Macduff

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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Macduff, a seaport town and a quoad sacra parish in the quoad civilia parish of Gamrie, Banffshire, 1 ¼ mile E of Banff. It is the terminus of the Turriff and Macduff branch of the Great North of Scotland Railway system, the station being 49½ miles NNW of Aberdeen and 29¾ N by W of Inveramsay Junction, where the branch leaves the mainline. The town, which consists of a number of well planned streets with good houses, and has one of the best harbours along the Moray Firth, is situated on an irregular rising-ground sloping northward and north-westward towards the sea-shore. Previous to 1732 it was but a small fishing hamlet, and owes its great progress since to the fostering care of successive Earls of Fife, and to its situation. The hamlet was known as Down or Doune, but in 1783 James, second Earl of Fife, changed it to Macduff (the family name being Duff) and obtained for the place a charter of de novo damus from George III., by which it was erected into a ` free and independent burgh-of-barony.' The lower harbour rates and the better position of the harbour diverted a considerable amount of traffic from Banff, and the growth of trade has been still more rapid and important since the opening of railway communication in 1860. The station was then at the SW side of the town, and was also intended for the partial accommodation of Banff, but in 1872 a prolongation of ¾ mile took place, bringing the station into a central position, while accommodation is still provided for Banff, from this side, by the Banff Bridge station. The climate is good, and as the beach affords excellent bathing ground, the place is frequented during the summer months by visitors. There were great rejoicings on the occasion of the arrival of the Prince of Wales on a visit to the Earl of Fife on 13 Nov. 1883, when the town was gaily decorated; the trades, fishermen, and various public bodies walked in procession to Duff House; and an address was presented to His Royal Highness. The harbour was constructed by, and belongs to, the Earl of Fife, and the formation of an outer harbour was attempted so long ago as 1821-22, but the works then constructed were almost at once shattered by storms. It was greatly enlarged and improved in 1877. The trade consists chiefly of exports of grain and cured herrings and other fish, and the imports are coal, and bone and other manures. Over a hundred fishing boats, of which about three-fourths are first-class boats (i.e., with keels of 30 feet or upwards), belong to the port, but many of them prosecute the fishing at other stations, and driving 1883 only 83 fished from Macduff, these having a total catch of 9754 crans. The Established church, a large building on an eminence at one end of the town, was erected at the expense of the third Earl of Fife. The Free church was built soon after the Disruption. A new Congregational church was erected in 1881 at a cost of £1250; and a Sahation Army Hall, with 700 sittings, in 1883. Murray's Institution was founded in 1849 by Mr Murray of London, a canvas manufacturer, and a native of the burgh, for the education of poor children, and has accommodation for 100, whilst the public school accommodates 700. By the Reform Bill, Macduff was, for parliamentary purposes, included within the boundaries of the burgh of Banff, but its municipality remained distinct, and municipal matters are managed by a provost, 2 bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and 4 councillors; while police matters are attended to by a board of six commissioners of police. The weekly market is on Tuesday. Water was introduced in 1883. There is a post office, with money order, savings' bank, and telegraph departments, branches of the Union and North of Scotland Banks, a branch of the National Security Savings' Bank, and agencies of 11 insurance companies. There are also a townhouse, meal and saw mills, baths, a hall, a gas company, a masonic lodge (St James, No. 653), a lodge of Oddfellows, a club, two ladies' schools, and a number of the usual charitable, etc. institutions. The bridge across the Deveron to the W, on the road to Banff, was designed by Smeaton. The quoad sacra parish, which extends beyond the town, is in the presbytery of Turriff and synod of Aberdeen. Pop. of parish (1871) 3912, (1881) 4104; of burgh (1831) 1819, (1861) 3067, (1871) 3410, (1881) 3650, of whom 1992 were females. Houses (1881) 728 inhabited, 25 vacant, 4 building.—Ord. Sur., sh. 96, 1876.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer

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