Architecture and History
Aberdour, ‘at the mouth of the Dour’, was once in two parts - Easter and Wester Aberdour. These two villages grew up close to the natural harbour formed by the Dour burn estuary and the high headland of Hawkcraig Point. Wester Aberdour was made a Burgh of Barony in 1501 and Easter Aberdour became a Burgh of Regality in 1638.
In the early 14th Century Robert the Bruce granted the land of the Barony of Aberdour to his nephew, the Earl of Moray. In time, this land, which included Aberdour Castle, passed to the Douglas family, who became the Earls of Morton and one of the most powerful families in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Earl of Morton still owns large parts of Aberdour today.
The Castle, initially built for defence, dates from the 14th Century and was extended in the 1500’s. By the early 18th Century, having suffered fire damage, it was abandoned as the Morton family’s principle residence in favour of the neighbouring Aberdour House.
The castle’s walled gardens were a popular feature in the 17th Century and the newly re-built south terraces have restored the gardens to their former glory. Historic Scotland organise a number of historical events throughout the year such as re-enactments and falconry displays. Aberdour House is now split into flats and has a number of local people living there.
Within the shadow of the castle walls stand a small church dedicated to St Fillan, thought to be named after the Irish saint who was Abbot of Pittenweem and who died at Kinghorn in 649 AD. The church was built in 1123. The church’s leper squint in the west gable is said to be where Robert the Bruce gave thanks for his Bannockburn victory in 1314.
Inchcolm Abbey was founded in 1223 by Alexander I. Augustinian canons established a small priory which prospered and gained full abbey status in 1235. Despite repeated attacks by marauding English ships, expansion continued until 1560 when the reformation brought an end to monastic life on the island. In subsequent years it served as a quarantine station for plague-ridden ships and as a naval hospital during the Napoleonic wars. The island was fortified to repel enemy air and sea attacks on Rosyth naval Dockyard during the 1st and 2nd World wars. Today visitors can access the island by ferry from South Queensferry.
The two villages become prosperous due to the influence of the castle, St Fillan’s Church and Inchcolm Abbey. This was bolstered by coal, salt panning and weaving industries. None of these continues today.
Aberdour was a major attraction for excursion paddle steamers in Victorian times. The opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890 firmly established Aberdour as a holiday destination. Now it is a great attraction for leisure boats, walkers and artists. Historic Scotland, who own the castle, report 10,000 visitors a year.
In the early 14th Century Robert the Bruce granted the land of the Barony of Aberdour to his nephew, the Earl of Moray. In time, this land, which included Aberdour Castle, passed to the Douglas family, who became the Earls of Morton and one of the most powerful families in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Earl of Morton still owns large parts of Aberdour today.
The Castle, initially built for defence, dates from the 14th Century and was extended in the 1500’s. By the early 18th Century, having suffered fire damage, it was abandoned as the Morton family’s principle residence in favour of the neighbouring Aberdour House.
The castle’s walled gardens were a popular feature in the 17th Century and the newly re-built south terraces have restored the gardens to their former glory. Historic Scotland organise a number of historical events throughout the year such as re-enactments and falconry displays. Aberdour House is now split into flats and has a number of local people living there.
Within the shadow of the castle walls stand a small church dedicated to St Fillan, thought to be named after the Irish saint who was Abbot of Pittenweem and who died at Kinghorn in 649 AD. The church was built in 1123. The church’s leper squint in the west gable is said to be where Robert the Bruce gave thanks for his Bannockburn victory in 1314.
Inchcolm Abbey was founded in 1223 by Alexander I. Augustinian canons established a small priory which prospered and gained full abbey status in 1235. Despite repeated attacks by marauding English ships, expansion continued until 1560 when the reformation brought an end to monastic life on the island. In subsequent years it served as a quarantine station for plague-ridden ships and as a naval hospital during the Napoleonic wars. The island was fortified to repel enemy air and sea attacks on Rosyth naval Dockyard during the 1st and 2nd World wars. Today visitors can access the island by ferry from South Queensferry.
The two villages become prosperous due to the influence of the castle, St Fillan’s Church and Inchcolm Abbey. This was bolstered by coal, salt panning and weaving industries. None of these continues today.
