Elgin (; sco, Ailgin; gd, Eilginn, ) is a town (former
cathedral city
Cathedral city is a city status in the United Kingdom.
Cathedral city may also refer to:
* Cathedral City, California, a city in Southern California, United States
* Cathedral City Cheddar, a brand of Cheddar cheese
* Cathedral City High Scho ...
) and formerly a
Royal Burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
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 ...
. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the
River Lossie
The River Lossie ( gd, Uisge Losaidh) is a river in north east Scotland. The river originates in the hills above Dallas, in Moray, and has its source above sea-level. It enters the sea at Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth. By the time it moves ...
on the higher ground above the floodplain where the town of Birnie is. There, the church of Birnie Kirk was built in 1140 and serves the community to this day.
Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190 AD. It was created a
royal burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in the 12th century by King
David I of Scotland
David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Malcolm ...
, and by that time had a castle on top of the present-day Lady Hill to the west of the town. The origin of the name Elgin is likely to be Celtic. It may derive from 'Aille' literally signifying beauty, but in topography a beautiful place or valley. Another possibility is 'ealg', meaning both 'Ireland' and 'worthy'. The termination 'gin' or 'in' are Celtic endings signifying little or diminutive forms, hence Elgin could mean beautiful place, worthy place or little Ireland.
History
![Elgin Pillar - South face 1856](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Elgin_Pillar_-_South_face_1856.png)
The discovery of the
Elgin Pillar, a 9th-century class II
Pictish stone
A Pictish stone is a type of monumental stele, generally carved or incised with symbols or designs. A few have ogham inscriptions. Located in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line and on the Eastern side of the country, these stones are ...
, under the High Street in 1823 suggests there may have been an Early Christian presence in the area of the later market, but there is no further evidence of activity before Elgin was created a
Royal Burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in the 12th century. In August 1040,
MacBeth's army defeated and killed
Duncan I
Donnchad mac Crinain ( gd, Donnchadh mac Crìonain; anglicised as Duncan I, and nicknamed An t-Ilgarach, "the Diseased" or "the Sick"; c. 1001 – 14 August 1040)Broun, "Duncan I (d. 1040)". was king of Scotland (''Alba'') from 1034 to 1040. H ...
at Bothganowan (Pitgaveny), near Elgin. Elgin is first recorded in a charter of
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland (di ...
in 1151 in which he granted an annuity to the Priory of Urquhart. David had made Elgin a royal burgh around 1130, after his defeat of
Óengus of Moray
Óengus of Moray (''Oenghus mac inghine Lulaich, ri Moréb'') was the last king of Moray of the native line, ruling Moray in what is now northeastern Scotland from an unknown date until his death in 1130.
Óengus is known to have been the son of ...
. During David's reign, the castle was established at the top of what is now Lady Hill. The town received a royal charter from
Alexander II in 1224 when he granted the land for a new
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
to Andrew,
Bishop of Moray
The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. If the foundation charter of the monastery at Scone is reliable, then the Bishopric of Moray ...
. This finally settled the episcopal see which had been at various times at
Kinneddar
Kinneddar is a small settlement on the outskirts of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, near the main entrance to RAF Lossiemouth. Long predating the modern town of Lossiemouth, Kinneddar was a major monastic centre for the Pictish kingdom of Fortri ...
,
Birnie and
Spynie
Spynie was a seaport, burgh and ancient parish in Moray, Scotland, that survives as a small hamlet and civil parish. It is the location of the ruins of Spynie Palace, which was the principal residence of the Bishops of Moray between the 12th and ...
. The ancient Forest of Darnaway was designated a Royal Forest and was used by the Scottish kings for hunting.
Alexander II was Elgin's greatest benefactor and returned many times to his royal castle. He established the two religious houses of the town, the
Dominicans or Blackfriars on the west side and the
Franciscans
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
or Greyfriars in the east. Further to the east stood the Hospital of Maison Dieu, or House of God also founded during the reign of Alexander II for the reception of poor men and women.
