Gardenstown seen from the sea, the original village along the shore, more recent developments further up the hillside
Gardenstown (Scots: Gamrie)[1] is a small coastal village near Banff in Aberdeenshire, Northeast Scotland. Gardenstown was founded in 1720 by Alexander Garden as a fishing village. Nearby are the remains of the Church of St John the Evangelist which was built in 1513, and celebrates the defeat of the Danes at this site in 1004 in the 'Battle of the Bloody Pits'.[2] A permanent meteorological station is situated at Gardenstown.[3] The village's main economic base is fishing. The village has a pub, a delicatessen/coffee shop and an art gallery. There is also a whale and dolphin rescue centre.[4] Until recently there was a bakery and a butcher's shop.
Ancient history[edit]
Prehistoric peoples are known to have lived in the general vicinity of Gardenstown; notably Longman Hill[5] and Cairn Lee are prehistoric monuments attesting to such an era.
Recent history[edit]
In May 2007, a TV series titled The Baron was filmed in and around the village. The series featured three celebrities — Malcolm McLaren, Mike Reid and Suzanne Shaw — competing to be elected "Baron of Troup". During the filming, McLaren was thrown out of the village for unruly behaviour,[6] leaving Reid and Shaw to contest the final election, which was won by Reid.[7] The series was due to be shown on the ITV network in August 2007; however due to Reid's death, transmission of the series was delayed until April 2008. Reid's widow, Shirley, retains the hereditary title Baroness of Troup. It was Mike Reid's intention to build a youth centre for the village; after his death his widow continued to collect donations in the hope of realising this wish.[7]
Seawall controversy[edit]
In January and February 2008, the village again made headlines when Aberdeenshire Council refused funding to restore the road which runs along the seafront and is a key part of the village's sea defences. The refusal was based upon the status of the road as a private road, thus not the responsibility of the council. This has been seen as controversial since the road runs along the top of the seawall, and the council is responsible for the wall. Residents are planning to appeal the decision.
See also[edit]
Line notes[edit]
- ^ The Online Scots Dictionary
- ^ The Battle of "the Bloody Pits discovergardenstown.co.uk, accessed 14 October 2008
- ^ Gardenstown weather station, 2008
- ^ http://www.gardenarms.co.uk/
- ^ C.M.Hogan, 2008
- ^ "The Scotsman: Anarchy in Gardenstown.".
- ^ a b http://www.celebagents.co.uk/Celebs/85/Mike_Reid.html
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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Coordinates: 57°40′N 2°20′W / 57.667°N 2.333°W / 57.667; -2.333
