Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is in the North East of Scotland, edged by the North Sea to the North and East joining Inverness-shire on the North West with Kincardine, Forfar and Perthshire to the South. The main towns are Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Stonehaven, Westhill , Ellon and Portlethen. It is mountainous and contains the famous Rivers, the Don and the Dee which meet at Aberdeen and the Ythan and Deveron.
Mountains
The main mountains are:
Ben Macdhui 1,309 m (4,296 ft), the second highest mountain in the Scotland
Braeriach 1,295 m (4,248 ft),
Cairn Toul 1,293 m (4241 ft),
Beinn a’ Bhuird 1,196 m (3,924 ft),
Ben Avon 1,171 m (3,843 ft),
Lochnagar 1,154 m (3,786 ft)
Cairn Eas 1,084 m (3556 ft)
Sgarsoch 1,037 m (3,402 ft),
Culardoch 900 m (2,953 ft)
Hills
There are two intriguing hills:
Tap o’ Noth 563 m (1,847 ft)
Bennachie has two peaks:
The Mither Tap 518 m (1,698 ft); Oxen Craig 528 m (1,732 ft)
History
Aberdeenshire has a rich history, and has an abundance of stone circles and Pictish stones. Bennachie has been suggested as the location for the Roman/Pict battle of Mons Graupius formerly depicted at the Archaeolink Prehistory Park at Oyne. Later battles included Harlaw in 1424 and Alford in 1645. Above all it is Scotland’s Castle County, with more than 100 Castles and Stately Homes.
Castles
Aberdeenshire has 263 castles, some in continuous occupation, some restored and some ruined. A few have family connections.
Highland Games
It is well known for its Highland Games, including Braemar, Aboyne and the Lonach Gathering.
Highland Games
Farming
In terms of agriculture, the main crops are oats and barley, and its Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn cattle have contributed to Argentina’s well known beef.
Geology
Its famous grey granite has exported worldwide.
Language
Doric is the variant of Scots, which comes from Northumbrian English, spoken in the North East, the broadest version of which is the Buchan Claik spoken around The Broch (Fraserburgh). (Standard English comes from Mercian English, both Northumbrian and Mercian come from Old English). Robbie Shepherd wrote a weekly column “The Doric Column” in the Press and Journal in Doric.
The name Doric is thought to be a reference to the rural Greek Dorian and contrasts with Edinburgh as the “Athens of the North”. Athens was “Attic”.
Cluny War Memorial
The War Memorial bears the names of the Men of Cluny who fell in the First and Second World Wars. It was moved after the sale of Cluny Church to its new position central to the three churchyards to the rear of the Church. As part of the re-dedication we researched the names and now have full details of all but two.
Aberdeenshire is our homeland.