Inverurie
Encyclopedia
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh
and town in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) north west of Aberdeen
on the A96 road
and is served by Inverurie railway station
on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line
. The nearest airport
is Aberdeen Airport
at Dyce
.
at the centre of Aberdeenshire and is known locally as the Capital of the Garioch
. It sits between the River Don
and the River Ury and is only 10 miles (16 km) from the imposing hill of Bennachie
. The town centre is triangular and is dominated by the grand Town Hall built in 1862. In the middle of the 'square' (as it is known locally) is the Inverurie and District War Memorial, capped by a lone Gordon Highlander looking out over the town. The main shopping areas include the Market Place and West High Street which branches off from the centre towards the more residential part of the town. South of the River Don is the village of Port Elphinstone, which is part of the Royal Burgh
of Inverurie and is so called due to the proximity of the Aberdeenshire Canal
(Inverurie to Aberdeen
) (now disused).
meaning "Mouth of the Ury" after the river which joins the Don just south of the town.
It was commonly spelt "Inverury" until the late 19th century when, it is alleged, it was altered to avoid confusion with Inveraray
in Argyll
, on the south west coast of Scotland because it was felt that "a" and "u" were particularly hard to distinguish in handwritten addresses.
, brother of Malcolm IV, great-great-grandfather of Robert the Bruce who defeated the Comyn
s nearby at the Battle of Barra on Christmas Eve
1307.
Its religious foundation pre-dates this by five centuries with the establishment of the Kirk of Inverurie now known as St Andrew's Parish Church http://www.standrewschurchinverurie.org.uk
However, the town's earliest known charter dates from 1558, with its modern development taking place after the building of the Aberdeenshire Canal
linking Port Elphinstone with Aberdeen Harbour in 1806. The Inverurie Locomotive Works
(1905–1969) led to a modest increase in size and prosperity, but it was not until the "Oil
Boom" of the last quarter of the 20th century that the town developed into much of its present form.
The nearby Easter Aquorthies and the stone circle at Newseat recumbent stone circle are fine examples of the rich history of the North East of Scotland, ancient monuments dating back to the 3rd Millennium BC. There have been three well known battles in the town: The Battle of Inverurie (1308), the Battle of Harlaw
(24 July 1411) between Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles (MacDonald) and an army commanded by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar; and the Battle of Inverurie (1745)
during the Jacobite Rebellion of that year.
, now with a monthly Farmer's Market, with many small shops, businesses and services. Its main industries other than service and commerce are agriculture
, oil and, until International Paper
closed the mill in March 2009, paper manufacture.
The Great North of Scotland Railway constructed its locomotive construction and repair works
on a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) site at Inverurie. Robert Louis Garden became the last General Manager of the Loco Works and remained in this position until its closure in 1969.
Agriculture continues to be a mainstay of Inverurie's economy, as it has done since the town's inception. Thainstone Mart, to the south east of the town, is the biggest livestock market in Scotland, and rents out commercial units to various agricultural support services. Lying beside Thainstone Mart, the paper mill was a big employer until the mill was closed in 2009.
Following the discovery of North Sea oil
in the mid 1970s, several oil service companies appeared in Inverurie. Many residents who work in this sector do so on offshore oil installations in the North Sea on a "two week on- two week off - or four week on, or six week on" basis in addition to those who work in the town itself.
In recent years, Inverurie has also seen increasing numbers of Aberdeen commuters going to live there making it "the fastest growing town in Great Britain".
A 98000 sq ft (9,104.5 m²) retail park opened in June 2009 with stores including Homebase, Argos, Lidl, Halfords, Acorn Pets, Home Bargains and Currys all trading very successfully. The site is located near the town centre, is close to the railway station and offers 378 car parking spaces.
The town is served by Inverurie Hospital
.
of Scots
.
Historically, Pictish
is the ancient language of the area, which can be found in many placenames. It appears to have been a Brythonic
language.
There is also evidence of Scottish Gaelic having been spoken in the area, both in words in the Doric, and placenames, such as Inverurie itself. The Book of Deer
originates from a few miles to the north east.
. It was founded in the 9th century by the Culdee
monks on the left bank of the River Don at its junction with the Polnar Burn on the lands of Baddifurrow now known as the estate of Manar. It was known as the “Kirk of Rocharl”.
