Newburgh, Aberdeenshire
Encyclopedia
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
al village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Aberdeenshire, 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...
. The village dates to 1261 AD, when Lord Sinclair
Lord Sinclair
Lord Sinclair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1449 for William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. In 1470, Lord Orkney surrendered the earldom in return for the earldom of Caithness. In 1477, Lord Caithness wished to disinherit his eldest son from his first marriage to Lady...
wanted to establish a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in the area. Originally built as a school, somewhat later the chapel of Holy Rood was established.
Geography
Newburgh is on the Ythan EstuaryYthan Estuary
The Ythan Estuary is the tidal component of the Ythan River, emptying into the North Sea approximately north of Aberdeen, Scotland. The estuary’s tidal action extends a full inland and has characteristic widths of between and . Besides the tidal channel there are several types of interfaces to...
and near the Sands of Forvie
Sands of Forvie
The Sands of Forvie is a nature reserve north of Newburgh in Aberdeenshire in the northeast of Scotland. Forvie National Nature Reserve has the fifth largest sand dune system in Britain, and the least disturbed by human activity. The dune system is an integral part of the Ythan Estuary and...
. Near the estuary mouth, the presence of tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
colonies is notable, since there are several distinct species that utilize the north banks of the Ythan Estuary, and comprise a meaningful percentage of the breeding pairs of terns in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In the summer terns can be observed feeding in their characteristic diving patterns approximately 600 to 900 meters inland from the estuary. The Forvie Nature Reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
is very near and to the north, where there is said to be the largest eider duck
Common Eider
The Common Eider, Somateria mollissima, is a large sea-duck that is distributed over the northern coasts of Europe, North America and eastern Siberia. It breeds in Arctic and some northern temperate regions, but winters somewhat farther south in temperate zones, when it can form large flocks on...
colony in the world. Beside the beach is an eighteen hole golf course with its bird shaped clubhouse and the Udny Arms restaurant.
History
During the nineteenth century, Newburgh was a main sea port for the nearby town of EllonEllon, Aberdeenshire
Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan which has one of the few undeveloped river estuaries on the Eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient region of Formartine...
. A number of clipper ships sailed to destinations all over the globe to deliver tea and other cargoes and coal barges sailed up the east coast to offload at the quayside. Several of the wealthier clipper sea captains built houses in the village and named them after their most frequent ports of call. Hence several imposing properties exist in the village such as Shanghai house, Santa Cruz and Sydney house.
Newburgh was a victim of bombing in World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. 2005 saw a sudden expansion in housing in the village, with houses being built just west of the local school, and near the Ythan Hotel, at the southernmost point of the village. Whilst the houses at the west end of Newburgh were a marketing success, residents were fairly critical of the properties going up next to the Ythan, dubbing the area too swampy for the foundations. Just past the eastern end of the Ythan Bridge, is a bomb crater left by an attacking German aircraft, the bomb, aimed at the wharf, skipped over the bridge and exploded on the embankment beside the Cruden Bay Road.
Following the War, the Area Between Rockend and the Ythan Bridge was cleared of Landmines by the army, 19 landmines were never found due to the nature of the shifting sands. Over the years when some were discovered these were defused, but it is known that some were put down rabbit burrows out the way, as such there are still landmines in the area.
Local information
Transport services include NABs Taxis. Also, not a quarter of a mile out of Newburgh is the aptly named Newburgh Motors garage. Education is served by Newburgh Mathers School, named after John Mathers who, just before his death, left the residents of Newburgh enough money to set up a school in the local area for, as he put it, the education and clothing of twenty poor fishermen's sons of Newburgh. In terms of secondary education, Newburgh is within the catchment area for Ellon AcademyEllon Academy
Ellon Academy is a secondary comprehensive school in the Aberdeenshire town of Ellon.-History:Founded as Ellon Public School, the building was opened at 10:00AM, on 22 May 1876. It was responsible for the education of both primary and secondary students, and it wasn't until 1962 that the two were...
.The tallest point of Newburgh is the knoll Gallows
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
Hill, which, as the name suggests, is where, in the past, criminals were led to be hanged for crimes. The police station in Newburgh no longer exists: in its place stands a house. However, the presence of a cell, in the past, is given away by the bars in one of the windows. Also, in the front of the house are the words police station engraved in the stone.
Tourist attractions
The ruined Knockhall CastleKnockhall Castle
Knockhall Castle is an historic Scottish castle near to Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. It was built by Lord Sinclair of Newburgh in 1565. It was purchased by Clan Udny, who moved into the castle in 1634. The building was partly damaged in 1639 when taken by the Earl Marischal for the Covenanters, but was...
is near Newburgh and was inhabited for a century by Clan Udny
Clan Udny
Clan Udny is a Scottish armigerous clan from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Arms for Udny of the Ilk have been recorded on three occasions in the Lyon Register; 1672-7, 1748–51 and 1789....
.
Newburgh was famous for being a rumoured birthplace of the sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is a British steamed dessert consisting of a very moist sponge cake, made with finely chopped dates or prunes, covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream...
. Indeed, people were going to the Udny Arms Hotel just to have said pudding, according to several sources. However, the debate as to whether or not Newburgh is the birthplace of the sweet continues today.
Coastal and Country Walks/Cycling, Bird watching, NHS Forvie Sands Reserve (Ducks, Waders, Seals and more), Sea Trout Angling available. Newburgh Golf Club - Links Course, Several other Golf Courses in easy reach. Wind/Kite Surfing in the area. Sand Dunes and sandy Beaches.