Burghead ( sco, Burgheid or ''The Broch'', gd, Am Broch) is a small town in

Moray Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland. Between 1975 ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, about north-west of Elgin. The town is mainly built on a

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

that projects north-westward into the

Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: ''An Cuan Moireach'', ''Linne Mhoireibh'' or ''Caolas Mhoireibh'') is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotl ...

, surrounding it by water on three sides. People from Burghead are called Brochers. The present town was built between 1805 and 1809, destroying in the process more than half of the site of an important

Pictish Pictish is the extinct language, extinct Brittonic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited num ...

hill fort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

. General Roy's map shows the defences as they existed in the 18th century although he wrongly attributed them to the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

. The fort was probably a major Pictish centre and was where carved slabs depicting bulls, known as the

Burghead Bulls The Burghead Bulls are a group of carved Pictish stones from the site of Burghead Fort in Moray, Scotland, each featuring an incised image of a bull. Up to 30 were discovered during the demolition of the fort to create the town of Burghead in the ...

, were found. A chambered well of some considerable antiquity was discovered in 1809 and walls and a roof were later added to help preserve it. Each year on 11 January a fire festival known as the

Burning of the Clavie Burghead ( sco, Burgheid or ''The Broch'', gd, Am Broch) is a small town in Moray, Scotland, about north-west of Elgin. The town is mainly built on a peninsula that projects north-westward into the Moray Firth, surrounding it by water on t ...

takes place; it is thought that the festival dates back to the 17th century, although it could easily predate this by several centuries. Burghead is often known by locals as The Broch, a nickname also applied to

Fraserburgh Fraserburgh (; sco, The Broch or ; gd, A' Bhruaich) is a town in Aberdeenshire (unitary), Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census at 13,100. It lies at the far northeast corner of Aber ...

in nearby

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...

. A recent dig just beyond the boundary of Burghead at Clarkly Hill has uncovered Iron Age circular stone houses and Pictish building foundations, as well as silver and bronze Roman coins and a gold finger ring possibly from the Baltic region. Significant evidence of large scale Iron smelting has also been found, providing evidence that iron was probably being traded from this site. The

National Museum of Scotland The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Scottish Museum (opened in ...

has carried out significant exploration which leads it to believe this is a significant site of interest

History

Iron age fort

This

vitrified fort Vitrified forts are stone enclosures whose walls have been subjected to vitrification through heat. It was long thought that these structures were unique to Scotland, but they have since been identified in several other parts of western and northe ...

lies on top of a headland which commands extensive views of the

. Originally believed to be

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

's Castra Alata, later 'Ptoroton' and the 'Torffness' of the Orkneyinga Saga, it is now known to be of

origin and is thought to be the oldest Pictish fort. It encloses 3

hectares The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ab ...

and is three times as large as any other fort of the same period in Scotland. It was defended on the landward side by three banks and ditches which were destroyed during the creation of the harbour and modern village; their age is therefore uncertain. Six striking carved slabs known as the

were discovered during

excavations In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...

. Dating to 7th Century AD, four of the originals are held locally in Burghead Visitor Centre and Elgin Museum and one each in the

Royal Museum The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Scottish Museum (opened in ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, and the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Much of the fort was destroyed during the building of the village from 1805 to 1809. The Doorie Hill (see below), which marked the junction of the citadel and the bailey, is the only remaining piece of the southern ramparts. Lengths of the eastern and northern ramparts are also still visible.Sellar, W.D.H. (editor) (1993). ''Moray: Province and People''. London. Robert Hale. Pages 142-4''Burghead Well''. (1968) Ancient Monuments of Scotland. Crown copyright leaflet.''Burghead''. (c. 1990) Grampian Regional Council leaflet. Burghead well approach

Chambered well

The Burghead Well, which lies within the perimeter of the

promontory fort A promontory fort is a defensive structure located above a steep cliff, often only connected to the mainland by a small neck of land, thus using the topography to reduce the ramparts needed. Although their dating is problematic, most seem to da ...

, was discovered in 1809. It consists of a flight of stone steps leading down to a chamber containing a tank fed by springs. There is a

frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

in the upper walls, a pedestal in the southeast corner and a sunken basin in the northwest corner. The chamber is high, and across with a wide ledge around the edge, and the tank is deep. The discovery was made during

for a possible municipal water supply after an elderly fisherman recalled a tradition of a well in the vicinity. Various additions such as re-cutting the steps and deepening the tank were undertaken, but the flow of water proved to be insufficient for the proposed new function. At the time of discovery it was assumed that both the fort and well were of Roman antiquity and it was described as a 'Roman bath'. Later in the 19th century it was suggested that it was an early

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...

possibly associated with the cult of St Aethan, but its origins remain obscure to this day. It is almost certainly of

Dark Age The ''Dark Ages'' is a term for the Early Middle Ages, or occasionally the entire Middle Ages, in Western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire that characterises it as marked by economic, intellectual and cultural decline. The conce ...

provenance and clearly had some ceremonial significance. It is possible that its main purpose was as a water supply for the fort and may suggest a

Pict The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from ear ...

ish interest in

water spirits Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a s ...

