Banchory

Template:Infobox Scotland place Banchory (Scottish Gaelic: Beannchar) is a burgh or town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies approximately 20 miles west of Aberdeen, near where the Feugh River meets the River Dee.

The name is thought to be derived from Scottish Gaelic for "horned" or "forked" and also relates to "by the bends", the "bends" being those of the River Dee. However, the name may derive from the former Christian College founded by St Ternan. It is claimed that Ternan was a follower of St Ninian. He established a college on the banks of the River Dee to teach Christianity and agriculture to the local Picts. The village and parish was called Banchory Ternan until the 1970's. The original Gaelic form is almost identical to that of Bangor, Northern Ireland.

Banchory is the largest town in the area and has a fine High Street. There are a number of hotels and restaurants including the Stag Hotel, the Burnett Arms, and the Douglas Arms. The shops include newsagents, sports shops and chemists. The town is growing rapidly, with a new housing estate at the Hill of Banchory and a new primary school. Banchory Academy is a state (public) secondary school.

Banchory is a tourist destination as the gateway to Royal Deeside. It is surrounded by lovely rural countryside and attractive hills. For the visitor, the town has much to offer with two famous castles nearby, Crathes and Drum - both run by the National Trust for Scotland. The Bridge of Feugh offers the chance to see salmon leaping and there are numerous fine golf courses nearby.

The small town museum recognises that this is the birthplace of James Scott Skinner. Local landmarks include Scolty, a hill topped by a tower monument, a memorial to General Burnett who fought alongside Wellington.

Local sports teams include Banchory St Ternan football club, the Banchory Beavers swimming team and the Banchory Stags Basketball Club. Banchory has three other football teams (Banchory thistle, Banchory youth and Banchory stoats) which compete in the mid-Deeside summer league.

Banchory show

The Banchory show is held every July and attracts a good sized crowd to King George V Park. There are an Agricultural Show, Dog Show, Craft Fair, Highland Dancing Competition and the Scolty Hill Race, as well as traditional fairground stalls and games.

Trivia

In the Harry Potter universe, the burgh was the home of the disbanded Banchory Bangers quidditch team.

See also

• 2367 (Banchory) Squadron Air Training Corps
• Aberdeenshire Cricket Association
• Banchory Army Cadet Force (Royal Regiment of Scotland)

External links

• grid reference NO698958

57°03′N 2°31′W