Oldmeldrum (commonly known as Meldrum) is a village and

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

in the

Formartine Formartine ( gd, Fearann Mhàrtainn meaning "Martin's land") is a committee area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This district extends north from the River Don to the River Ythan. It has a population of 36,478 (2001 Census). The committee area wa ...

area of Aberdeenshire, not far from

Inverurie Inverurie (Scottish Gaelic: ''Inbhir Uraidh'' or ''Inbhir Uaraidh'', 'mouth of the River Ury') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland at the confluence of the rivers Ury and Don, about north-west of Aberdeen. Geography Inverurie is in the va ...

in North East Scotland. With a population of around 2,187, Oldmeldrum falls within

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

's top 300 centres of population. Oldmeldrum is home to one of the oldest whisky distilleries in Scotland, Glen Garioch, which was built in 1797. Local industries are

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

services connected to the oil industry in Aberdeen.

Prehistory and archaeology

Archaeological excavations in advance of the construction of a new bypass road around the north of Oldmeldrum, in the summer 2005, revealed the remains of three

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...

ring-ditch roundhouses. The archaeologists believe that the houses that might be part of an area of open settlement which means the first settlement at Oldmeldrum was 3500 years ago.

History

The Battle of Barra was fought in May 1308 (some say earlier) near the Hill of Barra between the armies of Scots King

Robert 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 eventuall ...

and

John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan (circa 1260 – 1308) was a chief opponent of Robert the Bruce in the civil war that paralleled the War of Scottish Independence. He should not be confused with the better known John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch ...

. Oldmeldrum was made a

burgh of barony A burgh of barony was a type of Scottish town ( burgh). Burghs of barony were distinct from royal burghs, as the title was granted to a landowner who, as a tenant-in-chief, held his estates directly from the crown. (In some cases, they might also ...

in 1672. The parish of Meldrum was known as "Bethelnie" until 1684. It was a centre of the

hosiery Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as ...

trade in the 18th century. Oldmeldrum Burgh had a population of 1,110 in 1911 and 1,103 in 1951. By the 2001 census the population stood at 2,003 and had risen to 2,187 by 2006.

Culture and community

On the third Saturday of June, Oldmeldrum is host to the popular "Meldrum Sports," which features highland games,

highland dancing Highland dance or Highland dancing ( gd, dannsa Gàidhealach) is a style of competitive dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 19th and 20th centuries, in the context of competitions at public events such as the Highland games. It ...

piping Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids (liquids and gases) from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid. Industrial process piping (and accompa ...

five-a-side football Five-a-side football is a version of minifootball, in which each team fields five players (four outfield players and a goalkeeper). Other differences from football include a smaller pitch, smaller goals, and a reduced game duration. Matches are ...

, displays, stalls, and a beer tent. The Sports were first held in 1930, when a group of residents got together to raise funds to provide cocoa to the local children. There has also been an Arts and Music Festival in Oldmeldrum; this has been held in March 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009 by the Rotary Club to promote local singers, musicians, artists, and photographers. Meldrum Academy, Oldmeldrum - geograph

Oldmeldrum has a

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

and a secondary school, the Meldrum Academy, which also includes the local library. A skatepark was built in June 2009 within Oldmeldrum Pleasure Park, a community park to the east of the main Banff to Aberdeen Road.

Landmarks

The remains of a prehistoric

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 ...

are at Barra Hill, south of Oldmeldrum; the hill fort was excavated by Murray Cook of Rampart Scotland. Results indicated that it has had at least three phases of fortification: before 500 BC, after 500 BC and again by the Picts around AD 400. This project formed part of the Hill forts of Strathdon Project Another ancient site is Sheldon Stone Circle which is about to the south-east of Oldmedrum. To the north of the village is

Meldrum House Meldrum House is a Category B listed country house and estate in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It dates to around 1625 (although its datestone is not in its original position), and it received its historic designation in 1971. History T ...

, a mansion and castle built in the 17th century, and which is now a hotel and golf course. Oldmeldrum Town Hall was completed in 1877. To the east of the village is the Oldmeldrum Golf Club. Founded in 1885, its 14th fairway contains a rock where John Comyn, Earl of Buchan is said to have lain and lamented his loss to

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 ...

at the Battle of Barra. In 2006, a 72-year-old golfer died in a bunker on the first hole. Also to the east of Oldmeldrum is the ruined Tolquhon Castle which is noted for its highly ornamented gatehouse. The castle was built between 1584 and 1589 and is now maintained by Historic Scotland; the castle is open to the public during the summer months. Oldmeldrum is home to one of the oldest whisky distilleries in Scotland, Glen Garioch, which was built in 1797. Glen Garioch's visitor centre is open year-round and includes tours of the working distillery.

Haddo House Haddo House is a Scottish stately home located near Tarves in Aberdeenshire, approximately north of Aberdeen (). It has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1979. The Gordons, who later became the Earls of Aberdeen and Marques ...

, a stately home run by the

National Trust for Scotland The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland ( gd, Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba), is a Scottish conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organi ...

, is north-east of Oldmeldrum. From Oldmeldrum, there are good views of nearby Bennachie (mountain).

Images

File:Sunrise over Meldrum.jpg File:Oldmeldrum.jpg File:Oldmeldrum residential street.jpg File:Garden at Meldrum House Hotel.jpg

Transport

The A947 road from

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 ...

to Banff runs through the centre of the village. Old Meldrum railway station served Oldmeldrum on a line from Inverurie through Lethenty and Lochter until 1965.

Famous residents

George Chrystal George Chrystal FRSE FRS (8 March 1851 – 3 November 1911) was a Scottish mathematician. He is primarily know for his books on algebra and his studies of seiches (wave patterns in large inland bodies of water) which earned him a Gold Meda ...

, a

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...

. * Douglas Scott Falconer, a

geneticist A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processes ...

. * William Forsyth, a botanist (yellow forsythia named after him) and ancestor of

Bruce Forsyth Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson (22 February 1928 – 18 August 2017) was a British entertainer and presenter whose career spanned more than 70 years. Forsyth came to national attention from the late 1950s through the ITV series '' Sunday Nig ...

. The William Forsyth Community Garden opened in Oldmeldrum in 2008. * Donald Gordon, a Canadian businessman. * William Keith, a California landscape artist * Sir

Patrick Manson Sir Patrick Manson (3 October 1844 – 9 April 1922) was a Scottish physician who made important discoveries in parasitology, and was a founder of the field of tropical medicine. He graduated from University of Aberdeen with degrees in Master ...

, the founder of the field of tropical medicine, was born at Cromlet Hill, now a guesthouse. * George Smith Morris and Willie Kemp, Doric musicians related by marriage. * Sir George Watt, botanist in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

* JJ Bull, Football journalist with The Athletic's TIFO Football, formally with Telegraph Football. Known as The Mallard.

References

External links

Meldrum Online - Community
Website {{Authority control Villages in Aberdeenshire