The villages of Inverallochy (
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...
: ''Inbhir Aileachaidh'') and Cairnbulg (from the Gaelic ''càrn builg'' meaning 'gap cairn') lie some east of
Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh (; sco, The Broch or ; gd, A' Bhruaich) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2011 Census at 13,100. It lies at the far northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, about north of Aberdeen, and north of ...
, in North East Scotland. It formerly consisted of the three fishing villages of Brandesburgh, Cairnbulg and Inverallochy, but the former village has since disappeared.
Cairnbulg Castle, one of the
nine castles of the Knuckle, originally dated to the 13th century and parts of the current construction are believed to date to an earlier period 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.
Cairnbulg Castle was a stronghold of the
Comyns, but was given by
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
to the Earls of Ross in 1316 following the
Harrying of Buchan
The Harrying of Buchan, also known as the ''Herschip'' (hardship) or Rape of Buchan, took place in 1308 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. It saw vast areas of Buchan in northeast Scotland, then ruled by Clan Comyn, burned to the ground b ...
,
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.
![Inverallochy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Inverallochy.jpg)
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 20 years over 200 boats were based here,
although in recent years this has dwindled to almost zero as larger, commercial operations became focused on the nearby ports of
Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh (; sco, The Broch or ; gd, A' Bhruaich) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2011 Census at 13,100. It lies at the far northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, about north of Aberdeen, and north of ...
and
Peterhead
Peterhead (; gd, Ceann Phàdraig, sco, Peterheid ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. ...
.
Cairnbulg railway station was opened on 1 July 1903. It was originally named Inverallochy, but was renamed on 1 September, two months after it opened. The station closed in 1965.
Philorth Bridge Halt was located near the Water of Philorth at the entrance to Cairnbulg Castle.
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.
Attractions
Maggie's Hoosie, the former home of Maggie Duthie (1867–1950),
is a preserved 19th century fishwife's cottage at 26 Shore Street.
"Maggie’s Hoosie open again for business"
- ''Fraserburgh Herald'', 1 July 2015Maggie's Hoosie
– Google Street View
Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides interactive panoramas from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expan ...
, September 2008 Cairnbulg harbour, built in the 1920s as a single pier, was developed in the early 1980s using WW2 tank traps to create an enclosed harbour basin.
Inverallochy School was established in 1841 as a building that seated 88 scholars. Increased attendance demanded further funding in 1866 to seat 130 scholars and 240 in 1872. It finally re-opened in 1965 after a substantial extension to include eight new classrooms, a general purpose room, a school meal scullery, an assembly hall–gymnasium and an art room. The eight old classrooms were turned into homecraft rooms with housewifery area, science rooms and library.
The Gothic parish church dates to 1842, distinguished by its octagonal spirelet on its buttressed tower.,
References
External links
Invercairn Gala
Web Historian site for the Fishing Villages of the North East
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Villages in Aberdeenshire