Pictish times to the 'Harrying of the Buchan'

Ellon is a very long established settlement in the North East, so graphically described by the ancient Gaels as "the land at the bend in the Ocean".

Ellon and its river are inseparable, the river even providing the town with its name by dint of the islands dotted about mid-stream. Ellon probably derives its name from the Gaelic 'Eilean' meaning island and the town's historical significance is based on its situation at the ford on the River Ythan. The Ythan is renowned for its salmon fishing and for several centuries it was also known as a rich source of pearl mussels. A pearl found at the mouth of one of its tributaries was of such high quality that it was presented to King James VI and now forms one of the brightest jewels in the Scottish Crown.

As early as the 4th century BC there is some evidence that the fording point on the Ythan, slightly downstream from the town, had resulted in the establishment of a small Pictish settlement, and for many years it was the main crossing point for traffic going to and from the Buchan area. Reference to a river called Ituna is also made in some old reports relating to the times of a Roman presence in the area approximately 220 AD.

During the Middle Ages, Ellon became the ancient seat of jurisdiction for the lords of Buchan, firstly for the local Celtic chiefs or Mormaers and then later on for the Norman Earls of Buchan. Both seemed to have made use of a low mound, probably of natural origin, to build a defensive structure. This Norman castle, which would have housed the feudal lord and his family, consisted of the large earthwork mound (or Moot) with a timber tower built on its plateau. The tower was protected by a palisade at the top and by a large ditch encompassing the mound at the bottom. Access to the castle was by means of a drawbridge over the ditch and a long timber stairway leading up the steep slope. Adjoining the Moot would have been a secondary courtyard similarly protected by a ditch and palisade in which was housed the chapel, byre stable and smithy. The Moothill, as the earthwork mound became known, was used by the Earls to hold court, dispense justice and collect rents. A small monument and seating area located next to the Riverside car park commemorates the Moot court, although the Moothill itself was removed in 1799 with the construction of the turnpike road to Peterhead.

By the 11th and 12th centuries, Ellon was the capital settlement of the area north of the Ythan, through which the area's agricultural produce was channelled to the larger markets to the south. The area was well settled and prosperous, giving its nobles of Norman descent a strong powerbase.

The death of King Alexander III in 1286, however, gave rise to a period of great instability in Scotland, made more complex due to King Edward I of England's determination to conquer Scotland. The dominant family in Buchan at the time was the Comyn (Cumming) who were associated through marriage to the Balliol dynasty and favoured by Edward. Perhaps emboldened by the death of Edward I in 1307, Robert the Bruce, who had murdered the head of the Comyn family in 1306, fought the battle of Barra in 1308 (between here and Inverurie, near Oldmeldrum) culminating in his consolidation of Scottish power.

Ellon's complete destruction in the aftermath of the battle, along with much of the power base of the Comyns, often referred to as 'the Harrying of Buchan', was so complete that much of the innate and potential wealth of Buchan was damaged for centuries. Slowly Ellon recovered its status, the fording point on the river being of significance irrespective of the ruling political faction.

Ellon Castle

The ruins of Ellon Castle can be seen from various parts of the town. The castle was formerly known as the ancient fort of Ardgith and a number of castles have been built on this site.

Originally built by the Kennedie (or Kynidy or Kempty) family, the hereditary Constables of Aberdeen, the castle, a once impressive four story building boasting a tall slender tower on the south-east corner, dates back to the early 17th century, although some parts of the basement may go back as far as the 15th century. The castle and estate were bought in 1706 by Bailie James Gordon of Edinburgh who created the splendid landscape garden on the terrace 190 yards long and 15 yards wide held up by a retaining wall some 12-18 feet high (the Deer Dykes), which enclosed a formal deer park of some 12 hectares (30 acres). Bailie Gordon's two sons were murdered by their tutor and his widow sold the estate to the 3rd Earl of Aberdeen, George Gordon, who used the castle to house "a lady of charm called Penelope Dering", a friend of one of his legitimate daughters, who gave him a daughter and a son.

On the ivy covered south face of the remaining wall of the Castle, an armorial stone displays a shield with the official Coat of Arms of the Kennedies, namely a key and sword crossed in saltire on an escutcheon at the fess point. Above is an esquire's helmet and below, the inscription:

With the exception of what remains standing today, the Castle was demolished in 1851 to make way for a driveway to a modern mansion.

Sadly, the castle is not currently open to the public, although the impressive Deer Dykes around the castle grounds can be seen from Castle Road.

Link to Kennedy family history - www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/transactions/3/kennedys.shtml
Link to Gordon murders - www.oldandnewedinburgh.co.uk/volume3/page195.html

Ellon Parish Church

The ancient cruciform parish church of St Mary, which now belongs to the Church of Scotland, was built in the 14th Century by Donald Bannerman, King David II of Scotland's doctor, so a weekly mass would be held to pray for the soul of the king's father King Robert I 'the Bruce'. Bestowed on Kinloss Abbey in Elginshire and cared for by the Cistercians, it was demolished in 1777 to allow the construction of the present plain parish church using the original stone, with part of the foundation of the south wall of the chancel being the only remnant of the earlier structure. The south wall also holds a monument to the Annands of Auchterellon, with their arms and the date 1601. The building that can be seen today has of course been added to, restored and refurbished on a number of occasions.

