Ellon History

Ellon History

The ancient capital of Buchan approximately fifteen miles north of Aberdeen with its old granite buildings lining the riverside of the Ythan has been transformed in recent years by large housing schemes private and council to accommodate the commuters to Aberdeen from the oil boom years.

The ancient Moot Hill and its Norman castle where the Comyn Earls of Buchan ruled in the thirteenth century have gone but to the north on bold river terrace stands the surviving part of the sixteenth century Ellon Castle, the castle and estate were bought in 1706 by Bailie James Gordon of Edinburgh who created the splendid landscape garden on the terrace 190 yards long and 15 yards wide  held up by a retaining wall some eighteen feet high. Bailie Gordon's two sons were murdered by their tutor and his widow sold the estate to the 3rd earl of Aberdeen.

The first bridge of modern times was built over the Ythan in I 783 this is now derelict and bypassed by a new bridge to cope with the present-day traffic.

The Episcopal Church of St Mary's on the Rock, overlooking the south hank of the Ythan was
built in I875. its original predecessor, built in 171 3 having been demolished by troops searching for Jacobites.

Arnage Castle some 4 miles north north west of Ellon is a Z plan tower house to which a modern wing was added last century by the Aberdeen architect James Matthews. The castle was built by the Cheyne family. who held the lands from 138O to 1643. In 1702 it was acquired by Bailie John Ross, later provost of Aberdeen who the same year took over the house in Shiprow, Aberdeen, which still bears his name.