Soon after the erection of the “Kirk of Rocharl”, two dependent chapels were built – one at Montkegy (now the parish of Keithhall, the other at “The Bass” on the banks of the River Ury. A fort stood on this mound and this latter chapel was probably built to accommodate the settlers within and around the stronghold on the banks of the River Ury. A Manse
was built there and the kirkyard also grew around it. This graveyard is now known locally as “The Bass” or “The Old Cemetery”.
During the reign of Malcolm Canmore (1057) and his Queen, Margaret, Inverurie was created one of the new Saxon parishes with its dependent chapel at Montkegy placed under the care of Lindores Abbey
in Fife
.This change from Culdean Christianity in Scotland was displaced by the Roman system, and probably occasioned the building of a new church at Polnar, and the placing of the parish under the protection of a saint. The name “Kirk of Rocharl” disappears after 1198 and “The Chapel of Apollinaris” takes its place. This is the only such dedication in Scotland, though it is popular on the Continent.
In the 14th century, (during the reign of King Robert the Bruce) the Chapel at Polnar lost its importance and was doomed to fall into decay, while the Church at the Bass assumed the name and dignity of the parish church. This daughter chapel of the “Kirk of Rocharl” (now the parish church) was ultimately to become the real centre of Christ’s faith in the district until 1774, while the church at Monkegy remained dependent on Inverurie until 1631.The first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
met in 1560, and thirteen years later Inverurie received its first minister, the Rev George Paterson who was also “Bishop” of the Garioch. He had supervision of Daviot, Montkegy, Kinkell and Kintore.
The third Church of Scotland minister of Inverurie, (Alexander Mill – a royal “presentee” of King James I
), had the Manse transferred from the Bass to the site of the present Kirk before 1600, by the Sketry Burn. Four ministers were appointed in turn after Forbes. In 1770 William Davidson was inducted as minister of Inverurie. During his ministry a “mystery church” was built on the present site of the Kirk in 1775, using stones from the old Kirk at “The Bass”. Sixty-six years later it was demolished, for reasons lost with the passage of time.
Davidson’s successor (Robert Lessell – minister, 1800–1853) was responsible for the building of the present building on the site, erected to the Glory of God and dedicated as such on 14 August 1842.Only a year later, in 1843, the first General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland
took place in Edinburgh. In 1877 the “Free Kirkers” built their present church on the West High Street, Inverurie.
At the union of the United Free Church and The Church of Scotland in 1929 the “Auld Kirk” of Inverurie was re-named as “The South Parish Church”. In 1953 it adopted the name “St Andrew’s Parish Church”.In the 1960s, under the leadership of The Revd Douglas Lister, the Church was re-ordered to accommodate a restoration of the Scoto-Catholic Movement in The Church of Scotland which brought back a sense of "dignity" to worship. The Communion Table was restored to its prominent place in the centre of the chancel, a new pulpit was commissioned and placed at the north side of the chancel and the lectern at the south side. A central aisle was created.
In 2011 St Andrew's completed an extensive renovation of the church and replacement of the two-manual Peter Conacher Organ with a three-manual Physis organ. There is now an extended vestibule area and a Church Office. As part of the Renovation a new Chapel/Meeting-Space dedicated to St Apollinarus was created to house The War Memorials and other artefacts. This Chapel of St Apollinarus is open on a daily basis for private prayer and meditation.
St Andrew's is currently the Conventual Church for the Priory of St Margaret of Scotland (Order of St John of Jerusalem - Knights Hospitaller) and its minister (The Revd T Graeme Longmuir, Grand Cross of Honour Saint John) is Prelate.
St Andrew's also hosts the popular "Fly Cup Cafe" on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays - whose trainees (adults with learning disabilities) learn to prepare, cook and serve snacks and hot meals to customers from the local area.
Formally known as the Inverurie Parish Church, a split in Church of Scotland
over the appointment of ministers in 1843 (The Disruption
) led to the creation of the West Parish Church (known locally as "The West Kirk") which was founded as a Free Church (a church free from Edinburgh control) thus causing the Inverurie Parish Church to change its name.