![Scotland Elgin Cathedral](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Scotland_Elgin_Cathedral.jpg)
On 19 July 1224, the foundation stone of the new
Elgin Cathedral
Elgin Cathedral is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, north-east Scotland. The cathedral—dedicated to the Holy Trinity—was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II outside the burgh of Elgin and close to the River Lossie. I ...
was ceremoniously laid. The cathedral was completed sometime after 1242 but was completely destroyed by fire in 1270. The reasons for this are unrecorded. The buildings now remain as ruins date from the reconstruction following that fire. The Chartulary of Moray described the completed cathedral as "Mirror of the country and the glory of the kingdom".
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
travelled twice to Elgin. During his first visit in 1296, he was impressed by what he saw. Preserved in the
Cotton library
The Cotton or Cottonian library is a collection of manuscripts once owned by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton MP (1571–1631), an antiquarian and bibliophile. It later became the basis of what is now the British Library, which still holds the collection. ...
now held in the
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
is the journal of his stay, describing the castle and the town of Elgin as "bon chastell et bonne ville"—good castle and good town. By his second visit in September 1303, the castle's wooden interior had been burned while held by the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
governor, Henry de Rye. As a result, he only stayed in Elgin for two days and then camped at
Kinloss Abbey
Kinloss Abbey is a Cistercian abbey at Kinloss in the county of Moray, Scotland.
The abbey was founded in 1150 by King David I and was first colonised by monks from Melrose Abbey. It received its Papal Bull from Pope Alexander III in 1174, and ...
from 13 September until 4 October. King Edward was furious when David de Moravia, Bishop of Moray, joined Scotland's cause with Bruce, and Edward appealed to the Pope who excommunicated the bishop, thus removing papal protection, causing him to flee to
Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
, then to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, only to return after Robert Bruce's victories against the English. After Edward's death in July 1307,
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 ...
attacked Elgin and then retook Scotland in 1308.
In August 1370
Alexander Bur
Alexander Bur (died 1397) was a 14th-century Scottish cleric. It is highly possible that Bur came from somewhere in or around Aberdeenshire, although that is not certain and is only based on the knowledge that Aberdeenshire is where other peopl ...
,
Bishop of Moray
The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. If the foundation charter of the monastery at Scone is reliable, then the Bishopric of Moray ...
began payments to
Alexander Stewart, Wolf of Badenoch,
King Robert III's brother, for the protection of his lands and men. In February 1390, the bishop then turned to Thomas Dunbar, son of the Earl of Moray, to provide the protection. This action infuriated Stewart and in May he descended from his castle on an island in
Lochindorb
Lochindorb (from the gd, Loch nan Doirb meaning "loch of the minnows") is a freshwater loch north of Grantown on Spey in the Highland council area of Scotland. In the loch there is an island, which is now thought to have been artificially created ...
and burned the town of Forres in revenge. In June he burned much of Elgin, including two monasteries,
St Giles Church, the Hospital of Maison Dieu and the cathedral.
Andrew of Wyntoun
Andrew Wyntoun, known as Andrew of Wyntoun (), was a Scottish poet, a canon and prior of Loch Leven on St Serf's Inch and, later, a canon of St. Andrews.
Andrew Wyntoun is most famous for his completion of an eight-syllabled metre entitled, '' ...
's ''Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland'' (a 15th-century history of Scotland) described this action by "wyld, wykked Heland-men". The rebuilding of the cathedral took many years; but much of it has since crumbled away due to the inferior quality of the stone made available to the 15th- and 16th-century masons, while the 13th-century construction still remains. In 1506, the great central tower collapsed and although rebuilding work began the next year it was not completed till 1538.
From the Reformation to the eighteenth century
![Elgin cathedral 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Elgin_cathedral_2.jpg)
The citizens of Elgin and surrounding areas did not seem to object to the new religion following the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
. In 1568 the lead was stripped from the roof of the cathedral, by order of 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 ...
. The lead was sold to
William Birnie and
Alexander Clark
Alexander G. Clark (February 25, 1826 – May 31, 1891) was an African-American businessman and activist who served as United States Ambassador to Liberia in 1890-1891, where he died in office. Clark is notable for suing in 1867 to gain admission ...
