Whitehills

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Whitehills
Whitehills harbour.jpg
Today, Whitehills harbour hosts more leisure craft than fishing vessels
Aberdeenshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Whitehills
Location within Aberdeenshire
Population990 (2022) [1]
OS grid reference NJ655653
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BANFF
Postcode district AB45
Dialling code 01261
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°40′34″N2°34′48″W / 57.676°N 2.580°W / 57.676; -2.580

Whitehills is a small fishing village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, that lies three miles (five kilometres) west of Banff on the Moray Firth. It is part of the historic county of Banffshire.

Contents

It surrounds a rocky bay to the west of Knock Head. It has grown as a fishing village since the 16th century and developed especially in the 19th century. It is characterised by its old village, which stretches along the shore towards the harbour. This has developed like other Moray Firth fishing villages, with small houses clustered around each other with gable ends facing the sea. The exteriors are painted a variety of colours; gable ends face the sea and there is extensive use of rybats and edge detailing as well as distinctive white grouting between granite blocks. Most houses front directly onto the street with small informal spaces between them.

The village expanded inland in the 19th century through the development of terraced 1+1⁄2-storey and detached villa housing. The shore, links and extensive views from throughout the village add a sense of openness. The landmark buildings in Whitehills are the parish church (built in 1773) [2] and the Downie's fish processing plant, as well as the marina.

The clock tower of Trinity Church of Scotland (1879) was built by Alexander Ross. [2] The Methodist Chapel dates to 1840. [2]

During the 20th century, the town has developed to the east and also along the southerly edges. Around half the building stock is low density, private new build; these are built in a style which is typical of most modern development. The modern extension to the village has little in common with old town character or its street pattern and its recent spread means that the village can clearly be seen from Banff. The village's exposed location, sea views and unique character, mean that new development is unavoidably obvious. Further expansion to the south west is likely to most favoured by developers, but this should maintain principles of good layout and sympathetic siting in order to avoid the sprawl of the village. [3]

Attractions

In 1999, the fishing harbour was developed as a leisure marina, called the Whitehills Marina. [4] The marina offers facilities for visiting sailors and hosts an annual sailing regatta in August. The marina has 47 pontoon berths and is accessible at all states of the tide. Drying out for maintenance is possible in a purpose-built bay of the inner harbour.

A five-mile-long (eight-kilometre) coastal path stretches from the Whitehills Harbour to Banff Harbour. [5]

On the outskirts of the village there is an ancient Roman structure called the Red Well whose name derives from the water spring it was built to protect which leaves a red deposit, possibly due to high iron content. [6]

Lifeboat

Between 1924 and 1969 Whitehills had an RNLI lifeboat station. The station was transferred from Banff and in 1932 a new boathouse and slipway (which still stand today) were constructed for a new motor lifeboat. Whitehills received a new 47-foot (14-metre) Watson-class boat in 1961, but this was withdrawn and the station closed in 1969 after launching only eleven times in eight years.

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References

  1. ↑ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 38. ISBN   185158-231-2.
  3. ↑ "Aberdeenshire settlement characterisation reports 2012" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Welcome". Whitehills Marina. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Banff Harbour To Whitehills Harbour Coastal Walk". VisitScotland. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "The Red Well at Whitehills" . Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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