Auchnagatt

Auchnagatt Scottish Gaelic: Achadh nan Cat
Auchnagatt
Auchnagatt Location within Aberdeenshire
OS grid reference	NJ932417
Council area	Aberdeenshire
Lieutenancy area	Aberdeenshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ELLON
Postcode district	AB41
Dialling code	01358
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Aberdeenshire North and Moray East
Scottish Parliament	Aberdeenshire East

Auchnagatt (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh nan Cat) is a village and rural area in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated on the Ebrie Burn and on the A948 road between Ellon and New Deer.

Schools

Auchnagatt Primary School is situated in the village. The rural areas once supported several primary schools, with those at Clochcan, Knaven and Savoch merging to form Braeside School in 1957. Braeside School in turn was closed in 2005.^[1] Arnage School to the south remains open.

Secondary education is provided at Mintlaw Academy, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the village of Auchnagatt.

Transport

Regular public transport is limited to infrequent bus services to Ellon, New Deer and surrounding villages, though an on-demand Dial-a-bus service is also available.^[2] The railway station closed to passengers in 1965 and now offers an access point to the Formartine and Buchan Way, the long-distance path that follows the route of the former railway.

Other facilities

Facilities in the village include a village hall and a general store ("Taylor's Emporium") which is now closed. There also used to be a hotel and pub/function room called The Barons which has been closed.

Sports Team

The local football team are called the Auchnagatt Barons, who have been in existence for 36 years. After the 2015/16 season, Auchnagatt Barons achieved promotion to Division 2 of the Aberdeenshire AFA, finishing 2nd in the 3rd division.

History

There is evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area. The remains of two earth houses were found at Windy Hill, south-east of the village, in 1850.

More recent history centred on agriculture until the coming of the railway in the 1860s, when sidings and goods sheds were constructed in the village.

Nowadays Auchnagatt serves largely as a dormitory village for Aberdeen.

Name

Sources dispute the origin of the name Auchnagatt, claiming "field of the wild cats" (Gaelic achadh na' cat),^[3] "field of withies" (willows),^[4] "place of the roads" (Gaelic achadh nan cat),^[5] or a reference to the currachs or wickerwork creels traditionally produced in the area.^[6]

Notable people

• Johanna Basford - illustrator and textile designer^[7]

References

1. Scottish Parliament petition on closure of rural schools
2. Aberdeenshire Council public transport information Archived February 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
3. Scottish land-names; their origin and meaning (Herbert Maxwell, 1894)
4. "What sites should be considered for development in Buchan". Aberdeenshire Council. p. B1. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
5. John Milne. "Celtic Place Names in Aberdeenshire". Issuu. p. 69. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
6. "Old Photograph Auchnagatt Scotland". Tour Scotland. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
7. "Follow The Paper Trail". www.heraldscotland.com. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 16 February 2016.