Link to Clan Bannerman - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Bannerman

The growth of Ellon

In 1737, the Old Tolbooth was built in the Old Square near where the War Memorial now stands. The Tolbooth was constructed with double outside stone stairs, similar to the one still standing in Kintore, and was used in part as a school, prior to 1830, and as a jail as well as being the store for grain and other farm produce paid to the laird as rent. The building was demolished in the early 1840's and the pediment, originally built into the south gable of the old Tolbooth and bearing the coat of arms of the Kennedy family, was transferred to its present location of what is now Raeburn Christie's office.

The Ythan is spanned by a handsome three-arched stone and lime built bridge, known as the 'Auld Brig', was built in 1793. Now Grade A listed, it is now only open to pedestrian traffic and stands to the east of the new road bridge. The building of the bridge was probably the most important factor in the growth of early Ellon and created the opportunity for Ellon to grow. It also, however, heralded the loss of previous focal points, and no doubt also of previous ways of life. The turnpike road to Peterhead, completed in 1799, served by the then new bridge, required the removal of the Moot Hill.

With the start of the 19th century, the agricultural and industrial revolutions began making their impacts felt to a much greater extent. As the agricultural centre for the Buchan area, Ellon thrived. By the mid 19th Century there were four grocers, seven inns and three hotels in Ellon, all licensed to sell alcohol, and catering for a population of only seven to eight hundred people, indicating Ellon had become the market town of a relatively wealthy agricultural hinterland, mainly to the north of the town. Houses on Craig's Road stand testimony to the success of that economy. The old bridge, however, was the only available way over the Ythan, and all road traffic passing into and out of Buchan had to cross it. This resulted in Ellon becoming a very important and busy centre of business ensuring a brisk trade for all the settlers. The New Inn Hotel, located opposite the river, was previously a changeover point for horses pulling coaches between Aberdeen and Peterhead.

Ellon's Episcopalian Church, St Mary's on the Rock, which was created during the Reformation, has seen many changes and hardships in its formative years as the Episcopalian church fought against destruction and persecution to establish their rights of worship. The foundation of the existing building was started in 1870 some distance to the south east of the previous Chapel, employing the Early English style designs of the architect George Street R.A., and was consecrated on 7th September 1875.

In 1926, MacDonald Park was donated to Ellon in 1926 by the late Sir James G. MacDonald KBE who died when the ship he was a passenger on was torpedoed in December 1942. The park extends over quite a large area and includes the beautiful second nine of the MacDonald Golf Course along with considerable woodland walks, a keep fit area and trim track.

The area around Ellon has been turned into a rich agricultural area through hard work and innovation. The River Ythan also bought commercial importance to Ellon through the use of shallow drafted cargo vessels which carried coal and lime upstream and grain downstream. These vessels were operated by a local company of Mitchell & Rae Limited which operated the shipping service between Newburgh and the quays at the Meadows in Ellon until the 1950s.

This growth of agricultural production had a major impact on the local culture - that of the 'bothy ballad' tradition, where these agricultural engineering, technical and human skills were readily transferable. Some aspects of the culture are peculiar to the North East, whilst others are common to many Scottish rural areas, but it is through the rich culture of the poems, songs, music and dance of the Doric North East that the now traditional culture has been maintained. For more information about the bothy ballads, please click HERE

The pre-1950's saw an Ellon of largely local self-sufficiency, a successful agricultural centre, with some industrial development, a brewery, boot factory, an agricultural mart and the railway junction. The late 1960's and early 1970's, however, saw Ellon a downturn for the town as it lost its agricultural mart and the railway connection. The Ellon Agricultural show, the social centrepiece of the agricultural community, ceased in that form, partly through the changing pattern of land holdings, there being fewer tenant farmers, as direct or contract farm management by estates became more common. Farm mechanisation led to the potential for large scale unemployment in the area, although this never materialised as the economy shifted from agriculture to oil related businesses with the start of the exploitation of North Sea oil in the 1970's.

Ellon today

North Sea oil brought massive changes to Ellon and it expanded rapidly to accommodate the influx of oil workers and related businesses. The town's infrastructure has had to adapt to meet the challenge, and during this period, Meiklemill and Auchterellon Primary schools were built, and the new Academy with its community centre and swimming pool added a much needed facility. The new library and community centre, together with the shops at Auchterellon and the Eilean Rise and Castle Park developments were also completed during the Eighties. The Bridge Street shopping development increased the shopping and business facilities in the town centre and, in addition, the Industrial Estate on the East side of town is now well established with further developments at Home Farm Industrial Estate, Esslemont and in Hospital Road. The health centre, built and extended in the past 20 years with its comprehensive medical and health care facilities, provide an excellent service complemented by the recent additions of an Ambulance Station and Police Station. In addition, the establishment of an 18 hole golf course, squash club, and an excellent sports complex at the Meadows complements the established sports, traditional Ythan fishing, and many recreational clubs which provides Ellon with a broad diversity of leisure activities.

Ellon's role has changed dramatically in the last few years from being a traditional small market town to become a lively and prosperous town acting as both a commuter town for Aberdeen as well the focal point for the surrounding rural area.

Ellon now provides an ideal base for visitors wishing to visit the North East of Scotland. The centre of 'Castle Country', there are numerous National Trust and Historic Scotland properties in the area, as well as being close to magnificent beaches and coastal villages. The town is also a good centre for bird watchers with several estuary sites, inland lochs, and cliff nesting sites nearby.