. The proceeds went to the maintenance of
Regent Moray
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. A supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scotland for his ...
's soldiers, but the ship taking the lead cargo to
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
sank almost immediately on leaving Aberdeen harbour. Without this protection, the building began to deteriorate.
The
Kirk Session
A session (from the Latin word ''sessio'', which means "to sit", as in sitting to deliberate or talk about something; sometimes called ''consistory'' or ''church board'') is a body of elected elders governing each local church within presbyteria ...
records of Elgin name women who danced at New Year 1623 to the sound of a trumpet. Six men, described as
guisers or "gwysseris" performed a
sword dance
Sword dances are recorded throughout world history. There are various traditions of solo and mock-battle (Pyrrhic) sword dances from Africa, Asia and Europe.
General types of sword dance include:
*solo dancers around swords – such as t ...
wearing masks and visors covering their faces in the churchyard and in the courtyard of a house. They were fined 40 shillings each. The fabric of the Cathedral continued to deteriorate. In 1637, the rafters over the choir were blown down and in 1640 the minister of St Giles along with the Laird of Innes and
Alexander Brodie of Brodie, all ardent
Covenanters
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
, removed and destroyed the ornately carved screen and woodwork that had remained intact. The tracery of the West window was destroyed sometime between 1650 and 1660 by
Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
's soldiers. On Easter Sunday 1711 the central tower collapsed for the second time in its history but caused much more damage. The rubble was quarried for various projects in the vicinity until 1807 when, through the efforts of Joseph King of Newmill, a wall was built around the cathedral and a keeper's house erected. Mountains of this rubble were cleared by one John Shanks, enabling visitors to view the ornate stonemasonry. Shanks was presented with an ornate snuffbox by the authorities; it is now in Elgin Museum.
When
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its ...
toured Scotland in 1717, he visited Elgin and said:
In this rich country is the city, or town rather, of Elgin; I say city, because in antient time the monks claim'd it for a city; and the cathedral shews, by its ruins, that it was a place of great magnificence. Nor must it be wonder'd at, if in so pleasant, so rich, and so agreeable a part of the country, all the rest being so differing from it, the clergy should seat themselves in a proportion'd number, seeing we must do them the justice to say, that if there is any place richer and more fruitful, and pleasant than another, they seldom fail to find it out. As the country is rich and pleasant, so here are a great many rich inhabitants, and in the town of Elgin in particular; for the gentlemen, as if this was the Edinburgh, or the court, for this part of the island, leave their Highland habitations in the winter and come and live here for the diversion of the place and plenty of provisions; and there is, on this account, a great variety of gentlemen for society, and that of all parties and of all opinions. This makes Elgin a very agreeable place to live in, notwithstanding its distance, being above 450 measur'd miles 25 kmfrom London, and more, if we must go by Edinburgh.
The cathedral is known as the ''Lantern of the North.'' When Bishop Bur wrote to
King Robert III, complaining of the wanton destruction done to the building by the King's brother, the Wolf of Badenoch, he describes the cathedral as "the ornament of this district, the glory of the kingdom and the admiration of foreigners." Chambers, in his ''Picture of Scotland'', says:
It is an allowed fact, which the ruins seem still to attest, that this was by far the most splendid specimen of ecclesiastical architecture in Scotland, the abbey church of Melrose not excepted. It must be acknowledged that the edifice last mentioned is a wonderful instance of symmetry and elaborate decoration; yet in extent, in loftiness, in impressive magnificence, and even in minute decoration, Elgin has been manifestly superior. Enough still remains to impress the solitary traveller with a sense of admiration mixed with astonishment.
Lachlan Shaw in his ''History of the Province of Moray'' was equally impressed when he wrote
the church when entire was a building of Gothic architecture inferior to few in Europe.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...
travelled to Elgin from Inverness in March 1746 and, falling ill with a feverish cold, stayed for 11 days before returning to await the arrival of the king's army. He stayed in Elgin with Mrs Anderson, a passionate
Jacobite, at Thunderton House. She kept the sheets that the Prince slept on and was buried in them a quarter of a century later. The
Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the historic county of Cumberland.
