Common Good Fund (Aberdeen)
Encyclopedia
Aberdeen's Common Good Fund is a fund to benefit the people of Aberdeen
, Scotland
. It was created as a result of Robert the Bruce granting the cities Great Charter in 1319, after they sheltered him during his days of outlaw. In 2005, the value of the fund was £31 million.
Along with the Great Charter, Bruce gave Aberdeen the Forest of Stocket (now the Mid Stocket
area of the city), in return for a yearly rent. As a result of the finances generated from the forest, the Common Good Fund was created to benefit the people of the city. Later, the lands of Cruvie (now Woodside) and Rubislaw
were also granted to the people.
The fund helped to create Marischal College
by gifting land to George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal
to help him build the institution; it helped the people during the 1640 plague and also gifted funds to Aberdeen Art Gallery
, the Central Library
, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
and the purchase of Hazlehead Park
.
In recent times it has been used to provide the elderly with tea dances and a festival for older people. It is also used to help charity as has been a substantial contributor to the Instant Neighbour Trust in the past.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It was created as a result of Robert the Bruce granting the cities Great Charter in 1319, after they sheltered him during his days of outlaw. In 2005, the value of the fund was £31 million.
Along with the Great Charter, Bruce gave Aberdeen the Forest of Stocket (now the Mid Stocket
Mid Stocket
Midstocket is an area of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is named after the Forest of Stocket, which was a gift from Robert the Bruce to the people of Aberdeen in 1319. The income from the forests land formed Aberdeen's Common Good Fund....
area of the city), in return for a yearly rent. As a result of the finances generated from the forest, the Common Good Fund was created to benefit the people of the city. Later, the lands of Cruvie (now Woodside) and Rubislaw
Rubislaw, Aberdeen
Rubislaw is an area of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is located around Queens Road, Rubislaw Den North and South. It is close to Rubislaw Quarry and the Rubislaw Playing Fields used by Aberdeen Grammar School....
were also granted to the people.
The fund helped to create Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
by gifting land to George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal
George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal
George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal was a Scottish nobleman and Earl Marischal. He succeeded as earl on 7 October 1581, upon the death of his grandfather, William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal....
to help him build the institution; it helped the people during the 1640 plague and also gifted funds to Aberdeen Art Gallery
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Aberdeen Art Gallery is the main visual arts exhibition space in the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. It opened in 1885, in a building designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie....
, the Central Library
Central Library, Aberdeen
The Central Library of Aberdeen in Scotland is located on Rosemount Viaduct and is the main library for the city.The library is housed in a listed building.It cost £10,000 to build and was publicly funded through local campaigning that began in 1889...
, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or ARI is a teaching hospital on the Foresterhill site in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is run by NHS Grampian and has around 900 beds. ARI is a tertiary referral hospital serving a population of over 600,000 across the North of Scotland...
and the purchase of Hazlehead Park
Hazlehead Park
Hazlehead Park is a large public park in the Hazlehead area of Aberdeen, Scotland. 180 hectares in size, it was opened to the public in 1920, having formerly been the estate of Hazlehead House, home of William Rose, shipbuilder....
.
In recent times it has been used to provide the elderly with tea dances and a festival for older people. It is also used to help charity as has been a substantial contributor to the Instant Neighbour Trust in the past.