In the mid-20th Century, the West Church elected to return to the Church of Scotland, however, the two churches stayed separate due to the burgeoning growth in the town. The West Church has recently gone through major renovation which involved the creation of two floors in the Church building- the upper being used for Sunday worship, funerals, weddings and concerts and the lower housing a popular cafe and fairtrade shop as well as the church office.
Other Churches and places of worship in Inverurie include St Mary's Church (Scottish Episcopal), The Roman Catholic Church, The Baptist Church, The Gospel Hall and the Salvation Army Meeting Hall.
, playing their matches at Harlaw Park, are the local Highland League
football team and Aberdeen F.C.
is the nearest Scottish Premier League team. Rugby Union is played by the Garioch Rugby Football Club.
Inverurie is also a member of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association.
Former World Squash
Number One Peter Nicol
, was born in Inverurie.
Colony Park Football Club are the town's juvenile team, and the largest juvenile club in Scotland with over 400 members having being founded by Dod Reid, MBE, in 1978 and three other parents who helped Dod get the club together.
Middlesbrough F.C.
midfielder Barry Robson
was born in Inverurie.
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
and town in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, 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...
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) north west of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
on the A96 road
A96 road
The A96 is a major road in the North of Scotland.It runs generally west/north-west from Aberdeen, bypassing Kintore, Inverurie, Huntly and Forres, and running through Keith, Fochabers, Elgin and Nairn...
and is served by Inverurie railway station
Inverurie railway station
Inverurie railway station is a railway station serving the town of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line....
on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line
Aberdeen to Inverness Line
The Aberdeen to Inverness Line is a railway line in Scotland linking Aberdeen and Inverness.-Current services:Passenger services are operated by First ScotRail. There is some limited freight traffic, with Elgin retaining a goods yard, whilst Keith, Huntly and Inverurie retain smaller, less...
. The nearest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
at Dyce
Dyce
Dyce is a civil parish and suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, about north west of Aberdeen city centre, and best known as the location of the city's airport. It is on the River Don.- History :...
.
Geography
Inverurie is located in the valley of the River DonRiver Don, Aberdeenshire
The River Don is a river in north-east Scotland. It rises in the Grampians and flows eastwards, through Aberdeenshire, to the North Sea at Aberdeen. The Don passes through Alford, Kemnay, Inverurie, Kintore, and Dyce...
at the centre of Aberdeenshire and is known locally as the Capital of the Garioch
Garioch
Garioch is the name of one of six committee areas in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has a population of 46,254 .Centred on Inverurie, a traditional rural market town whose foundation dates back to the 9th century with the establishment of Christianity at Polnar, "The Kirk of Rocharl" - now St...
. It sits between the River Don
River Don, Aberdeenshire
The River Don is a river in north-east Scotland. It rises in the Grampians and flows eastwards, through Aberdeenshire, to the North Sea at Aberdeen. The Don passes through Alford, Kemnay, Inverurie, Kintore, and Dyce...
and the River Ury and is only 10 miles (16 km) from the imposing hill of Bennachie
Bennachie
Bennachie is a range of hills in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has several tops, the highest of which, Oxen Craig, has a height of 528 m...
. The town centre is triangular and is dominated by the grand Town Hall built in 1862. In the middle of the 'square' (as it is known locally) is the Inverurie and District War Memorial, capped by a lone Gordon Highlander looking out over the town. The main shopping areas include the Market Place and West High Street which branches off from the centre towards the more residential part of the town. South of the River Don is the village of Port Elphinstone, which is part of the Royal Burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of Inverurie and is so called due to the proximity of the Aberdeenshire Canal
Aberdeenshire Canal
The Aberdeenshire Canal was a waterway in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, designed by John Rennie, which ran from the port of Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone, Inverurie...
(Inverurie to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
) (now disused).
Etymology
The word "Inverurie" comes from the Scottish Gaelic Inbhir Uraidhmeaning "Mouth of the Ury" after the river which joins the Don just south of the town.
It was commonly spelt "Inverury" until the late 19th century when, it is alleged, it was altered to avoid confusion with Inveraray
Inveraray
Inveraray is a royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is the traditional county town of Argyll and ancestral home to the Duke of Argyll.-Coat of arms:...
in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, on the south west coast of Scotland because it was felt that "a" and "u" were particularly hard to distinguish in handwritten addresses.