. The well is a

scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

Burning of the Clavie

A fire festival called the Burning of the Clavie is held on 11 January each year, except when the 11th is a Sunday, in which case it takes place on the 10th. The event starts when the Clavie is lit on Granary Street at 18:00 and normally ends by 19:30. In 1599, the

Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of ...

made an order which provided that the first day of the year would be 1 January with effect from 1 January 1600, while retaining the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

. With the

Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 The Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 (24 Geo. II c.23), also known as Chesterfield's Act or (in American usage) the British Calendar Act of 1751, is an Act of Parliament, Act of the Parliament of Great Britain. Its purpose was for G ...

, Great Britain, including Scotland, adopted the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

and elided 11 days from the 1752 calendar. Thus the day that would have been New Year's Day in the old calendar now fell on 12 January of the new calendar. The Burning of the Clavie continues to be celebrated on "old" New Year's Evethat is, in the new calendar, on 11 January. The practice has survived clerical condemnation. On 20 January 1689, the young men of the village were rebuked by the church courts for "having made a burning clavie, paying it superstitious worship, and blessing the boats after the old heathen custom". The Clavie is a barrel cut down to , which is filled with tar and bits of wood. It is nailed onto a pole which is long with a specially forged nail. It has to be specially made to leave a space for the carrier's head to fit between the staves (6 in all) and allowing him to rest it partly on his shoulders while he carries it. A group of about 15 men known as the Clavie crew, traditionally fishermen and headed by the Clavie king, take turns to carry the burning Clavie on a set route clockwise round the streets of the old part of the town. The Clavie crew stop to present bits of smouldering embers to certain households and the three

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

s in the village to bring them good luck for the following year. There are also two set points where they stop to refuel. At the end of the route the Clavie is put onto a stone altar (which was not constructed until the 19th century) upon Doorie Hill, and more fuel is added, often setting the whole side of the hill alight in the process. The barrel eventually collapses and the blazing embers are scattered all over the hilltop before they are collected and given out for good luck, although it is said that in the past the embers were kept as charms against

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...

, and to kindle the New Year's fire on their cottage hearth. It used to be customary to carry the Clavie round every boat and vessel in the harbour, but this part of the ceremony was later discontinued, presumably because it became impossible as the harbour became busier. Image:BurningOfTheClavie1(AnneBurgess)Jan1984.jpg, The Burning of the Clavie celebrates New Year's Eve, old style, which falls on 11 January (unless 11 January is a Sunday, in which case the celebration is held on 10 January). The Clavie is a half-cask, mounted securely on a pole, and filled with staves of wood and inflammable liquid. Image:BurningOfTheClavie2(AnneBurgess)Jan1984.jpg, The burning Clavie is carried through the streets of the town by the members of the Clavie Crew, who must be natives of the town to qualify. It is followed by a procession of hundreds of onlookers. On the route through the town, the Clavie Crew hands pieces of the Clavie – smouldering pieces of wood – to householders to ensure good luck for the ensuing year. Image:BurningOfTheClavie3(AnneBurgess)Jan1984.jpg, Finally the Clavie is carried to the top of the Doorie Hill and the pole is placed in a socket on top of the hill.

Ship building

Alexander Stephen founded his company Alexander Stephen and Sons and began shipbuilding at Burghead on the Moray Firth in 1750. For Reference A Shipbuilding History 1750-1932 Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. A Record of the Business founded about 1750, by Alexander Stephen at Burghead, and subsequently carried on at Aberdeen, Arbroath, Dundee, and Glasgow.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

* For primary education, there is just Burghead Primary School, a non-denominational

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Works * ...

state school State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary educational institution, schools that educate all students without charge. They are ...

in Grant Street in the centre of the town. The school educates in a

nursery school A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school ...

and years 1–7. There is a school roll of 128. Students are grouped into three houses; Clavie, St Aethans and Torfness. * For secondary education, free transport is provided to two schools in nearby towns. Students may choose to attend either Lossiemouth High School or Elgin Academy.

Further education

Moray College Moray College is a further education college based in Elgin, Moray, Elgin, in Moray, northeastern Scotland. It has 1,500 full-time students and 8,100 part-time students (based on 2009–2010 academic year). It employs approximately 370 staff ( ...

is located approximately away in Elgin.