History
The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedo ...
passed through the town on 13 April, camping at Alves on the way to meet the Prince in battle on Drummossie Muir. After the battle,
William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock
William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock (12 May 170518 August 1746), was a Scottish peer who joined the 1745 Jacobite Rising, was captured at Culloden and subsequently executed for treason on Tower Hill.
His family were supporters of the governmen ...
, one of the Prince's generals, was captured and taken to London and eventual execution, but he wrote to his friend from prison about his indebtedness to the shoemakers of Elgin:
Beside my personal debts mentioned in general and particular in the State, there is one for which I am liable in justice, if it is not paid, owing to poor people who gave their work for it by my orders. It was at Elgin in Murray, the Regiment I commanded wanted shoes. I commissioned something about seventy pair of shoes and brogues, which might come to 3 shillngs or three shillings and sixpence each, one with the other. The magistrates divided them among the shoemakers of the town and country, and each shoemaker furnished his proportion. I drew on the town, for the price, out of the composition laid on them, but I was afterwards told at Inverness that, it was believed, the composition was otherwise applied, and the poor shoemakers not paid. As these poor people wrought by my orders, it will be a great ease to my heart to think they are not to lose by me, as too many have done in the course of that year, but had I lived I might have made some inquiry after but now it is impossible, as their hardships in loss of horses and such things, which happeened through my soldiers, are so interwoven with what was done by other people, that it would be very hard, if not impossible, to separate them. If you'll write to Mr Innes of Dalkinty at Elgin (with whom I was quartered when I lay there), he will send you an account of the shoes, and if they were paid to the shoemakers or no; and if they are not, I beg you'll get my wife, or my successors to pay them when they can...
Nineteenth century
![Dr Grays Hospital](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Dr_Grays_Hospital.jpg)
In the 19th century, the old medieval town of Elgin was swept away. The first major addition to the town centre was the Assembly Rooms, built in 1821 by the Trinity Lodge of
Freemasons
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, at the corner of High Street and North Street. In 1819, Dr Gray's Hospital was built on unused ground. The building has imposing columns and distinctive dome. Dr Alexander Gray, a doctor who worked for and made his fortune with the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, endowed £26,000 for the hospital. In 1828 the new parish church of
St Giles
Saint Giles (, la, Aegidius, french: Gilles), also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 6th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly lege ...
was built at a cost of £10,000. L. General Andrew Anderson, born in Elgin, also of the East India Company, died in 1824 and bequeathed £70,000 to the town to found an institution for the welfare of the elderly poor and for the education of orphans. The Anderson Institution was built in the east end of the town in 1832 with accommodation for 50 children and ten elderly people. The Burgh Court House was built in 1841, the museum was completed in 1842 and
Elgin Sheriff Court
Elgin Sheriff Court is a municipal structure in the High Street, Elgin, Moray, Scotland. The structure, which was the headquarters of Morayshire County Council and remains in use as a courthouse, is a Category B listed building.
History
The fi ...
was built in 1866.
The
Morayshire Railway
The Morayshire Railway was the first railway to be built north of Aberdeen, Scotland. It received royal assent in 1846 but construction was delayed until 1851 because of the adverse economic conditions existing in the United Kingdom. The railwa ...
was officially opened in ceremonies at Elgin and
Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth ( gd, Inbhir Losaidh) is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, it became an important fishing town. Although there has been over 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over ...
on 10 August 1852, the steam engines having been delivered to Lossiemouth by sea. It was the first railway north of Aberdeen and initially ran only between Elgin and Lossiemouth. It was later extended south to Craigellachie. The Great North of Scotland Railway took over the working of the line in 1863 and bought the company in 1881 following the Morayshire Railway's return to solvency from crippling debt.
The town was becoming prosperous, and by 1882 it had a Head Post Office with a savings bank, insurance and telegraph departments, and branches of the Bank of Scotland and the British Linen Company, Caledonian, Commercial, North of Scotland, Royal and Union Banks, and the National Securities Savings Bank, offices or agencies of 48 insurance companies, five hotels, and a newspaper.
The
Cooper Park drill hall was completed in 1908.
