Oldmeldrum

Coordinates: 57°20′06″N 2°19′12″W / 57.335°N 2.320°W / 57.335; -2.320

Oldmeldrum
Scottish Gaelic: Meall Druim
Oldmeldrum  Oldmeldrum shown within Aberdeenshire
Population	2,187 (2006)[1]
OS grid reference	NJ808272
Council area	Aberdeenshire
Lieutenancy area	Aberdeenshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	INVERURIE
Postcode district	AB51
Dialling code	01651
Police	Grampian
Fire	Grampian
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Gordon
Scottish Parliament	Gordon
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Oldmeldrum (commonly known as Meldrum) is a village and parish in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, not far from Inverurie in North East Scotland. With a growing population of over 2000, Oldmeldrum falls within Scotland's top 300 centres of population.^[2] The A947 road from Aberdeen to Banff runs through the centre of the village. Oldmeldrum has a primary school^[3] and a secondary school, the Meldrum Academy,^[4] which also includes the local library. Local industries are agriculture and engineering services connected to the oil industry in Aberdeen.

Oldmeldrum at sunrise

Oldmeldrum town centre

Oldmeldrum residential street

Garden at Meldrum House Hotel

Attractions

Each summer on the third Saturday in June the village is host to the popular "Meldrum Sports",^[5] which began in 1930 and features highland games, highland dancing, piping, five-a-side football, displays, stalls and a beer tent.

The Sports were first held in 1930 when a group of local men got together to raise funds to provide cocoa to the local children. Over the years thousands of pounds have been donated to local good causes and charities. The Sports are on Saturday 18th June 2011.

An Arts and Music Festival has been held in March 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 by the Rotary Club to promote local singers, musicians, artists, and photographers.^[6]

To the north of the village is Meldrum House, a mansion and castle built in the 13th century, and now a hotel and golf course.^[7] It is said to be haunted by a 'White Lady'.^[8] There is another golf course to the east of the village, the Oldmeldrum Golf Club, founded in 1885.^[9] A 72-year old golfer died in a bunker on the first hole in 2006.^[10]

Glen Garioch distillery is one of the oldest in Scotland. It was built in 1797, and has a visitors centre.

Tolquhon Castle is about 5 miles to the east of Oldmeldrum.

The remains of a prehistoric hill fort are at Barra Hill, 2 miles south of Oldmeldrum, and Sheldon Stone Circle is about 3 miles to the south-east.

Haddo House, a stately home run by the National Trust for Scotland, is 7 miles north-east of Oldmeldrum.

From Oldmeldrum, there are good views of the nearby Bennachie hills.

There is also a skatepark that was built in June 2009.

History

The Battle of Barra was fought in May 1308 at Barra Hill between the armies of Scottish King Robert Bruce and John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan.

Oldmeldrum was made a burgh of barony in 1672. The parish of Meldrum was known as "Bethelnie" until 1684. It was a centre of the hosiery trade in the 18th century.

Oldmeldrum Burgh had a population of 1,110 in 1911 and 1,103 in 1951.^[11] By the 2001 census the population was 2003.

Old Meldrum railway station served Oldmeldrum on a line from Inverurie until 1965.

Famous residents

• Nicholas Bogdan, archeologist and architectural historian,^[12] lived at Barra Castle.^[13]
• George Chrystal, a mathematician.
• Douglas Scott Falconer, a geneticist.
• William Forsyth, a botanist and ancestor of Bruce Forsyth. The William Forsyth Community Garden opened in Oldmeldrum in 2008.^[14][15]
• Donald Gordon, a Canadian businessman.
• William Keith, a California landscape artist
• Sir Patrick Manson, the founder of the field of tropical medicine, was born at Cromlet Hill, now a guesthouse.
• George Smith Morris and Willie Kemp, Doric musicians related by marriage.^[16]
• Sir George Watt, botanist in India

References

1. ^ http://www.aberdeenshireleader.org/Document_Library/documents/AberdeenshireLAGPartnershipDetailsupdated15Oct07_000.pdf
2. ^ General Register Office for Scotland. "Mid-2004 Population Estimates". Archived from the original on 2007-05-02. http://web.archive.org/web/20070502100810/http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/settlements-and-localities/mid-2004-population-estimates-for-settlements-in-scotland.html. Retrieved 2007-05-05. 
3. ^ Meldrum School
4. ^ http://www.meldrumacademy.co.uk/
5. ^ Scotland the What? trio to open Sports
6. ^ Art and Music Festivals
7. ^ http://www.meldrumhousegolf.co.uk/files/Brief_History_Meldrum_House.pdf
8. ^ Ross, Donna. Trick or treat. Aberdeen Press & Journal, 31 October 2006
9. ^ http://www.oldmeldrumgolf.co.uk/
10. ^ Dow, Bob. AL DIES IN BUNKER Daily Record, Jun 23 2006
11. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time - Oldmeldrum Burgh
12. ^ "Nicholas Bogdan". The Guardian (London). 28 August 2002. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2002/aug/28/guardianobituaries.obituaries. Retrieved 20 May 2010. 
13. ^ A History of Barra Castle
14. ^ http://www.oldmeldrumrotary.org.uk/garden.htm
15. ^ Beaton, Alistair. Evergreen entertainer congratulates garden volunteers The Press & Journal
16. ^ http://www.leopardmag.co.uk/feats/76/a-salute-to-doric-heroes

External links

• Meldrum Online - New community blog
• Oldmeldrum Community Website
• Inverurie Herald - Out & About In Meldrum & Daviot
• Meldrum & Bourtie Parish Church
• The Rotary Club of Oldmeldrum
• Meldrum and Bourtie Community Council
• The Press & Journal
• Mid-Formartine Councillors