History
Inverurie is said to have been founded by David of Huntingdon, Earl of the GariochGarioch
Garioch is the name of one of six committee areas in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It has a population of 46,254 .Centred on Inverurie, a traditional rural market town whose foundation dates back to the 9th century with the establishment of Christianity at Polnar, "The Kirk of Rocharl" - now St...
, brother of Malcolm IV, great-great-grandfather of Robert the Bruce who defeated the Comyn
Comyn
Comyn can refer to:* Clan Comyn, another name for Clan Cumming.People* Dan Comyn, an Irish cricketer.* Stephen George Comyn, Naval chaplain to Lord Nelson* Valens Comyn, English MP* William Leslie Comyn, Californian shipbuilder...
s nearby at the Battle of Barra on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
1307.
Its religious foundation pre-dates this by five centuries with the establishment of the Kirk of Inverurie now known as St Andrew's Parish Church http://www.standrewschurchinverurie.org.uk
However, the town's earliest known charter dates from 1558, with its modern development taking place after the building of the Aberdeenshire Canal
Aberdeenshire Canal
The Aberdeenshire Canal was a waterway in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, designed by John Rennie, which ran from the port of Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone, Inverurie...
linking Port Elphinstone with Aberdeen Harbour in 1806. The Inverurie Locomotive Works
Inverurie Locomotive Works
Inverurie Locomotive Works was built in 1903 by the Great North of Scotland Railway in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.- History :The Great North of Scotland Railway constructed its locomotive construction and repair works on a site at Inverurie north west of Aberdeen, adjoining the line to...
(1905–1969) led to a modest increase in size and prosperity, but it was not until the "Oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
Boom" of the last quarter of the 20th century that the town developed into much of its present form.
The nearby Easter Aquorthies and the stone circle at Newseat recumbent stone circle are fine examples of the rich history of the North East of Scotland, ancient monuments dating back to the 3rd Millennium BC. There have been three well known battles in the town: The Battle of Inverurie (1308), the Battle of Harlaw
Battle of Harlaw
The Battle of Harlaw was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland against those from the west coast....
(24 July 1411) between Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles (MacDonald) and an army commanded by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar; and the Battle of Inverurie (1745)
Battle of Inverurie (1745)
For the battle of the same name during the Wars of Scottish Independence see: Battle of Inverurie .The second Battle of Inverurie took place on 23 December 1745 and was part of the second major Jacobite rising in Scotland.-Background:...
during the Jacobite Rebellion of that year.
Industry
Inverurie is a thriving market townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
, now with a monthly Farmer's Market, with many small shops, businesses and services. Its main industries other than service and commerce are agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, oil and, until International Paper
International Paper
International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
closed the mill in March 2009, paper manufacture.
The Great North of Scotland Railway constructed its locomotive construction and repair works
Inverurie Locomotive Works
Inverurie Locomotive Works was built in 1903 by the Great North of Scotland Railway in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.- History :The Great North of Scotland Railway constructed its locomotive construction and repair works on a site at Inverurie north west of Aberdeen, adjoining the line to...
on a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) site at Inverurie. Robert Louis Garden became the last General Manager of the Loco Works and remained in this position until its closure in 1969.
Agriculture continues to be a mainstay of Inverurie's economy, as it has done since the town's inception. Thainstone Mart, to the south east of the town, is the biggest livestock market in Scotland, and rents out commercial units to various agricultural support services. Lying beside Thainstone Mart, the paper mill was a big employer until the mill was closed in 2009.
Following the discovery of North Sea oil
North Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
in the mid 1970s, several oil service companies appeared in Inverurie. Many residents who work in this sector do so on offshore oil installations in the North Sea on a "two week on- two week off - or four week on, or six week on" basis in addition to those who work in the town itself.
In recent years, Inverurie has also seen increasing numbers of Aberdeen commuters going to live there making it "the fastest growing town in Great Britain".
A 98000 sq ft (9,104.5 m²) retail park opened in June 2009 with stores including Homebase, Argos, Lidl, Halfords, Acorn Pets, Home Bargains and Currys all trading very successfully. The site is located near the town centre, is close to the railway station and offers 378 car parking spaces.