The war memorial in Elgin dates from 1921 and represents "Peace and Victory". It was designed by
Percy Portsmouth
Percival ("Percy") Herbert Portsmouth RSA FRSBS (1874–1953) was a 20th-century British sculptor. His most notable public work is Elgin War Memorial, and the similar War Memorial in Thurso.
Life
He was born in Reading, England, in 1874, the ...
.
Geography and geology
The modern town straddles the River Lossie, with the suburbs of Bishopmill to the north and New Elgin to the south.
Permo–
Triassic
The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...
rocks, rare in Scotland, are commonly found around Elgin. These are composed of
aeolian sandstone formed when this area was subjected to desert conditions. Quarry Wood, on the town's edge, has a formation nicknamed Cuttie's Hillock which produced the internationally known fossils called the
Elgin Reptiles
Elgin Reptiles is the name given to the Permian and Triassic fossils found in the sandstone deposits in and around the town of Elgin, in Moray, Scotland. They are of historical and scientific importance, and many of the specimens are housed in th ...
. In the Elgin district, boulders belonging to the lowest group of Jurassic strata, Oxford clay and chalk are found both in glacial deposits and on the surface of the ground. The largest of these deposits is at Linksfield, where limestone and shale lie on boulder clay. There is a large hill in Elgin's town centre, often viewed as the highlight of the Elgin tourist trail.
Climate
Elgin's climate is
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
maritime
Maritime may refer to:
Geography
* Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps
* Maritime Region, a region in Togo
* Maritime Southeast Asia
* The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...
, with cool summers and relatively mild winters due to its proximity to the sea. Rainfall is quite low as it is in the
rain shadow
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.
Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
of mountains to the west and south-west.
Demography
Source
Moray Council
from 2001 Census data
Elgin's population in 1901 was 8460
Economy
The Elgin–Forres–Lossiemouth triangle is heavily dependent on
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 ...
stations for the employment of civilians. In 2005,
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 ...
along with its neighbour
RAF Kinloss
Royal Air Force Kinloss or RAF Kinloss is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near the village of Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north east of Scotland.
The RAF station opened on 1 April 1939 and served as a training establishme ...
contributed £156.5 million (including civilian expenditure) to the Moray economy, of which £76.6 million was retained and spent locally. The bases provide, directly or indirectly, 21% of all employment in the area, although in 2010 the closure of RAF Kinloss had a significant effect on these numbers. Aware of the impact that the Air Force has on the area's economy, the local population instigated a long campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth, the future of which was also in doubt. How much of an influence this had upon the government's and Ministry of Defence's final decision is uncertain, but the base was ultimately saved and RAF Leuchars instead faced the axe as part of the same Strategic Defence and Security Review. RAF Leuchars will now become, like RAF Kinloss, an army base. Other areas offering significant employment are local authority, construction and real estate, food and drink, tourism, transport, business services and wholesale/retail.
Whisky is an important component of the wider local economy, with
Glen Moray distillery
Glen Moray distillery is a Speyside distillery producing single malt scotch whisky. Situated on the banks of the River Lossie in Elgin, Moray the distillery started production in September 1897. It was sold in 2008 by the Glenmorangie Company L ...
,
Miltonduff Distillery and the
BenRiach distillery
The BenRiach distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the Speyside area of Scotland. It is currently owned by Brown-Forman Corporation.
History
The BenRiach Distillery was established by John Duff in 1898, in North Speyside, so ...
all within six miles of Elgin.
In a recent study, Elgin was shown to be one of the most expensive towns in which to buy property in Scotland.
[HBOS, 2006]
Politics
National governments
Elgin is in the
Moray (Westminster) constituency of the
United Kingdom Parliament
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 supremacy ...
which returns a
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(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. ...
, currently
Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives.
Elgin is in 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 UK Parliament constituency of the same name. The constituency returns a
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.
Electoral system
The ad ...
(MSP) to
Holyrood—currently Richard Lochhead of the SNP—and is part of the
Highlands and Islands electoral region.
Local government
: ''see also
List of Provosts of Elgin''
: ''see also
2017 Moray Council election''
Following the reorganisation of local government in Scotland, Elgin now has two multi-member wards, each with three councillors. These wards are Elgin North and Elgin South.