Notable people

*Rev Prof

William John Cameron William John Cameron (1907–1990) was a Scottish minister. He twice served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland: in 1962 and 1977.Annals of the Free Church of Scotland 1956 Life He was born in Brora, Sutherlan ...

minister of Burghead Free Church from 1932 to 1950

Politics

UK and Scottish parliaments

* Burghead is part of the Moray constituency of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

, at

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

. * Burghead is part of the Moray constituency of the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...

which has slightly different boundaries to the Westminster constituency. The constituency returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood. The Moray constituency is also part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region which returns seven regional MSPs to Holyrood.

Local government

Burghead is represented at The Moray Council by the Heldon & Laich ward, from which four councillors are elected. The members elected from this ward as of 3 May 2007 are: Allan Grant Wright (

Scottish Conservative and unionist The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party ( gd, Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty), often known simply as the Scottish Conservatives and colloquially as the Scottish Tories, is a centre-right political par ...

), John Christopher Hogg (

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

), Eric Morrison Mcgillivary (Independent) and David Christie Stewart (

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...

). Moray Council is currently controlled by an Independent/Conservative Coalition. Burghead was previously represented at Moray Council by the Burghsea ward from which one councillor was elected under the

first past the post electoral system In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast their ...

. Since 3 May 2007 the STV electoral system has been used in

local elections In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary ...

throughout Scotland, which means that Burghead is represented by several councillors in the significantly larger Heldon & Laich ward.

Population (demography)

The population of Burghead in 1991 according to the 1991 Census was 1,495. Data from the 2001 Census showed Burghead's population had risen to 1,640; however, mid-2004 estimates showed the population had risen again slightly to 1,680. The 2001 data makes Burghead the eighth-largest town in Moray behind

Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons ...

, Kinloss and

Lhanbryde Lhanbryde (Gaelic: ''Lann Brìghde'') is a village that lies east of Elgin in Moray, Scotland. Previously bisected by the A96, it was bypassed in the early 1990s and now lies to the north of this busy trunk road. It had a population of 1,88 ...

but ahead of

Hopeman Hopeman ( sco, Houpmin, gd, Hudaman) is a seaside village in Moray, Scotland, it is situated on the coast of the Moray Firth, founded in 1805 to house and re-employ people displaced during the Highland clearances. According to the 2011 census ...

Dufftown Dufftown ( gd, Baile Bhainidh ) is a burgh in Moray, Scotland. While the town is part of the historic Mortlach parish, the town was established and laid out in the early 19th century as part of a planned new town settlement. The town has several ...

and

Fochabers Fochabers (; gd, Fachabair or Fothabair) is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, east of the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. 1,728 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich mus ...

. Males in Burghead make up 53.6% of the population; this is higher than the figure of 49.97% for Moray which itself is slightly higher than the 48.05% for Scotland. Males in Burghead do not outnumber females nearly as much over the age of 25 as they do under 25, as the number of males per female is significantly lower over age 25 (1.05) than it is under 25 (1.45). File:Population of Burghead by gender.PNG, Population (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead birth place (UK).png, Place of birth – UK (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead place of birth.png, Place of birth (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead Religion.png, Religion (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead age Structure 1.png, General Age Structure (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead age structure 2.png, Detailed Age Structure (''click to enlarge'') File:Burghead ethnic group.png, Ethnic Group (''click to enlarge'') Sources
Scotland's Census Results OnlineGeneral Register Office for Scotland
an

(2001 Census data)

Other facts

Median In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...

age of a male: 36 * Median age of a female: 39 * Number of males per female (under age 25): 1.45 * Number of males per female (over age 25): 1.05 * Percentage of households where not all persons are in the same: ** Place of birth category: 25.42 ** Religious category: 30.9 ** Ethnic category: 1.07 Source
Scotland's Census Results Online
/small>

Economy

Burghead and the Moray area in general are heavily dependent on

RAF Lossiemouth Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland. Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...

, a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

station, and

Kinloss Barracks Kinloss Barracks is a military installation located near the village of Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. Until 2012 it was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station, RAF Kinloss. History RAF Kinloss The Royal Air Force station ...

