Auchnagatt

Auchnagatt (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh nan Cat) is a village and rural area in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated on the Ebrie Burn and on the A948 road between Ellon and New Deer.

Schools

Auchnagatt Primary School is situated in the village. The rural areas once supported several primary schools, with those at Clochan, Knaven and Savoch merging to form Braeside School in 1957.^[1] Braeside School in turn was closed in 2005.^[2] Arnage School to the south remains open.

Secondary education is provided at Mintlaw Academy, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the village of Auchnagatt.

Transport

Regular public transport is limited to infrequent bus services to Ellon, New Deer and surrounding villages, though an on-demand Dial-a-bus service is also available.^[3] The railway station closed in 1979, and now offers an access point to the Formartine and Buchan Way, the long-distance path that follows the route of the former railway.

Other facilities

Facilities in the village include a village hall, post office, general store ("Taylor's Emporium") and hotel ("Ebrie House").

History

There is evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area. The remains of two earth houses were found at Windy Hill, south-east of the village, in 1850.^[1]

More recent history centred around agriculture until the coming of the railway in the 1860s, when sidings and goods sheds were constructed in the village.^[1]

Nowadays Auchnagatt serves largely as a dormitory village for Aberdeen.

Name

Sources dispute the origin of the name Auchnagatt, claiming either "field of the wild cats" (Gaelic achadh na' cat)^[4] or "field of withies" (willows), in reference to the currachs or wickerwork creels traditionally produced in the area.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Auchnagatt page on VisitPeterhead.com tourist website
2. ^ Scottish Parliament petition on closure of rural schools
3. ^ Aberdeenshire Council public transport information
4. ^ Scottish land-names; their origin and meaning (Herbert Maxwell, 1894)