches, a high Steeple, a Harbour for Ships of Burthen, and a considerable Traffick with Strangers, whence the Inhabitants are generally rich, and those who fall into Decay have a large Hospital provided for them.
Of old this Town gave the Title of Earl, and Dignity of Constable to the Chief of the Scrimgers, but of late it gave the Title of Viscount to the Lord Dundee; who was killed by their Majesties, King William and Queen Mary's Forces, at the Battle of Gillicrankie.
