Marykirk
Encyclopedia
Marykirk is a small village in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
next to the border with the county of Angus
at the River North Esk
.
The village is approximately 6 miles ENE of Montrose
at the southern end of the Howe of the Mearns. The road bridge carrying the A937 over the River North Esk
is a substantial structure with four arches. It was designed by Robert Stevenson
and completed in 1815 at the cost of £1,000 replacing the previous route to the village an ancient ford. There is a rail bridge across the same river some 600 m north of the road bridge and the village once had a rail station to the north east.
The present parish church was rebuilt in 1806 replacing the previous church the remains of which can be found in the adjacent kirkyard. The older church was dedicated to St Mary and consecrated in 1242 by the Bishop de Bernham.
The centre of the village has an ancient market cross. The grand gates to the now demolished mansion Kirktonhill House, once the home of oil merchant R W Adamson, can be found still in position (Google Street View). Once boasting many small businesses supporting the surrounding agricultural lands the village now only has a part-time Post Office
. http://www.mearns.org/marykirk.htm
The village also has a small primary school of two teachers with between 20 and 30 pupils. http://www.marykirk.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/ as well as an Hotel, the 19th century coaching House, The Marykirk Hotel. http://www.marykirkhotel.com/ (Google Street View)
Since 1996 the willage has been holding an annual Raft Race in the River North Esk which normally takes place on the Last Sunday in May. Aftrer six years of holding the race it came to a halt as a committee couldn't be formed to organise it. Then in 2009 a committee formed and The Raft Race started once again. It still continues and Marykirk is looking forward to hosting the Raft Race in May this year.http://www.marykirkraftrace.comSince starting the race again in 2009 the race has attracted 37 rafts and has raised over £9,000 for charity. The committee for the 2009 race consisted of Kay Mcdonld, Eric Whyte, Wilma Walker, Ronnie Reid, Bill Buchan, Alison Dodds, Barbara Officer, Simon Roberts and Gill.
Charities money raised for in 2009/10:
2009:
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
(CHAS)
Craighalbert
Red Cross
Alzheimers Stonehaven Branch
Multiple Sclerosis
Royal British Legion Montrose
Cancer Link Aberdeen North
Macmillian Strathcathro
Marie Curie Cancer Care
WRI
Pensioners Club
Lunch Club
Marykirk Football Club
Bumps, Babes and Toddlers
Marykirk Bowling Club
2010:
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
(CHAS)
Craighalbert
St Andrews
Alzheimers Stonehaven Branch
Multiple Sclerosis
Royal British Legion Montrose
Cancer Link Aberdeen North
Macmillian Strathcathro
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Erskine House
Marykirk was also the site of the world's first first electricity generating wind turbine, built by James Blyth
to light his summer residence in the village.
Up until the end of July 2010, the village also has its own amateur Weather Station http://www.marykirkweather.com/
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...
next to the border with the county of Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
at the River North Esk
River North Esk
The North Esk is a river in Angus and Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is formed by the meeting of the Water of Mark and the Water of Lee , and enters the North Sea four miles north of Montrose. It forms the boundary between Angus and Aberdeenshire at certain stages in its course...
.
The village is approximately 6 miles ENE of Montrose
Montrose, Angus
Montrose is a coastal resort town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. It is situated 38 miles north of Dundee between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers...
at the southern end of the Howe of the Mearns. The road bridge carrying the A937 over the River North Esk
River North Esk
The North Esk is a river in Angus and Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is formed by the meeting of the Water of Mark and the Water of Lee , and enters the North Sea four miles north of Montrose. It forms the boundary between Angus and Aberdeenshire at certain stages in its course...
is a substantial structure with four arches. It was designed by Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson (civil engineer)
Robert Stevenson FRSE MInstCE FSAS MWS FGS FRAS FSA was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses.One of his finest achievements was the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse.-Early life:...
and completed in 1815 at the cost of £1,000 replacing the previous route to the village an ancient ford. There is a rail bridge across the same river some 600 m north of the road bridge and the village once had a rail station to the north east.
The present parish church was rebuilt in 1806 replacing the previous church the remains of which can be found in the adjacent kirkyard. The older church was dedicated to St Mary and consecrated in 1242 by the Bishop de Bernham.
The centre of the village has an ancient market cross. The grand gates to the now demolished mansion Kirktonhill House, once the home of oil merchant R W Adamson, can be found still in position (Google Street View). Once boasting many small businesses supporting the surrounding agricultural lands the village now only has a part-time Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. http://www.mearns.org/marykirk.htm
The village also has a small primary school of two teachers with between 20 and 30 pupils. http://www.marykirk.aberdeenshire.sch.uk/ as well as an Hotel, the 19th century coaching House, The Marykirk Hotel. http://www.marykirkhotel.com/ (Google Street View)
Since 1996 the willage has been holding an annual Raft Race in the River North Esk which normally takes place on the Last Sunday in May. Aftrer six years of holding the race it came to a halt as a committee couldn't be formed to organise it. Then in 2009 a committee formed and The Raft Race started once again. It still continues and Marykirk is looking forward to hosting the Raft Race in May this year.http://www.marykirkraftrace.comSince starting the race again in 2009 the race has attracted 37 rafts and has raised over £9,000 for charity. The committee for the 2009 race consisted of Kay Mcdonld, Eric Whyte, Wilma Walker, Ronnie Reid, Bill Buchan, Alison Dodds, Barbara Officer, Simon Roberts and Gill.
Charities money raised for in 2009/10:
2009:
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland is a Scottish charity that provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions...
(CHAS)
Craighalbert
Red Cross
Alzheimers Stonehaven Branch
Multiple Sclerosis
Royal British Legion Montrose
Cancer Link Aberdeen North
Macmillian Strathcathro
Marie Curie Cancer Care
WRI
Pensioners Club
Lunch Club
Marykirk Football Club
Bumps, Babes and Toddlers
Marykirk Bowling Club
2010:
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
Children's Hospice Association Scotland
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland is a Scottish charity that provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions...
(CHAS)
Craighalbert
St Andrews
Alzheimers Stonehaven Branch
Multiple Sclerosis
Royal British Legion Montrose
Cancer Link Aberdeen North
Macmillian Strathcathro
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Erskine House
Marykirk was also the site of the world's first first electricity generating wind turbine, built by James Blyth
James Blyth (engineer)
Professor James Blyth MA, LLD, FRSE , was a Scottish electrical engineer and academic at Anderson's College, now the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow...
to light his summer residence in the village.
Up until the end of July 2010, the village also has its own amateur Weather Station http://www.marykirkweather.com/
Sources
- Marykirk in the Gazetteer for ScotlandGazetteer for ScotlandThe Gazetteer for Scotland is a gazetteer covering the geography, history and people of Scotland. It was conceived in 1995 by Bruce Gittings of the University of Edinburgh and David Munro of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and contains 15,500 entries as of January 2008, making it one of...
. - Marykirk in The History of the Howe.
- Marykirk Hotel.
- Marykirk Primary School.
- The Marykirk Raft Race
- The Marykirk Weather Station (shut down July 2010)