| Ae | |
The village of Ae |
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Ae
Ae shown within Dumfries and Galloway |
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| Population | 200 (approx) |
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| OS grid reference | NX983891 |
| - Edinburgh | 70 mi (110 km) NE |
| - London | 340 mi (550 km) SE |
| Council area | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Lieutenancy area | Dumfries |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DUMFRIES |
| Postcode district | DG1 |
| Dialling code | 01387 |
| Police | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Fire | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Scottish Parliament | Dumfries |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Ae is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, south west Scotland.[1] The village is located within a conifer forest of more than 15,000 acres (61 km2), and is approximately 9 miles (14 km) north of Dumfries.[1]
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Robert Chambers wrote of the Ae area in 1826, describing it as a moor with a glen (known as Glenae),[2] whose inhabitants were "long famed for broils, battles, and feats of activity".[3] Chambers wrote that most men in the area were employed in farming and transporting goods on horseback between the village and Glasgow, as well as the cities of Carlisle and Manchester.[3] These "lads of Ae" had a reputation that preceded them, being famous for "cudgel-playing [and] boxing" at every fair and wedding the area held.[3]
The village of Ae is one of the youngest villages in Britain, having been founded in 1947 by the Forestry Commission.[1]
The village is situated between the Water of Ae and the Goukstane Burn after they have flowed out of the Forest of Ae. The population is approximately 200, with 50 dwellings. Facilities in the village include a shop, post office, school and community hall.[1]
Experiments at Ae include successful afforestation of former peat bogs, formerly thought to be unplantable. Plantation has also been established at a height of 1,750 feet (530 m). The forest consists mainly of Sitka spruce,[4] but there are also larch, Scots pine, and Norway spruce. There is much wildlife, including deer, fox, hare, weasel, woodpigeon, yellowhammer, sparrowhawk, jay, pheasant, partridge and red squirrel.
In 1787, the area's name was written with the ligature Æ.[5] By 1826 the name was written as Ae which, by repute, is the shortest toponym in the United Kingdom.[1]