City status
Elgin has bid to become a city as part of
The Queen
In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to:
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death
The Queen may also refer to:
* Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. The last Scottish town to become a city was
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
in 2012.
Transport
Elgin is situated on the A96 trunk route which connects the cities of
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 ...
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 ...
. Heavy traffic through the town causes serious congestion. Scottish transport minister
Tavish Scott
Tavish Hamilton Scott (born 6 May 1966) is a former Scottish politician. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Shetland from 1999 to 2019, and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2008 to 2011. He stepped down as Lead ...
visited the town in August 2006 to look at the traffic management problems and to meet campaigners for a bypass. It is estimated that a bypass would remove about one-third of traffic from Elgin's streets. The A941 runs from Lossiemouth through Elgin to Rothes, Craigellachie, Dufftown and
Rhynie.
Elgin railway station
Elgin railway station is a railway station serving the town of Elgin, Moray in Scotland. The station is managed and served by ScotRail and is on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line, between Keith and Forres, measured from Forres.
History
The fi ...
is 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 ...
. The railway also connects to Aberdeen and Inverness which have trains to other UK destinations.
Elgin's bus station is operated mainly 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 ...
, and provides services within Elgin and to other local towns as well as to Aberdeen and Inverness.
The nearest airports 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 ...
, which has flights to mainly UK destinations, 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  ...
which has UK and international flights.
Education
Nursery schools
* Ark Childcare, Mosstowie
* Jack 'n' Jill Pre-School Centre, Kinder House, 22 Wardend Place, New Elgin
* Moray Leisure Centre Pre-School Nursery, Borough Briggs Road, Elgin
* Magic Roundabout Pre-School Nursery, Thornhill Drive, Elgin
*St Sylvesters Nursery
*Bishopmill Nursery
*Seafield Nursery
*Liberty Kids
Primary schools
* Aberlour House
* Bishopmill Primary School, Morriston Road, Bishopmill
* East End Primary School, Institution Road
* Greenwards Primary School, Edgar Road, New Elgin
* New Elgin Primary School, Bezack Street, New Elgin
* Seafield Primary School, Deanshaugh Terrace, Bishopmill
* West End Primary School, Mayne Road
* St Sylvester's RC Primary School, Abbey Street
* Linkwood Primary School
Secondary schools
*
Elgin Academy, Morriston Road, Bishopmill
*
Elgin High School, High School Drive, New Elgin
*
Gordonstoun
Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. It is named after the estate owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 17th century; the school now uses this estate as its campus. It is located ...
, Gordonstoun Road, Elgin
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 ( ...
, Moray Street, Elgin
Community care
Hospitals
*
Dr Gray's Hospital
Health centres
* The Maryhill Health Centre.
* Linkwood Medical at the Glassgreen Centre (Formerly the Victoria Crescet Medical Centre before its relocation in 2009)
* Elgin Community Surgery, Highfield House.
Hospice
*
The Oaks Hospice, Sherrifmill
Religion
The following denominations have places of worship in Elgin:
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
*
St Giles', High Street
* St Columba's South, Moss Street
* Birnie Kirk
* Elgin High, North Guildry Street
Free Church of Scotland
* Free Church, South Street
Baptist Union of Scotland
The Baptist Union of Scotland is a Baptist Christian denomination in Scotland. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Glasgow.
History
From the 1650s to 1869
Baptists first arrived in Scotland with the armies of ...
* Elgin Baptist Church, Reidhaven Street
Roman Catholic Church
* St Sylvester's, Institution Road
*
Greyfriars Sisters of Mercy Convent in Elgin
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland.
A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...
* Holy Trinity, Trinity Place
Other denominations
*
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
, Pansport Road
*
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
, Linkwood
* Calvary Christian Life Centre, Lesmurdie Road
*
True Jesus Church
The True Jesus Church (TJC) is a non-denominational Christian Church that originated in Beijing, China, during the Pentecostal movement in the early twentieth century. The True Jesus Church is currently one of the largest Christian groups in Ch ...