, a barracks for the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

, which are located at roughly equal distances on either side of Burghead. Until 2011 Kinloss Barracks was also an RAF station, RAF Kinloss, and in 2005 the stations contributed £156.5 million to the Moray economy, of which £76.6 million was retained and spent locally. The stations have at one time been responsible for providing, directly or indirectly, 21 per cent of all employment in the Moray area. Other sectors offering significant employment are local authority, construction and real estate, food and drink, transport, tourism, business services and wholesale/retail. In the past fishing, particularly herring fishing, was a large part of the economy of Burghead. Langoustine fishing, mainly for the European market, now contributes little to the overall economy; in 2001, fishing accounted for just 2.12% of employment in Burghead. There is a large malting plant located in the town and in 2009, a large modern distillery was completed at the junction of the Burghead/Kinloss B9089. Just outside Burghead there is a large radio transmitter owned by

Arqiva Arqiva () is a British telecommunications company which provides infrastructure, broadcast transmission and smart meter facilities in the United Kingdom. The company is headquartered at the former Independent Broadcasting Authority headquarters ...

, the

Burghead transmitting station The Burghead transmitting station is a broadcasting facility near Burghead () in Scotland for long wave and medium wave radio transmission that started service on 12 October 1936. The site is owned by Arqiva and houses a long wave radio transmit ...

. Source:''
Highland & Islands Enterprise
/small>

Transport

Roads

Three roads converge on Burghead, the B9013, the B9012 and the B9089. The B9013 connects to the A96 (

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

) and would generally be used to get to Elgin, the B9012 connects to Elgin via

and

Duffus Duffus ( gd, Dubhais) is a village and parish in Moray, Scotland. The Duffus Village Inn, the local shop, Post Office and Duffus Village Hall provide a focal point for the community. Nearby are the remains of Duffus Castle, St. Peters' Kirk, a ...

, and the B9089 connects to Kinloss and to the A96 via the B9011 (

Findhorn Findhorn ( gd, Inbhir Èir or ''Inbhir Èireann'') is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located on the eastern shore of Findhorn Bay and immediately south of the Moray Firth. Findhorn is 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Kinloss, and about 5 ...

Forres Forres (; gd, Farrais) is a town and former royal burgh in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately northeast of Inverness and west of Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions. There ...

Bus and train

* There is a regular bus service (32) which connects Elgin via Duffus. The service is operated by

Stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...

under the name Stagecoach Bluebird. Burghead railway station 1939712 15041401

* The nearest railway station is approximately away in Elgin. The station is on the

Aberdeen to Inverness Line Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), an ...

and generally only offers services to

(90 minutes travel) and

(50 minutes travel), though more direct services are available. Inverness station and Aberdeen station then provide services to the rest of Britain. All train services within Scotland are operated by

ScotRail ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail ( gd, Rèile na h-Alba), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise a ...

, who operate the franchise. Burghead pier

Air and sea

* The two nearest passenger airports to the town are

Inverness Airport Inverness Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Inbhir Nis) is an international airport situated at Dalcross, north-east of the city of Inverness, Scotland. It is owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL). The airport is the main gateway ...

(INV) at approximately and

Aberdeen Airport Aberdeen International Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Obar Dheathain) is an international airport, located in the Dyce suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. A total of just under 3.1 ...

(ABZ) at approximately . Inverness generally provides services to the UK and Ireland whereas Aberdeen provides services to both domestic and international destinations. Aberdeen Airport is the second-largest helicopter terminal in the world and serves the many

North Sea oil North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid petroleum and natural gas, produced from petroleum reservoirs beneath the North Sea. In the petroleum industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and ...

installations. * Burghead harbour is mainly used by fishing boats and is regarded by

Moray Council The Moray Council is one of the 32 local government councils in Scotland covering the Moray area. History The Moray District Council had been created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. It became one of the newly created s ...

as primarily a commercial harbour but it is also used for recreational purposes. During 2007 the harbour's North Quay received a substantial upgrade, financed jointly by Moray Council and the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

Sport

Football

The town is currently home to two football teams: Burghead Thistle and Burghead United. It was previously home to another football team, the Burghead Anchors. Burghead Thistle compete in Division Two of the SJFA North Region and play their home games at Forrest Park, just outside Burghead. In 2008 Thistle were awarded the Elginshire Cup without playing in a final after New Elgin and Lossiemouth United were both thrown out of the competition. Burghead United compete in the Moray District Welfare Premier Division. United share a close rivalry with fellow Premier Division team Hopeman FC, based in the town of

about from Burghead. Golf Burghead & Duffus Golf Club was founded in 1896, permanently closing with the onset of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

.“Burghead & Duffus Golf Club”
"Golf’s Missing Links".

References

External links

Burghead Visitor Centre

(QuickTime required)

(QuickTime required)

(QuickTime required)
Burghead Primary's page on Scottish Schools Online

Anna McPherson, ''The Clavie''
(short film, 2010). Retrieved 19 January 2014
Elaine Maslin, "Burning the Clavie at Burghead"
Retrieved 19 January 2014 {{Authority control Towns in Moray