The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire (pron.: /ˈbæmfʃər/; Scots: Coontie o Banffshire, Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh) is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.
The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest community was Buckie to the west. It bordered the Moray Firth to the north, Moray and Inverness-shire to the west, and Aberdeenshire to the south. Until 1891 the county contained various exclaves which were locally situated in Aberdeenshire, the biggest being the parish and village of St. Fergus.[1] The county's area is now split between Moray council and Aberdeenshire council.
The region remained largely Roman Catholic after the Reformation (16th century) and suffered greatly in the ensuing struggles. During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (17th century), Banffshire was a Royalist stronghold. Located in the area are the ruins of several medieval castles and the 12th century kirk of Gamrie. From 1975 to 1996, the area of the previous county lay within the Grampian Region.
History [edit]
Considerable evidence of prehistorical human habitation exists particularly near the coastal area. For example, the Longman Hill cairn[2] and Cairn Lee are situated in the northern portion of Banffshire in the vicinity of the Burn of Myrehouse.[3]
Notable residents [edit]
- James Abercromby, (1706-1781), born in Glassaugh, British general in the French and Indian War.[4]
- James Ferguson, FRS (1710-1776), born Rothiemay, astronomer and instrument maker.[5]
- George Gauld (18th century British Naval Surveyor)
- Saint John Ogilvie, (1579-1615), born in Keith was a Scottish Catholic martyr.
- George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen 1829-1921 Canadian railway executive who named Banff, Alberta after his birthplace; Banff National Park and Banff Springs Hotel are linked to Stephen back to Banffshire
References [edit]
Captain George Duff RN (c. 1 February 1764 – 21 October 1805) was a British naval officer during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, who was killed by a cannon ball at the Battle of Trafalgar. Born in Banff
See also [edit]
Coordinates: 57°30′N 3°05′W / 57.500°N 3.083°W / 57.500; -3.083
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