, Lesmurdie Road
*
Pentecostal Church of God
The Pentecostal Church of God (PCG) is a Trinitarian Pentecostal Christian denomination headquartered in Bedford, Texas, United States. As of 2010, there were 620,000 members, 6,750 clergy in 4,825 churches worldwide.
The PCG is a member of the ...
, New Elgin Hall Annex
*
Brethren, Riverside Gospel Hall, North Street
* Oasis Church COTN, The Hub, Tyock Industrial Estate
* Elgin Mosque, 1 Gordon Street.
Culture and leisure
*
Elgin Museum, 1 High Street
* Elgin Library, Cooper Park
* Elgin Golf Club, Hardhillock, Birnie Road
* Glassgreen Golf Range, Birnie Road
* Cooper Park: boating, pitch and putt, tennis
* Biblical Gardens
* Moray Leisure Centre, Borough Briggs Road, containing swimming pool, ice rink and a gymnasium
*Moray Sports Centre, Linkwood
* Town Hall with auditorium for production of shows
* Community Centre, Trinity Road: badminton
* The Lantern Gallery, 18 South Guildry Street
* Red Shoes Theatre and music venue, High Street
* Elgin Youth Café, Francis Place
* Moray Jazz Club, ground floor of the Elgin City Football Club, Borough Briggs Road
* Dandy Lion statue, the Plainstones
Music
During the 1960s,
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
the Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
,
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
Cream
Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
and
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...
all performed at the Two Red Shoes dancehall,
["Red Shoes future in doubt"]
Northern Scot and
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...
played Elgin Town Hall.
Oi Polloi performed at the Ocean Club on Batchen Street in April 2007, under a gazebo erected by local punks.
Sport
In August 2021, a new community sports facility consisting of a full-size football pitch and two enclosed five-a-side pitches was opened.
Football
Formed in 1893, the town's only senior football club is
Elgin City
Elgin City Football Club (also known as City or The Black and Whites) is a professional senior football club based in Elgin, Moray.
Elgin was founded in 1893 and originally played their football in the Highland Football League. The club was g ...
, who play at
Borough Briggs stadium. They entered the
Highland Football League
The Scottish Highland Football League (SHFL, commonly known as the Highland League) is a senior football league based in the north of Scotland. The league sits at level 5 on the Scottish football league system
The Scottish football league syst ...
in 1895 and won the league championship fourteen times. The club entered the
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League (SFL) was a league featuring professional and semi-professional football clubs mostly from Scotland.One club, Berwick Rangers, is based in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is located approximately 4 km south ...
in season 2000–01 and currently competes in
Division Two. Their home colours are black and white vertical stripes, black shorts and white socks. Past famous players for Elgin City include
Andy Goram
Andrew Lewis Goram (13 April 1964 – 2 July 2022) was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Born in Bury, Lancashire, England, he started his career with Oldham Athletic and Hibernian, but he is best remembered for playing for Ra ...
,
Nicky Walker,
Jimmy Johnstone
James Connolly Johnstone (30 September 1944 – 13 March 2006) was a Scottish footballer who played as an outside right. Known as "Jinky" for his elusive dribbling style, Johnstone played for Celtic for 13 years, and was part of the 'Lisbon ...
and
John McGinlay
John McGinlay (born 8 April 1964) is a Scottish football manager, former professional footballer and scout who is the club ambassador of Bolton Wanderers.
As a player, he was a striker over a 26-year career that saw him notably play in the Pr ...
. Recently ex-Scotland players Brian Irvine and David Robertson have managed the club.
Two junior football sides, Bishopmill United and New Elgin, both currently compete in the
Scottish Junior Football North Division Two
The Scottish Junior Football North Division Two was a third-tier division of the North Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association from 2003.
After the withdrawal of several clubs, including Dufftown, RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force ...
while Moray Social, Golden Pheasant F.C. and
Bishopmill Villa participate in the
Moray District Welfare Football Association.
Rugby union
Moray RFC
Moray Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club from the city of Elgin, Moray that compete in the . Moray also have a 2xv that competes in the BT Caledonia 3 North League. Moray has a number of youth teams taken from different age groups includi ...
was established in 1923 and play their home games at Morriston Playing Fields.
