Kemnay
Kemnay (Gaelic: Ceann a' Mhuigh) is a village 16 miles (26 km) west of Aberdeen in Garioch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. With a population of 3,697 residents aged 16 or over (2001), Kemnay is the third largest settlement in the Garioch after Inverurie and Westhill.[1]
History
The village name Kemnay is believed to originate from the Celtic words that mean "little crook in the river"[2] due to the village location on the bend of the River Don. Kemnay House is classified by Historic Scotland as a category A listed building.[3]
Religion
Kemnay has church buildings available for the following religious groups:
- Church of Scotland
- Roman Catholic
- Scottish Episcopal Church
Tourism
Kemnay is popular with explorers of Aberdeenshire who can stay in numerous guest houses, hotels, and bed and breakfasts within the village. There are three pubs, the Laird's Throat, the Bennachie Lodge, and the Burnett Arms Hotel. Tourists also flock to Kemnay hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive Dark Beast of Kemnay, known to stalk the surrounding countryside.
Granite
Kemnay Quarry was opened in 1830 by John Fyfe, and became commercial in 1858. Kemnay Granite has been used in many famous buildings and structures, including;
- Cenotaph, Glasgow
- Forth Railway Bridge, Edinburgh/Fife
- Marischal College, Aberdeen
- Thames Embankment, London
- Various buildings on Princes Street, Edinburgh
Granite workers from Kemnay helped to quarry and shape the Australian granite used in the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They also travelled to quarries in California, the Mississippi Levees and Odessa.
Places of interest
- Carrier (James Mitchell Monument)
- Fetternear Estate
- Fetternear Palace, archaeological dig site (Bishop's Palace)
- Johnstone FM Monument
- Kemnay Academy
- View Point
- War memorial
Sports
Kemnay has various sports clubs, including;
- Badminton
- Bowling Club
- Cricket
- Football
- Golf
- Tennis
There are playing fields available for use by the public at Bogbeth Park, which is also home to the Kemnay Skate Park.
Golfer Paul Lawrie, who won the 1999 Open Championship is a former pupil of Kemnay Academy, as is former Aberdeen F.C. footballer Darren Mackie.
References
Citations
- ↑ "Comparative Population Profile: Kemnay Locality". General Register Office for Scotland. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ↑ Milne (1912), p. 204
- ↑ "Kemnay house, Ref: 9212". Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
Bibliography
Milne, John (1912), Celtic Place Names in Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen Journal
External links
- grid reference NJ7316
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