You will find evidence of Buchan’s colourful history wherever you go in the area. From the Stone Circle (did you know that 10% of the stone circles in the British isles can be found in Aberdeenshire and that Buchan has it’s fair share?) and the coming of Christianity to North East Scotland right up to the WW2 air bases and prisoner of war camps and to history in the making as Peterhead and Buchan plays its part in the development of the North Sea oil and gas industries.

Notes on historic Buchan 

Bloody Battle

Red Comyn the Earl of Buchan, a direct descendant of Duncan King of Scotland (1034 – 1040) with a valid claim to be King of Scotland was any ally of William Wallace and fought with him against the English. Robert the Bruce killed him on 10th February 1306 paving the way for Bruce to become King. This murder was followed by Bruce’s vicious campaign against the Buchans. At the battle of Aikey Brae near Old Deer it is said that only 12 warriors were left standing! 

Other local battle - Battle of Cruden 

Stones Circle and Horse Fair

Aikey Brae is also the site of a stone circle and was until the last century the site of the largest horse fair in the North of Scotland. The fair was held on the third Wednesday of July when legend has it that the sacred remains of St Drostan, founder of Deer Abbey were laid to rest. 

You can walk round Aikey Brae and try to imagine the atmosphere of the fair, the sounds of the bloody battle and the stone circle rituals. 

Stone circle information 

First Written Gaelic

The ‘Book of Deer’ was written by the monks of Deer Abbey and contains the earliest known written Gaelic. Although the book itself is in Cambridge University library you can find out about it at the exhibition in Aden Country Park. The Book of Deer Centre is open on Sundays in May, Saturdays and Sundays in June, and Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays in July and August.

The coming of Christianity 

The ‘Big Hoose’

A feature of Aberdeenshire were large country estates where life centred around the "Big Hoose"... read more 

Castles

Peterhead and Buchan have even older ruins. As fortunes were raised so were castles, as they waned so the castles fell to ruins.  

Visit ‘New’ Slains Castle just north of Cruden bay. Some say that this ruin, perched on the edge of the cliffs, are best seen in stormy weather when you can conjure up the dramatic scenery that inspired Bram Stoker to write ‘Dracula’.

Follow the fortunes of the Keith family the Earls Marischal who owned Ravenscraig, Inverugie and Boddam castles all just outside Peterhead.  

Further castle info 

Peterhead

Although The Keith family in 1587 founded the ‘modern' Peterhead its birth as a settlement probably started in the 13th century when Cistercian monks built the first harbour. Since then the town's development has remained closely bound to the sea.

Follow the Peterhead Town Trail and discover this history. Start at the Arbuthnot Museum and don’t forget to look out for the polar bear!

•  Peterhead - a brief history
•  Peterhead heritage
•  Peterhead prison heritage project
•  A history of the creation and development of Arbuthnot Museum
•  A look at the fishing industry over the years in Peterhead
•  A description of the highly recognisable outfits 
•  Why granite is so extensively used 
•  A short history of education in Peterhead 
•  Peterhead street names 
•  Peterhead World War 2 history
•  The bombing of St James St
•  The Clearances?

While the lairds of the Highlands were clearing land to ‘impove’ the argiculural profitability of the land the Lairds of Buchan were taking a different route to making money. From the mid 18th century, the empty wastelands of central Buchan were transformed with the building of new towns and villages. The Lairds established cottage industries and built housing for rent. Where there were existing settlements they changed their name – Crichie became Stuartfield, Kyaak became New Pitsligo, Fishie became Fetterangus. It was largely on the back of the wealth created that the big estates flourished.