Inverallochy and Cairnbulg

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Inverallochy and Cairnbulg
Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Aileachaidh
Inverallochy and Cairnbulg (Scotland)
Inverallochy and Cairnbulg

Inverallochy and Cairnbulg shown within Scotland
Population est. 1,210 (2004) [1]
OS grid reference NK041650
Council area Aberdeenshire
Lieutenancy area Aberdeenshire
Constituent country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town FRASERBURGH
Postcode district AB43
Dialling code 013465
Police Grampian
Fire Grampian
Ambulance Scottish
European Parliament Scotland
List of places: UK • Scotland

Coordinates: 57°40′30″N 1°55′59″W / 57.675, -1.933

The villages of Inverallochy and Cairnbulg lie some four miles East of Fraserburgh, in North East Scotland.

Cairnbulg Castle, one of The Nine Castles of Knuckle, originally dated to the 13th century and parts of the current construction are believed to date to an early period[1] but whereas the land of Inverallochy was granted by Earl Alexander to Jordan Comyn in 1277, there is no indication that the now-ruined Inverallochy Castle was built at such an early date.[2] Cairnbulg Castle was a stronghold of the Comyns, but was given by Robert the Bruce to the Earls of Ross in 1316 following the Rape of Buchan, then passed to the Frasers from 1375 until 1666. The current construction is a late 19th century re-build following a century of abandonment and dereliction.

Houses by the sea
Houses by the sea

Well established fishing communities were in place in the area by the early 16th century, but after an epidemic of cholera in the 1860s wiped out the "collections of huts next to which fishing boats were dragged out of reach of the tide", planned fishing settlements were recreated at Inverallochy and the twinned village Cairnbulg. As a result of this planning, within twenty years over 200 boats were based here, although in recent years this has dwindled back to almost none as larger, commercial operations became focused on the nearby ports of Fraserburgh and Peterhead.

Owing to the close proximity of the villages to one another, the name Invercairn has in recent years become used on a local basis to represent both.

Inverallochy is most renowned for its 18-hole links golf course, which looks out over the North Sea from every hole. Although it can be described as "short" at 5149 yards, it is considered a "challenge for any level of golfer" due to dependency on the wind direction and strength.

People may visit Inverallochy to see "Maggies Hoosie", a preserved 19th century fisherwife's cottage. It features "old-time" streets with higgilty piggilty paths, beaches and Cairnbulg harbour, built in the 1920s using World War 2 tank traps as building blocks.

Inverallochy School was established in 1841 as a 36 x 20 feet building that seated 88 scholars. Increased attendance demanded further funding in 1866 to seat 130 scholars and 240 in 1872. It finally reopened in 1965 after a substantial extension to include 8 new classrooms, general purpose room, a school meal scullery, an assembly hall/gymnasium and art room. The 8 old classrooms were turned into a homecraft rooms with housewifery area, science rooms and library.

[edit] References

  1. ^ W. D. Simpson, Cairnbulg Castle, Aberdeenshire, May 1949. (online at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_083/83_032_044.pdf)
  2. ^ D. Macgibbon & T. Ross, The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the 12th to the 18th centuries, Edinburgh, 1887-92.

[edit] External links

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Settlements and Places of Interest in Banff and Buchan, Aberdeenshire
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