King Edward Parish

Description of the parish

Etymology

The name of this parish has long been written King-Edward, but by people living in the district it is pronouned Kin-edart, or Kin-eddar, which is supposed to be derived from the Gaelic, and, if that were so, it would mean "the head point or end of the height."

Boundaries

The parish is bounded on the north partly by the Doveran, and the parishes of Banff and Gamrie; on the east by the parishes of Aberdour, Tyrie, and New Deer; on the south by the parishes of Monquhitter, and Turriff; and, on the west, partly by Doveran and the parish of Alvah in Banffshire.

Extent

The greatest breadth of the parish, in a direct line from south to north, measures 6½ miles from the burn of Luncarty, on the Turriff boundary, to the influx of the Gellymill burn with the Doveran, at Banff, including the interjecting portions of the parish of Alvah, which lies on the east banks of the Doveran; and the greatest length, also in a direct line from east to west, is from the hills of Bonnykelly, in New Deer, to the influx of the burn of King-Edward with the Doveran, and measures 9½ miles. The area of the principal portion of the parish is 17,564¼ acres, and of the lands of Montcoffer, the detached portion is 1,081¾ acres. Total area of the parish, 18,646 acres.

Topography

The surface on the eastern half of the parish is hilly, though none of the hills are of great height. The higher hills on the Gamrie, Aberdour, and New Deer boundaries present everywhere a bleak moorish appearance, and are interspersed with extensive tracts of peat moss. Some of the lower hills and valleys bordering the streams and mosses, and the lower moorland tracts around Byth and Millseat, to the woods of Craigstone, have, within the past 20 years, assumed a more cultivated appearance. The western division presents a very undulating surface, but is agreeably diversified by flat tracts along the streams, rising with easy slopes into swelling rounded knolls and hills, which are all either cultivated or covered with clumps of trees. The valley of the Doveran is skirted by steep banks rising one above the other into the hills of Corskie, Montcoffer, and the higher grounds on Eden and Luncarty, and with the graceful beds of the river winding through broad fertile haughs at the bottom of the richly wooded slopes of Eden and its old castle, the scenery is varied and beautiful--a well-wooded and highly cultivated strath appears with comfortable-looking farm steads. On the Montcoffer division of the parish, the hill tops are finely clothed with dark pine woods, and at the point where the channel of the river is narrowed by the lofty impending craigs of Alvah, a sombre-looking semicircular arch "the precipices abrupt," which are partially clothed by a fine variety of forest trees springing from the rents and crevices of the greywacke rocks. For nearly three miles below the craigs of Alvah the river winds lazily eastwards, through the grounds of Duff-house in many a tortuous maze, as if loath to leave its opener and fairer scenes, and at length falls into the Moray Firth at the seven arched bridge of Banff, about half-a-mile below the boundary of this parish. The tide flows up to the Rack-mill, about a mile and a-half from the sea, and the highest point on the Doveran, in this parish, is about 40 feet above sea level. The new church of King-Edward stands 230 feet, and the highest point on the range of hills bordering with Gamrie and Aberdour, on the east, is 710 feet above sea level. The hill of Luncarty is 338 feet, the Plaidy Railway Station is 248 feet, and Craigston Castle is about 286 feet above sea level.

[A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875]

King Edward Church

This is descrbed as a simple Gothic boxand was possibly built by A & W Reid. It has lancet and tracery windows and an elaborate corbelled bellcote. The 17^th century church which it replaced is situated some half a mile to the west. The belfry and gateway of the old church still remains along with some of the tombs and a vault.

King Edward Castle

This is located about a mile south of King Edward at Castletown. The present, partially ruined, castle is 16^th century and stands on the foundations of an earlier building, occupying the entire castle mound. Once a major fortress the castle was wasted in the Harrying or ‘Herschip’ of Buchan in 1308.

Craigston Castle

This is located about 4 miles south east of King Edward and was built in the early 17^th century It is a red stone and white-harled building being some 50ft square and over 60ft high. It is a Scots tower house with a high level arch joining its wings supports a corbelled stone balcony of magnificently carved grotesques. Stone corbels survive at each corner for unbuilt square gazebos (viewing turrets). The tower at the back of the house is topped by a balustraded viewing platform.