The town is served by Inverurie Hospital
Inverurie Hospital
Inverurie Hospital is a small hospital in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.It has previously been known as the Joint Hospital, County Hospital, and Inverurie Infectious Diseases Hospital. It was founded in 1897...
.
Language
Most Inverurie natives speak the Aberdeenshire Doric dialectDoric dialect (Scotland)
Doric, the popular name for Mid Northern Scots or Northeast Scots, refers to the dialects of Scots spoken in the northeast of Scotland.-Nomenclature:...
of Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
.
Historically, Pictish
Pictish language
Pictish is a term used for the extinct language or languages thought to have been spoken by the Picts, the people of northern and central Scotland in the Early Middle Ages...
is the ancient language of the area, which can be found in many placenames. It appears to have been a Brythonic
Brythonic languages
The Brythonic or Brittonic languages form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family, the other being Goidelic. The name Brythonic was derived by Welsh Celticist John Rhys from the Welsh word Brython, meaning an indigenous Briton as opposed to an Anglo-Saxon or Gael...
language.
There is also evidence of Scottish Gaelic having been spoken in the area, both in words in the Doric, and placenames, such as Inverurie itself. The Book of Deer
Book of Deer
The Book of Deer is a 10th-century Latin Gospel Book from Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with early 12th-century additions in Latin, Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is most famous for containing the earliest surviving Gaelic literature from Scotland...
originates from a few miles to the north east.
Religion
The oldest church in Inverurie is St Andrew's Parish Church http://www.standrewschurchinverurie.org.uk, part of The Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. It was founded in the 9th century by the Culdee
Culdee
Céli Dé or Culdees were originally members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland and England in the Middle Ages. The term is used of St. John the Apostle, of a missioner from abroad recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 806, and of Óengus...
monks on the left bank of the River Don at its junction with the Polnar Burn on the lands of Baddifurrow now known as the estate of Manar. It was known as the “Kirk of Rocharl”.
Soon after the erection of the “Kirk of Rocharl”, two dependent chapels were built – one at Montkegy (now the parish of Keithhall, the other at “The Bass” on the banks of the River Ury. A fort stood on this mound and this latter chapel was probably built to accommodate the settlers within and around the stronghold on the banks of the River Ury. A Manse
Manse
A manse is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or United Church...
was built there and the kirkyard also grew around it. This graveyard is now known locally as “The Bass” or “The Old Cemetery”.
During the reign of Malcolm Canmore (1057) and his Queen, Margaret, Inverurie was created one of the new Saxon parishes with its dependent chapel at Montkegy placed under the care of Lindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey was a Tironensian abbey on the outskirts of Newburgh in Fife, Scotland. Now a much reduced and overgrown ruin, it lies on the southern banks of the River Tay, about north of the village of Lindores....
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
.This change from Culdean Christianity in Scotland was displaced by the Roman system, and probably occasioned the building of a new church at Polnar, and the placing of the parish under the protection of a saint. The name “Kirk of Rocharl” disappears after 1198 and “The Chapel of Apollinaris” takes its place. This is the only such dedication in Scotland, though it is popular on the Continent.
In the 14th century, (during the reign of King Robert the Bruce) the Chapel at Polnar lost its importance and was doomed to fall into decay, while the Church at the Bass assumed the name and dignity of the parish church. This daughter chapel of the “Kirk of Rocharl” (now the parish church) was ultimately to become the real centre of Christ’s faith in the district until 1774, while the church at Monkegy remained dependent on Inverurie until 1631.The first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
met in 1560, and thirteen years later Inverurie received its first minister, the Rev George Paterson who was also “Bishop” of the Garioch. He had supervision of Daviot, Montkegy, Kinkell and Kintore.
The third Church of Scotland minister of Inverurie, (Alexander Mill – a royal “presentee” of King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
), had the Manse transferred from the Bass to the site of the present Kirk before 1600, by the Sketry Burn. Four ministers were appointed in turn after Forbes. In 1770 William Davidson was inducted as minister of Inverurie. During his ministry a “mystery church” was built on the present site of the Kirk in 1775, using stones from the old Kirk at “The Bass”. Sixty-six years later it was demolished, for reasons lost with the passage of time.
