Glenbucket, a parish on the western border of Aberdeenshire, containing, near its SE corner, Bridge of Bucket post office, 14 ¾ miles W of Alford station, and 44 ½ WNW of its post-town, Aberdeen. It is bounded N by Cabrach, E by the Glenkindie section of Strathdon, SE by the Culquoich section of Tarland, S and SW by Strathdon, and NW by Inveraven in Banffshire. Its utmost length, from WNW to ESE, is 7 ¼ miles; its breadth varies between 1 ¼ and 3 ¼ miles; and its area is 11, 083 ¾ acres. The N is drained by head-streams of the Deveron; and the Allt Sughain and Coulins Burn, rising in the extreme W at 1900 and 2100 feet above sea-level, and running 2 ¼ miles south-eastward and 2 5/8 miles east-by-southward, unite to form the Water of Bucket, flowing 5 3/8 miles east-south-eastward through the middle of the parish to the Don, which itself winds 7 furlongs north-eastward and south-eastward along all the Tarland border. The surface, sinking along the Don to 774 feet above sea-level, thence rises to 1561 feet at * Millbuie Hill, 1831 at * Meikle Forbridge Hill, 2073 at * Creag an Innean, 1901 at * Clashenteple Hill, 1998 at * Ladylea Hill, 1525 at White Hill, 2159 at * Moss Hill, 1886 at the Socach, 1862 at Allt Sughain Hill, and 2241 at * Geal Charn, where asterisks mark those summits that culminate right on the borders of the parish. Greywacke, mica slate, and serpentine prevail throughout the upper portion of the parish; the lower is rich in primary limestone and gneiss, the former of which, containing 70 per cent. of lime, has been largely worked. The soil of the middle glen is much of it a fertile yellow loam; but that of the higher grounds is mostly poor gravelly clay ; whilst near the Deveron's sources are vast deposits of peat. Glenbucket Castle, near the Don's left bank, ¼ mile W of Bridge of Bucket, is a picturesque ruin, with its turrets and corbie-stepped gables. Built in 1590, it was the seat of the Gordons of Glenbucket, the last of whom fought at both Sheriffmuir (1715) and Culloden (1746). From place to place he was hunted, till, letting his beard grow and assuming the garb of a beggar, he at length effected his escape to Norway. Glenbucket shooting-lodge, 7 miles WNW of Bridge of Bucket, was built in 1840 by the Earl of Fife, on or near the site of the dwelling of 'John o' Badenyon,' the hero of a capital song by the Rev. John Skinner. One other memory has Glenbucket, that here on the moors of Glencairney, 'among the bonny blooming heather,' died, just as he had hoped to die, the last of the 'old poachers,' Sandy Davidson, 25 Aug. 1843. The Earl of Fife is almost sole proprietor. Glenbucket is in the presbytery of Alford and synod of Aberdeen; the living is worth £177. The church, 2 miles W of Bridge of Bucket, is an old building, dedicated originally to St Peter, and containing 300 sittings. Two schools, Glenbucket public and Balloch Society's, with respective accommodation for 109 and 35 children, had (1881) an average attendance of 79 and 26, and grants of £57, 3s. and £36, 11s. Valuation (1881) £1883, 4s. 7d. Pop. (1801) 420, (1831) 539, (1861) 552, (1871) 570, (1881) 506.—Ord. Sur., sh. 75, 1876.
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