Cricket
Elgin Cricket Club plays home games on the Cooper Park cricket pitch under the auspices of North of Scotland Cricket Association.
Ice hockey
Elgin is home to the Moray Typhoons, an
SNL team. They play their home games at the Moray Leisure Centre.
Roller derby
The Helgin
roller derby
Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played by two teams of fifteen members. Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, mostly in the United States.
Game play consists of a series of short scrimmages (jam ...
team trains regularly in Elgin.
Twin town
*
Landshut
Landshut (; bar, Landshuad) is a town in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also t ...
in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, Germany, since 1956
Notable people
13th to 17th centuries
*
William Wiseman (), nobleman and
Sheriff of Elgin
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
. Ancestor of
Capel Wiseman of Hertfordshire (1635–1683), Bishop of the
Dromore Diocese (County Down) of the Church of Ireland, who was forced to flee to the Continent following the accession of
James II in 1685.
18th century
*
Alexander Brodie Spark (1792–1856), banker and merchant
19th century
* Lt
William Rennie, (1822–1887), Victoria Cross recipient
*
Mary Ann Maitland
Mary Ann Maitland (, Davidson; 26 January 1839 — 24 February 1919) was a Scottish-born Canadian author of poems, hymns, and short stories. The "Ann" character in Maitland's short story, "Charity Ann: Founded on Facts" (''Godey's Lady's Book'', ...
(1839–1919), author
* Sir
David Hardie (1856–1945), Australian medical practitioner
*
John Grant (1876–1961), bagpipe musician and composer
*
Margaret Hasluck
Margaret Masson Hardie Hasluck M.B.E. (1944) (18 June 1885 – 18 October 1948) was a Scottish geographer, linguist, epigrapher, archaeologist and scholar.
Biography
Margaret Hasluck was born Margaret Hardie and graduated from Aberdeen Universi ...
MBE (1885–1947), author and anthropologist
*
James Low (1894–1960), footballer
*
Masataka Taketsuru
was a Japanese chemist and businessman. He is known as the founder of Japan's whisky industry and Nikka Whisky Distilling.
Born to a family that had owned a sake brewery since 1733, he traveled to Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry and ...
(1894–1979), Japanese whisky distiller
20th century
*
Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1910–1990), usually cited as F. F. Bruce, theologian
* Archbishop
Mario Conti
Mario Joseph Conti (20 March 1934 – 8 November 2022) was a Scottish Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of the Metropolitan see of Glasgow, Scotland between 2002 and his retirement in 2012. Ordained to the priesthood in 1958, C ...
(1934-2022), Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Glasgow, Scotland
*
Leslie Benzies
Leslie Peter Benzies (born 17 January 1971) is a Scottish video game producer and the former president of Rockstar North, a subsidiary of Rockstar Games. He was the lead developer on the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, taking responsibility from ...
(born 1971), video game designer and producer
*
Kevin McKidd
Kevin McKidd (born 9 August 1973) is a Scottish actor and television director. Before playing the role of Dr. Owen Hunt in ''Grey's Anatomy'', for which he is widely known, McKidd appeared as Tommy Mackenzie in Danny Boyle's '' Trainspotting'' ...
(born 1973), actor, director, and singer
*
Steven Pressley (born 1973), former international
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
and former manager of
Carlisle United
Carlisle United Football Club ( , ) is a professional association football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. They have played their home games at Brunton Par ...
*
Lesley Souter (1917–1981), first female electrical engineer from the University of Glasgow
*
Chris Clark (born 1980), footballer
*
Richard Foster (born 1985), footballer
Notes
External links
Elgin census dataElgin MuseumEngraving of Elgin in 1693by
John Slezer
John Abraham Slezer (before 1650 – 1717) was a Dutch-born military engineer and artist.
Life
He was born in Holland and began a military career in service to the House of Orange.
He arrived in the Kingdom of Scotland in 1669, and was app ...
at National Library of Scotland
{{Authority control
Towns in Moray
County towns in Scotland
Former cities in Scotland
Royal burghs