Davidson’s successor (Robert Lessell – minister, 1800–1853) was responsible for the building of the present building on the site, erected to the Glory of God and dedicated as such on 14 August 1842.Only a year later, in 1843, the first General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
took place in Edinburgh. In 1877 the “Free Kirkers” built their present church on the West High Street, Inverurie.
At the union of the United Free Church and The Church of Scotland in 1929 the “Auld Kirk” of Inverurie was re-named as “The South Parish Church”. In 1953 it adopted the name “St Andrew’s Parish Church”.In the 1960s, under the leadership of The Revd Douglas Lister, the Church was re-ordered to accommodate a restoration of the Scoto-Catholic Movement in The Church of Scotland which brought back a sense of "dignity" to worship. The Communion Table was restored to its prominent place in the centre of the chancel, a new pulpit was commissioned and placed at the north side of the chancel and the lectern at the south side. A central aisle was created.
In 2011 St Andrew's completed an extensive renovation of the church and replacement of the two-manual Peter Conacher Organ with a three-manual Physis organ. There is now an extended vestibule area and a Church Office. As part of the Renovation a new Chapel/Meeting-Space dedicated to St Apollinarus was created to house The War Memorials and other artefacts. This Chapel of St Apollinarus is open on a daily basis for private prayer and meditation.
St Andrew's is currently the Conventual Church for the Priory of St Margaret of Scotland (Order of St John of Jerusalem - Knights Hospitaller) and its minister (The Revd T Graeme Longmuir, Grand Cross of Honour Saint John) is Prelate.
St Andrew's also hosts the popular "Fly Cup Cafe" on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays - whose trainees (adults with learning disabilities) learn to prepare, cook and serve snacks and hot meals to customers from the local area.
Formally known as the Inverurie Parish Church, a split in Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
over the appointment of ministers in 1843 (The Disruption
The Disruption
The Disruption was the first release by American indie rock band Cursive and was released in 1996 on Lumberjack Records, and was re-released in 1997 with alternative cover art, when Lumberjack changed their name to Saddle Creek...
) led to the creation of the West Parish Church (known locally as "The West Kirk") which was founded as a Free Church (a church free from Edinburgh control) thus causing the Inverurie Parish Church to change its name.
In the mid-20th Century, the West Church elected to return to the Church of Scotland, however, the two churches stayed separate due to the burgeoning growth in the town. The West Church has recently gone through major renovation which involved the creation of two floors in the Church building- the upper being used for Sunday worship, funerals, weddings and concerts and the lower housing a popular cafe and fairtrade shop as well as the church office.
Other Churches and places of worship in Inverurie include St Mary's Church (Scottish Episcopal), The Roman Catholic Church, The Baptist Church, The Gospel Hall and the Salvation Army Meeting Hall.
Sports
Inverurie Loco Works F.C.Inverurie Loco Works F.C.
Inverurie Loco Works are a semi-professional senior football club from Inverurie who currently play in the Highland League in Scotland and were founded in 1903.-Recent history:...
, playing their matches at Harlaw Park, are the local Highland League
Highland Football League
The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
football team and Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
is the nearest Scottish Premier League team. Rugby Union is played by the Garioch Rugby Football Club.
Inverurie is also a member of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association.
Former World Squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
Number One Peter Nicol
Peter Nicol
Peter Nicol, MBE , is a former professional squash player from the United Kingdom, who represented first Scotland and then England in international squash. In 1998, while still competing for Scotland, he became the first player from the UK to hold the World No. 1 ranking...
, was born in Inverurie.
Colony Park Football Club are the town's juvenile team, and the largest juvenile club in Scotland with over 400 members having being founded by Dod Reid, MBE, in 1978 and three other parents who helped Dod get the club together.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
midfielder Barry Robson
Barry Robson
Barry Gordon George Robson is a Scottish footballer who plays for Middlesbrough in the Football League Championship and for the Scotland national squad...
was born in Inverurie.
Education
There are four primary schools, one secondary school:- Inverurie Market Place Schoolhttp://www.marketplace.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/index.html
- Kellands Schoolhttp://www.take2theweb.com/pub/sso/kellands/a.html
- Port Elphinstone Schoolhttp://www.portelphinstone.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/default.htm
- Strathburn Schoolhttp://www.strathburn.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/
- Inverurie Academyhttp://www.inverurieacademy.co.uk/