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Kincardinshire
Chapter 22. The Chief Towns and Villages of Kincardineshire


(The figures in brackets after each name give the population in 1911, and those at the end of each section are references to pages in the text.)

Auchinblae, a picturesquely situated village 2 miles north of Fordoun Station, is a famous summer resort. Here is the entrance to the beautiful Glen of Drumtochty. (p. 56.)

Banchory (1633), in the parish of Banchory-Ternan, was founded in 1805 and is now a Police Burgh. The most popular of resorts on Lower Deeside, it is pleasantly situated on the north bank of the Dee, 18 miles west of Aberdeen.

The picturesque Falls of Feugh are less than a mile from the town. The Nordrach-on-Dee Sanatorium stands in pine woods a little to the west. The Hill of Fare, to the north, was the scene of the battle of Corrichie. (pp. 5, 7, 10, 14, 22, 47, 55, 72, 74, 99.)

Bervie (1173), formerly and still officially Inverbervie,”a royal burgh since 1362, has prosperous flax-spinning mills.

Salmon - fishing is successfully carried on. David II. landed here in 1341, after his exile in France, (pp. 5, 7, 12, 18, 55, 57, 74, 99, 100, 103.)

Catterline is a fishing hamlet in Kinneff parish, midway between Stonehaven and Bervie. Todhead lighthouse is near. (pp. 40, 58.)

Cove, a fishing village about 4 miles south of Aberdeen, has also fish-manure works, (pp. 36, 56, 58, 101.)

Cowie, a fishing hamlet 1 mile north of Stonehaven, (pp. 20, 23, 37, 58, 65, 76, 101.)

Drumlithie (207), an irregularly built village in Glenbervie parish. The steeple, erected in 1777, is a circular tower surmounted by a belfry. Drumlithie became a Burgh of Barony in 1329. (pp. 69, 100.)

Fettercairn, in the centre of a good agricultural district, is a Burgh of Barony, 5 miles north of Laurencekirk. It has a Gothic arch erected to commemorate the visit of

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1861 ; and also a turreted fountain tower, a memorial to Sir John Hepburn Stewart Forbes, Bart. (1804-1866). The old market cross of Kincardine stands in the village, (pp. 13, 47, 48, 55, 56, 61, 72, 74. 83> 98.)

Findon, a village between Cove and Portlethen, the original home of the well-known “Finnan haddock.” (p. 36.)

Fordoun, a village with station on the Caledonian Railway line. The parish has historical associations with St Palla-Hdius, Lord Monboddo, and James Beattie the poet; and contains the site of the old county town, Kincardine. The chief village is Auchinblae. (pp. i, 13, 57, 61, 63, 70, 80, 98, 100, 108, no, in.)

Gourdon, a fishing village 1 mile south of Bervie, has a flax mill. (pp. 5, 40, 55, 58, 59.)

Johnshaven, a fishing village and coastguard station in the parish of Benholm, has also a spinning mill. (pp. 5, 40, 55, 58, 59, 94-)

Laurencekirk (1438), a Burgh of Barony, has a large local country trade, a flourishing weekly mart, a brewery, coach works, and some handloom weaving. The renowned Latinist, Thomas Ruddiman, was for a few years schoolmaster here. (pp. n, 13, 52, 55, 56, 65, 98, 100, 107, no, in.)

Luthermuir, a small village in Marykirk, dating from 1771, had formerly handloom weaving.

Marykirk, a village beautifully situated on the left bank of the North Esk, a short mile from Craigo railway station, (pp. 13, 17, 72, 95, 96, 100, in.)

Muchalls, a neat little village and coastguard station 4 miles north of Stonehaven, is famed for its rock scenery and is much frequented by summer visitors, (pp. 13, 29, 30, 36, 69, 88.)

Portlethen, a small fishing village, 6 miles south of Aberdeen, (pp. 30, 36, 53, 58, 99.)

St Cyrus, a village with a salmon-fishing station in the S.E. corner of the county, was formerly called Ecclesgreig. Both St Cyrus and Ecclesgreig contain the name of a king of the Scots towards the close of the ninth century, Grig or Girig, who won the title of “ Liberator of the Scottish Church.” (pp. 12, 21, 24, 28, 40, 52, 57, 63, 83, 94, 99, hi.)

Skateraw, a small fishing village, close to Newtonhill railway station, (pp. 36, 58.)

Stonehaven (4266), stands on the bay some 14 miles S.S.W. of Aberdeen, at the mouths of the Carron and the Cowie. In the beginning of the seventeenth century it superseded Kincardine as the county town, and in 1889 was made a Police Burgh. It consists of an old and a new town. The old town, south of the Carron, in Dunnottar parish, is irregularly built, and inhabited mostly by fishermen. The new town, in Fetteresso parish, lies between the two streams. It is regularly laid out and well built. Prominent in the central square is the market house with its lofty steeple, and in Allardyce Street the Italianate town hall. Other notable buildings are the two parish churches and the other churches—United Free, Episcopalian, and Roman Catholic. The Mackie Academy was opened as a Secondary School in 1893. The fishing industry is important; but for general trade the harbour admits only small vessels. Of recent years Stonehaven has been much resorted to by summer visitors, attracted, for health and pleasure, by its bracing climate, fine cliffs and woods, sea-bathing and boating, golf course and recreation ground, (pp. 5, 7, 19, 21, 22, 37, 44, 45, 47, 49, 55, 56, 58, 60, 61, 64, 65, 69, 73, 74» 93, 96, 98, 99, 100, 102, 103.)

Strachan, or Kirkton of Strachan, a village 4 miles from Banchory-Ternan, is in the largest and hilliest parish. At the western boundary of the parish is Mount Battock, the, converging point of three shires—Kincardine, Forfar, Aberdeen. Famous natives were Rev. Andrew Cant and Dr Thomas Reid. (pp. 4, 72, 99, no.)

Torry (11,428), which less than fifty years ago was a small fishing village, is now an important ward of Aberdeen. It unites with the city for parliamentary, municipal, and educational purposes. The construction of the Victoria Bridge, to take the place of the ferry, and the introduction of trawl-fishing led to the rapid growth of Torry. (p. 50.)



 


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