St Combs

St Combs is a small fishing village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, immediately southwest of Inverallochy.[2] It has existed since at least the 17th century, and takes its name from a church to St Colm (or Columba) that used to exist in the area and was abandoned in 1607. Only a fragment of it remains.[3] The remains of Lonmay Castle are also in the area.[3] The village sits across Loch Strathbeg from Rattray.[3]

St Combs
Beach south of St Combs
St Combs is located in Aberdeenshire
St Combs
St Combs
Location within Aberdeenshire
Population620 (mid-2020 est.)[1]
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish

History

There is considerable evidence of local habitation by early man in and around St Combs. Somewhat to the southwest lies the Catto Long Barrow and a number of tumuli.[4]

The "new toon" of St Combs was laid out in 1784 by Charles Gordon of Cairness.[3] Houses were laid out in large garden plots, gable to the street, running downhill to the shore.[3] Lonmay Parish Church was established in 1787, and Cairness House (the work of James Playfair) followed in the 1790s.[3]

Charlestown, just across the Mill Water and closer to the shore, was founded by the Inverallochy Eastate in 1800. This was much to the chagrin of the St Combs inhabitants, who named it Sodom.[3]

St Combs railway station opened in 1903 and closed in 1965. It was the terminus of a short branch line from Fraserburgh. In 1904 Kirkton Bridge Halt railway station was opened on the line.

Notable people

James Duthie 1942-2009. James Duthie was a fisherman who began to write plays at the age of 40. His plays were received with great acclaim, notably two of his plays were shown on BBC TV, namely Donal and Sally, and The Drystane Dyker. Donal and Sally starring famous Scottish actor Gerard Kelly can now be watched on youtube.

Line notes
  1. "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. Gazetteer, 2008
  3. McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 140. ISBN 185158-231-2.
  4. C. M, Hogan, 2008

Sources
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