Strichen is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It sits on the A981, connecting it to

New Deer New Deer ( gd, Achadh Reite) is a settlement in Aberdeenshire, North East Scotland, which lies in the valley of Deer. It is located at the junction of several roads crossing through the Howe of Buchan. It was founded after monks from Deer Abbey, O ...

to the southwest and

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 ...

to the north-northeast, and the B9093, connecting it to

New Pitsligo New Pitsligo ( sco, Pitsligae), also known as Cavoch (locally ''Cyaak''),

Mormond Hill Mormond Hill (Scottish Gaelic A' Mhormhonadh, meaning the great hill or moor; known as ''Mormounth'' in Old Scots) is a large hill in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, not far from Fraserburgh. Its peak is .quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica ( silicon dioxide). The atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical ...

on Mormond Hill, some northeast of Strichen.

History

There is considerable evidence of local habitation by early man in and around Strichen.

Strichen Stone Circle Strichen stone circle is a Megalithic recumbent stone circle located near Strichen, Aberdeenshire in the north east of Scotland. It has been destroyed twice and in the early 1980s was excavated and reconstructed. General description Striche ...

can be found near Strichen House in publicly accessible land. Further south lies the

Catto Long Barrow Cairn Catto is a Neolithic long cairn near the village of Longside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland established the site as a scheduled monument in 1973. Description Cairn Catto is located southeast of Longside, in Aberde ...

and a number of

tumuli A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built ...

. There are several listed buildings within the village. The most significant is the category A listed Strichen Town House constructed to a design by the Aberdeen architect John Smith in 1816. It is described by

Historic Scotland Historic Scotland ( gd, Alba Aosmhor) was an executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage, and promoting its understanding and enjoyment ...

as an "excellent example of an early 19th century castellated Town House". Strichen House, designed in 1821 in a commission for Thomas Fraser, 12th Lord Lovat, is also by John Smith. Strichen School was designed by Aberdeen architect Robert Gordon Wilson (architect), Robert Gordon Wilson in 1873. The village was formerly served by Strichen railway station on the Formartine and Buchan Railway.

Notable residents

Twice Provost of Aberdeen, William Cruden (provost), William Cruden (1726-1807) was born and raised in Strichen. The former First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, lives in a converted mill in the village with his wife Moira. Author and screenwriter Lorna Moon was born in Strichen in 1886. Her 1925 collection of short stories ''Doorways in Drumorty'' was written when she lived in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood and is based upon her memories of Strichen. Her 1929 novel ''Dark Star'' also features scenes of Strichen and Aberdeenshire. Serial killer Dennis Nilsen was brought up for part of his childhood in Strichen. The bacteriologist Robert Cruickshank (bacteriologist), Robert Cruickshank FRSE was born here.

References

External links

Photo of Strichen HousePeterhead Area Business Directory
{{authority control Villages in Aberdeenshire