Laurencekirk
Encyclopedia
Kincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
, modern county of Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, 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...
, just off the A90
A90 road
The A90 road is a major north to south road in eastern Scotland, running from Edinburgh to Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.From Edinburgh, it travels west and over the Forth Road Bridge, before turning into the M90 motorway. At Perth, the M90 again becomes the A90, now running north east to Dundee...
Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
to Aberdeen
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 ....
main road. It is the largest settlement in the Howe o' the Mearns area and houses the local secondary school; Mearns Academy
Mearns Academy
Mearns Academy is a secondary school in south Aberdeenshire, Scotland serving Laurencekirk and the surrounding areas . The school building was the former primary school before it moved and now has over 600 pupils...
, which was awarded the Charter Mark
Charter Mark
The Customer Service Excellence, is an accreditation for organisations and an independent validation of achievement.-History:...
in 2003. The 2004 population is estimated at 3,596.
Its old name was Conveth, a corruption of Scottish Gaelic Coinmheadh, referring to an obligation to provide free food and board to passing troops. Laurencekirk is situated in the valley between the Hill of Garvock and the Cairn O' Mount. The famous landmark of the Johnston Tower can be seen on the peak of the Garvock.
Laurencekirk was, in the past, known for making snuff boxes with a special type of airtight hinge (known as a "Laurencekirk hinge") invented by James Sandy.
Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Lewis Grassic Gibbon was the pseudonym of James Leslie Mitchell , a Scottish writer.-Biography:...
wrote much about The Mearns and the surrounding area in his book Sunset Song. A tribute centre can be visited at Arbuthnott
Arbuthnott
Arbuthnott is a small village in northeast Scotland, 26 miles south of Aberdeen. It is located on the B967 east of Fordoun and north-west of Inverbervie in Aberdeenshire. The nearest train station is Stonehaven....
a few miles from Laurencekirk.
Services
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen LineEdinburgh to Aberdeen Line
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line is a railway line linking Edinburgh with Aberdeen via the Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge and Dundee. Also it serves as an extension to the East Coast Main Line and the Cross Country Route...
passes through the town. The station
Laurencekirk railway station
Laurencekirk railway station is a railway station serving the communities of Laurencekirk and The Mearns in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The station was reopened on 18 May 2009 at a cost of £3 million.- History :...
, which closed to passengers in 1967, was re-opened on 17 May 2009. The opening of this station will cement Laurencekirk's recent status as a commuter town providing links to Aberdeen and Dundee and beyond.
Laurencekirk has three public houses; the Crown and The Royal attract the younger patrons while the Western is a regular haunt for the older locals. Recently the Alma Hotel has been converted to an Indian Restaurant, Bar and Indian Takeaway. There is also a Chinese takeaway and two fish and chip shops, one of which has an extensive dining area.
Amenities include Co-operative Society supermarket, Spar shop, branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, solicitor and estate agent, Post Office, baker, butcher, hair & beauty salon, corporate clothing and business gift supplier, award winning photographer, cafe and hardware/gift shop. The former Laurencekirk Mart houses various facilities including a children's play centre and beauty therapy premises. Civil amenities include a police station, a library and an extensive modern health centre. There are day care facilities and the old primary school houses the community centre which also offers a before and after school club for the children of working parents.
Laurencekirk Primary school was built in 1999 and Mearns Academy, the senior school, is due for replacement in the near future. There are two public parks, both with children's play areas, and in addition the memorial park houses a bowling green and a skate-board facility.
Younger people also have a drop-in centre called The Venue which is situated behind the Masonic Hall. There are two churches – a Church of Scotland and an Episcopalian Church – both of which have active congregations.
Representations are being made for a grade separated junction (flyover) at the south end of the A90 Laurencekirk bypass and a petition has been presented to parliament.
Local radio
Alongside the commercial enterprise of the local newspaper, The Observer The Kincardineshire Observer (often referred to as The Squeeker) which was first published in 1902, Laurencekirk has a Local Community Radio Station in Mearns FMMearns FM
Mearns FM is a community run radio station based in the North East of Scotland. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie and Stonehaven leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Portlethen. The studio is located in Stonehaven Town Hall.-History:The station began as...
.
Broadcasting from nearby Stonehaven
Stonehaven
Stonehaven is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's northeast coast and had a population of 9,577 in 2001 census.Stonehaven, county town of Kincardineshire, grew around an Iron Age fishing village, now the "Auld Toon" , and expanded inland from the seaside...
in the Townhall, Mearns FM
Mearns FM
Mearns FM is a community run radio station based in the North East of Scotland. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie and Stonehaven leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Portlethen. The studio is located in Stonehaven Town Hall.-History:The station began as...
helps to keep Laurencekirk up to date with local and charity events, as well as playing a wee bit of music. Staffed completely by volunteers, Mearns FM
Mearns FM
Mearns FM is a community run radio station based in the North East of Scotland. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie and Stonehaven leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Portlethen. The studio is located in Stonehaven Town Hall.-History:The station began as...
is run as a not for profit organisation, broadcasting under a Community Radio licence, with a remit to provide local focus news events and programming. Jointly funded by local adverts and local and national grants. Mearns FM
Mearns FM
Mearns FM is a community run radio station based in the North East of Scotland. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie and Stonehaven leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Portlethen. The studio is located in Stonehaven Town Hall.-History:The station began as...
has one of the largest listening areas of any Community Radio Station owing to the Mearns' distributed population, Mearns FM
Mearns FM
Mearns FM is a community run radio station based in the North East of Scotland. There are transmitters in Laurencekirk, Inverbervie and Stonehaven leading to a coverage area stretching from St Cyrus to Portlethen. The studio is located in Stonehaven Town Hall.-History:The station began as...
was set up to try to bring these distant communities together.