Aberdour was a major attraction for excursion paddle steamers in Victorian times. The opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890 firmly established Aberdour as a holiday destination. Now it is a great attraction for leisure boats, walkers and artists. Historic Scotland, who own the castle, report 10,000 visitors a year.
Green SpacesAberdour has numerous green spaces; a large area at Silver Sands houses both the football pitches and shinty pitches and yet leaves much to be used and enjoyed by the many visitors to the Silver Sands. Both sports enjoy winning status. The shinty club, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2011 and has 60 members from 4 to 55 years, is a beacon for the sport on the east coast of Scotland, its teams gaining Scottish Championships for a number of years!
In the centre of the village there are tennis courts used all year round and being expanded to make a teaching area for children. The bowling green lies adjacent to this as well as the new play park. All are well used and enjoyed. Aberdour Golf Club maintains a parkland course running along the banks of the Forth. The spectacular views from this area draw people to play here year on year. The second tee can be troublesome as it stretches across part of the Forth. Local youths collect the balls and they are sold in a local shop in aid of RNLI: 10 for £1 !! Many birds including gulls, curlews and oystercatchers are frequent visitors to the golf course and woodpeckers are often heard and seen . The beaches surrounding the course are home to many eider ducks, cormorants and heron and a little further out on the rocks the haunting call of the grey seal can be heard. The biodiversity of the course also supports a variety of animals to be seen on a regular basis such as deer, foxes, badgers, stoats, squirrels and rabbits. There has been a recent discovery of orchids growing on a banking of the course that leads down to a burn. Aberdour is surrounded on its other three sides with arable farmland. The farmers are very helpful to the Village in Bloom group whether it is moving heavy planters, ploughing the walled garden or joining in the fun at the “Race Night” and Festival. A farmer dug out the paths and laid the aggregate at no charge to the Sensory Garden Project. The village has seen the opening of a riding school and stables just west of the High Street. This will be a wonderful source of manure for village gardens! |
Forth Estuary and Beach HabitatThe Forth Estuary, on which Aberdour is situated, is economically central to Scotland with power generation and commercial shipping as two high profile activities. It is also a place of natural beauty, an important nursery ground for fish and an internationally important area for birds who nest on its many islands.
Inchmickery, off the coast of Aberdour and now owned by the RSPB. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and hosts colonies of Guillemots, Puffins, Sandwich Terns and the rarer Roseate Terns. Oxcars lighthouse was one of the first to be automated, previously being lit by gas from Granton. Car Craig is said to get its name from the Latin carcer (a prison) having been a convenient place where monks who offended against the rules of the Abbey could be incarcerated, marooned for a period of time to repent. Aberdour is situated on the Fife Coastal Tourist Route which has stunning seascapes over the Firth of Forth. Icons of the area are the seals which bask on the rocks below the 1st tee of the golf course. The Victorians called Aberdour the “Jewel of the Fife Riviera” and came here to enjoy the beautiful Silver Sands. Visitors still flock to this international award winning Blue Flag beach. Aberdour’s Black Sands also received Fife’s 2011 Seaside Award. If you walk along the path below the cliffs to the east of the Harbour pier, known as Ladies’ Walk, you will arrive at the Hawkcraig. This peninsula or point between the Harbour and the Silver Sands has been designated as a Listed Wildlife Site, administered by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The Hawkcraig is a mixed site containing a number of different habitats. The areas of most interest are the grassland above the cliff and the rocky scrub/wood just above Ladies Walk. Here you will see some uncommon plants growing on the cliff faces, including a number of local and national rarities. The lime-rich soil gives ideal growing conditions for Bloody Cranesbill, Ladies Bedstraw, wild Basil and Marjoram, Lesser Meadow-rue, Weld, Birdsfoot, Dropwort and Stitchwort. Many of these are rare in Fife, especially at the coast, and Dropwort is only known at about a dozen sites in Scotland. It is at the very southern end of its range here in Aberdour and is in decline further north. Scots Lovage is also present on the cobble beach at the end of the path and here you will also find the old wooden pier where the Victorian paddle steamers could berth regardless of the state of the tide. The area’s rocky shores, sand dunes and salt marshes are also extremely important. |
