History of Huntly

Huntly is hill girt and river-wrought: the rivers Bogie and Deveron enclose two sides of the town of Huntly which lies in a wide bowl of rolling, upland country. Huntly takes it's name from the Gordon's of Huntly, who hailed from Berwickshire and from whom, in 1445 or 1449, the first Earl of Gordon was created. The third Earl, Alexander, received, in 1506, a charter which confirmed him in his land as long as his chief messuage be named the Castle of Huntly. This is therefore the heart of Gordon country, the family who were the major Catholic landowners in late medieval Scotland, and a source of inspiration and grief in equal measures. Created a burgh of barony in 1545, the regular grid plan derives from the 1776 scheme of the Duke of Gordon. There are so many Huntlys - the castle complex by the Deveron, the old town straggling up the hill from the Bogie, the grand new burgh with its eclectic square, surrounded by solid, often rather fine 19th-century development, with the modern expansion to the west and south.Huntly Square

The square has for long been the focal point of the life within the Burgh of Huntly. It is surrounded by fine buildings, some of which date back to the first half of the eighteenth century. Originally the market square, it has long ceased to fulfil that function. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, animal markets shifted to a site on the edge of the town and markets in other commodities began to die out.Feein' Markets held on the Square survived, however, until the onset of the Second World War. The Square is the place where the people of Huntly gather to mark local and national events such as coronations, proclamations, parades, funerals, galas, fetes and, of course, Hogmanay! The Gordon's

Shrouded by mountains on one side and with beautiful countryside all around, the small town of Huntly is steeped in the history of one of Scotland's largest clans, the Gordon's their motto 'Bydand' meant 'Standing ready for action' . Huntly is the ancient capital of the Gordon Clan and the people of the town have always regarded the Gordon Highlanders as their own regiment. Duke Alexander was asked by the government in 1794 to raise a regiment of the line. On many occasions the Gordon's have paraded through the town, above the Gordon Highlanders, with bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying, marched through the Square after having received the freedom of the burgh on 6 June 1966. It was a sad day for the folk of Huntly when the Gordon Highlanders were amalgamated with the Queen's own Highlanders in 1995.Gordon Schools

From the castle the town is approached via a tree-lined avenue, leading to Gordon Schools, 1839-4, Archibald Simpson; 1888 additions, A Marshall Mackenzie (Matthew's & Mackenzie), founded on the site of the castle port by the Duchess of Gordon in memory of the fifth Duke; Simpsons work is serene and Jacobean, about a centre pend arch crowned by an ogeecapped octagonal tower. The Gordon Schools pupils attend from communities in and around the market town of Huntly in the north east of Scotland. The roll stands at 840 pupils. Comprehensive education is provided for boys and girls aged 12 to 18 years. There is also a special educational needs Unit. The Gordon Schools is held in high regard, locally and nationally. Huntly Castle

Huntly Castle, also known as 'The Peel of Strathbogie' or 'Strathbogie Castle', stands on the south bank of the River Deveron and close to the smaller River Bogie. The castle consists of the motte and bailey built for the Norman Barron Duncan ("of Strathbolgyn"), Earl of Fife, in the 12th century, a mediaeval L-plan tower housing a ground floor prison and the defence earthworks remaining from the Civil War. In 1320 King Robert granted title to the lands to Sir Adam Gordon of Huntly. The 4th Earl of Huntly (known as 'Cock of the North') rebuilt much of his grandfathers home but in the 17th century it was changed again by the 1st Marquees of Huntly. It welcomed renowned visitors such as James IV in 1496 and Mary of Guise (Mary Queen of Scot's Mother) in 1556. During a fight between the Douglas's and the King (whom the Gordon's were supporting) the lands of Strathbogie were raised and the castle of Huntly burned. Huntly Castle is famed for its heraldic sculpture and inscribed stone friezes. Huntly Castle is of enormous interest both from the historical and architectural viewpoints. It was the stronghold of the Gordon family who held power in Scotland at the highest level. For a considerable time it was the headquarters of the Catholic Faith in Scotland. The Castle developed from the twelfth century Norman fortress to a fortified tower house and then to the Palace of Strathbogie, whose stately ruins remain with us today. The avenue eventually leads to Huntly Lodge, now officially The Castle Hotel former home of the Dukes of Gordon is an eighteenth century stone building set in seven acres of parkland.Gordon 2000The Gordon 2000 or the 'Highland Homecoming' was a millennium celebration of Scotland's culture, heritage and lifestyle and took place in Huntly between the 4th and the 6th of August 2000. A large number of heritage events and activities was based alongside the historic Huntly Castle and at locations throughout the town. The festival appealed to thousands all around the world and to a wide family audience. Some of the events that took place are as follows; Haddo House Garden Party, Cocktail Party, Ceilidh, The Tartan Collection Ball, Fiddlers Rally, Street party's, Craft demonstrations, Lifestyle 2000 expo, Sporting events, Son et lumiere - the story of the gordon castle told in sound and special lighting effects. The Celtic group Capercailie played two one-hour long performances. The three day event finished off with a torchlight procession, fireballs, fireworks and a fond farewell set to the sound of Celtic music.Huntly Today

Huntly lies in a sheltered position in the heart of scenic Strathbogie surrounded by hills, ideally situated as a holiday centre within easy reach of all varied attractions offered by the Grampian Highlands. Recently an important market town serving the prosperous farming community and home to successful businesses such as RB Farquhar, Deans Shortbread, Rizza's Ice Cream and of course Planlocal Ltd. You can get to the town by road and rail with Elgin and Inverness to the North and Inverurie and Aberdeen to the South. Huntly is also the shopping centre for the area, and there are many fine locally-made products. The rivers Bogie and Deveron provide excellent fishing and there are attractive parks, footpaths picnic areas and other recreational facilities.Some extracts taken from books; Old Huntly by Alan Cooper, Gordon by Ian Shepherd, Huntly by Patrick W.Scott