Keith Inch

Last updated

Keith Inch
Keith Insche (Scottish Gaelic)
Headland
Scottish Mainland's Most Easterly Point - geograph.org.uk - 230523.jpg
Shore at Keith Inch
Scotland relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Keith Inch
Coordinates: 57°30′10″N01°45′51″W / 57.50278°N 1.76417°W / 57.50278; -1.76417
Grid position NK 14232 45865
LocationPeterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Native nameKeith Insche (Scottish Gaelic)

Keith Inch (originally Keith Insche, Keithinche or Caikinche) [1] is the easternmost point of mainland Scotland, having formerly been an island. It is located in Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, forming the north point of Peterhead Bay. It is now joined to Greenhill, another former island, previously separated from Keith Inch by the Poolmouth. [2] Greenhill Road leads the motorist onto Greenhill from the town via Alexandra Parade.

Contents

It forms part of Peterhead Harbour. Inch is a common Scottish word for an island, such as Inchcolm, Inchkenneth and na h-Innse Gall (Hebrides), and derives from the Scottish Gaelic innis.

Remains of the whale bone arch in Peterhead Harbour Remains of whale bone arch, Peterhead - geograph.org.uk - 176530.jpg
Remains of the whale bone arch in Peterhead Harbour

It was used in the whaling industry, and boil yards were here; the remains of a whale bone arch can be seen.

Castle of Keith Inch

On the island of Keith Inch once stood a castle built by George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal, in the late 16th century. [1] The castle is thought to have been modelled on the castle of Kronborg in Denmark. [1] In 1644 about 500 of Oliver Cromwell's English soldiers rampaged in the Peterhead area. They were encamped on Keith Inch, with their headquarters in the castle.

After 1715, it was purchased by Thomas Arbuthnot, who built a modern house to the north of the island. When it was abandoned, it was converted into partly a fish-house and partly into boil yards. The final complete vestiges were removed in the late 19th century, although an occasional "massive" stone wall can be found. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdeenshire</span> Council area of Scotland

Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellon, Aberdeenshire</span> Town in northern Scotland

Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately 16 miles north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan, which has one of the few undeveloped river estuaries on the eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient region of Formartine. Its name is believed to derive from the Gaelic term Eilean, an island, on account of the presence of an island in the River Ythan, which offered a convenient fording point. In 1707 it was made a burgh of barony for the Earl of Buchan. It is home to a unique collection of ancient yew trees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newburgh, Aberdeenshire</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Newburgh is a coastal village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The village dates to 1261 AD, when William St. Clair, 6th Baron of Roslin, wanted to establish a chapel in the area. Originally built as a school, somewhat later the chapel of Holy Rood was established.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdeenshire (historic)</span> Historic county in Scotland

Aberdeenshire or the County of Aberdeen is a historic county in Scotland. The county gives its name to the modern Aberdeenshire council area, which covers a larger area than the historic county. The historic county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975, but its boundaries are still used for certain functions, being a registration county. The area of the historic county excluding the Aberdeen City council area is also a lieutenancy area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peterhead</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is the council area's largest settlement, with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. It is the largest fishing port in the United Kingdom for total landings by UK vessels, according to a 2019 survey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullers of Buchan</span> Human settlement in Scotland

The name Bullers of Buchan refers both to a collapsed sea cave and to the adjacent village, situated about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Peterhead in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mintlaw</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Mintlaw(literally meaning a smooth, flat place) is a large village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies at the intersection of the A950 and A952 roads, west of Peterhead. The 2001 UK census records a population of 2,647 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longside</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Longside is a village located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, consisting of a single main street. It lies seven miles inland from Peterhead and two miles from Mintlaw on the A950. Its population in 2001 was 721. The River Ugie flows through it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boddam, Aberdeenshire</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Boddam is a coastal village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is 29 miles (47 km) north of Aberdeen and 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Peterhead. The settlement of Stirling Village lies immediately to the west. Sea cliffs rise to 200 feet (61 m), south of the village: a coastal path leads along these to the Bullers of Buchan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverugie Castle</span>

Inverugie Castle or Cheyne's Tower is the ruins of a motte-and-bailey castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a scheduled ancient monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravenscraig Castle, Aberdeenshire</span>

Ravenscraig Castle, also known as the Craig of Inverugie, is a ruined 15th-century L-shaped tower-house north-west of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a scheduled ancient monument.

Keith Inch Castle was a 16th-century L-plan tower house and courtyard, about 1.0 mile (1.6 km) east of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It stood on Keith Inch, to the north of Peterhead Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peterhead Bay</span> A bay in Aberdeenshire, on the east coast of Scotland

Peterhead Bay is a large remote industrial tidal 120° facing coastal embayment, located next to the planned community, commercial fishing and ship building town of Peterhead in the Presbytery of Deer, Buchan, Aberdeenshire and is in the most easternmost point in mainland Scotland. The bay lies to the south of the town, forming a large natural harbour. It was enclosed by breakwaters, to turn the natural harbour into a marina and port, that is now owned by the Port of Peterhead. It was here, on 25 December 1715, that the old pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart, landed and resided at a house at the south end of Longate, owned by Mr James, and being visited by his friends, including George Keith, the Earl Marischal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Inch</span> Small Scottish island

King's Inch and the much smaller Sand Inch were islands lying in the estuarine waters of the River Clyde close to Renfrew in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Due to dredging and a change of the course of the main current of the River Clyde, silting, etc. it has become part of the southern, Renfrewshire side, of the river bank and is now built over.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boddam Castle</span> Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Boddam Castle is a ruined castle in Boddam, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was thought to have been built in the early 16th century as a seat for the Keiths of Ludquharn. It is a scheduled monument and was a Category B listed structure, though this was removed in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish-House, Peterhead</span> Building in Scotland

The Fish-House is a Category B listed building on Golf Road in the Buchanhaven area of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. One of the two right-angled blocks dates from 1585, making it the oldest building in Peterhead. Walker and Woodworth state the structure was built as a coastal store for Inverugie Castle by William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal, whose initials are on a skewputt. They also state that it was "rebuilt c. 1801," but without clarification as to which building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peterhead Town House</span> Municipal building in Peterhead, Scotland

Peterhead Town House is a municipal structure in Broad Street, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The building, which was the headquarters of Peterhead Burgh Council, is a Category B listed building.

Longate is a street in Peterhead, Scotland. It runs for about 0.18 miles (0.29 km), from North Street in the north to Broad Street in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queenie Bridge</span> Bridge in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Queenie Bridge is a toll-free bascule bridge in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Opened in 1954, it connects Bridge Street and Greenhill Road in the town's harbour area. It replaced a swing bridge which had stood on the site since 1850 and built at a cost of £8,000. There has been a crossing at this point in the harbour since at least 1739.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 152. ISBN   185158-231-2.
  2. Alexander, William McCombie (1952). The Place-names of Aberdeenshire. Third Spalding Club.

Purge