To most people Kirriemuir will be known as the birthplace of JM Barrie but to others (yes you McK!) other famous sons of Kirrie come to mind. The page co-ordinates take you to a courtyard where 4 slabs have been laid to commemorate these residents, and as a cache was requested with one of these names in mind - you should find yourself standing on Bon Scotts' slab!
To find the cache - look at the words and numbers on each persons slab.
Ronald Belford Scott (Bon Scott)
Bon Scott was the lead singer, lyricist, and frontman of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1975 until his death in 1980. He was born in Kirrie, his family residing in The Roods, before moving to Australia at the age of 6. His first exposure to "stardom" was when he joined the Freemantle pipe band along with his father as a drummer. After mastering the drums he joined a succession of bands across Australia until he eventually met up with two other exiled Scots, Angus and Malcolm Young, that he found his calling.
Initially working as a chauffeur for AC/DC, he soon took centre-stage in front of the microphone. The group's combination of power-chords, distortion and larynx-shredding vocals – not to mention their off-stage antics – earned them a worldwide following. Sadly, for Scott at least, it was not to last. The singer drank himself to death in 1980 at the age of 33. Scott was buried in Fremantle Cemetery.
B = 3rd row - last number
S = number of letters in 4th row - first word
Sir Charles Lyell
Sir Charles Lyell was an eminent scientist. Born at Kinnordy House, near Kirriemuir on 14th November 1797, Sir Charles Lyell is perhaps the most significant figure ever born in Angus. Within his chosen subject of geology he was hugely influential and his encouragement of Charles Darwin helped lay the groundwork for evolutionary biology. Upon his death in 1875, he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Lyell crater on the Moon and a crater on Mars were named in his honour
C = 4th Number 4th row
L = 2nd Number 4th row
Sir Hugh Munro
Although not born in Kirriemuir, Sir Hugh Thomas Munro was brought up on the family estate of Lindertis just outside the town.
He was an avid hillwalker, and was a founder member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1889. He is best known for the list of mountains in Scotland over 3000ft (914.4m) which he produced two years later in 1891. This list caused much surprise in mountaineering circles, as until his list was produced many thought that the number of mountains exceeding this height was around 30, rather than the nearly 300 that he listed.
Hugh Munro never completed his own list.
H = 2nd number - 8th row
M = Number of letters in first word - last row
Sir James M Barrie
Scottish author and dramatist, best known for his character Peter Pan. The play Peter Pan or, The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up was first performed in 1904 and published in 1928;
James Matthew Barrie was born in 1860 in a house in Brechin Road (Now in the care of NTS) , the son of weaver David Barrie and his wife Margaret Ogilvy. They were a large family and James, short in stature at 5 feet 1 inch, had three brothers and six sisters. James attended school in Kirriemuir before entering Edinburgh University, during the four years of which he had articles published in newspapers. He earned his degree of Master of Arts in 1882. He then obtained a job as a writer with the Nottingham Journal, and in 1885 moved to London, England.
Barrie was successful at freelancing and soon bringing in a modest income for himself. Auld Licht Idyls or “Old Lights”, stories based on life in Kirriemuir, fictionalized as `Thrums’, was first printed in 1888 and soon became popular. Other titles in the `Thrums’ series are A Window in Thrums (1889) and The Little Minister (1891). Sentimental Tommy (1896) and Tommy and Grizel (1900) followed.
Barrie was knighted in 1913. Before he died Barrie declined the offer of a tomb in Westminster Abbey, preferring instead to be buried in his beloved Kirriemuir.
J = Number of letters in third word - 2nd row
B = 4th Number - last row
Cache is found at
N56 4B.SCL W003 0H.MJB
2 more slabs commemorating the 3 VC holders born in Kirriemuir and the Cameron family )musicians of traditional Scottish dance music) have recently been unveiled beside the other 4.
