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Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...
in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an elevation of . The Gaelic ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' properly refers to the area of upper Marr (as it literally means), i.e. the area of Marr to the west of Aboyne, the village itself being Castleton of Braemar (''Baile a' Chaisteil''). The village used to be known as ''Cinn Drochaid'' (bridge end); ''Baile a' Chaisteil'' referred to only the part of the village on the east bank of the river, the part on the west bank being known as ''Ach an Droighinn'' (thorn field).


Geography

Braemar is approached from the South on the A93 from Glen Clunie and the Cairnwell Pass and from the East also on the A93 from
Deeside Deeside ( cy, Glannau Dyfrdwy) is the name given to a predominantly industrial conurbation of towns and villages in Flintshire and Cheshire on the Wales–England border lying near the canalised stretch of the River Dee that flows from neig ...
. Braemar can be approached on foot from the West through
Glen Tilt Glen Tilt ( Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Teilt) is a glen in the extreme north of Perthshire, Scotland. Beginning at the confines of Aberdeenshire, it follows a South-westerly direction excepting for the last 4 miles, when it runs due south to Blai ...
, Glen Feshie, Glen Dee (by the Lairig Ghru), and
Glen Derry A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower ...
(by the Lairig an Laoigh). Braemar is within a one-and-a-half-hour drive of
Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...
,
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
, and
Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
. The village is overlooked (from roughly northwest) by Carn na Drochaide (818 m), (from roughly northeast) by Creag Choinneach (538 m), (from roughly southwest) by Carn na Sgliat (690 m), and (from roughly southwest) by Morrone (859 m).


Climate

Like most of the United Kingdom, Braemar experiences an
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
though somewhat cooler than lowland areas, verging on a subpolar oceanic climate. Braemar is the third-coldest low-lying place in the UK after the villages of Dalwhinnie and Leadhills with an annual mean temperature of . Braemar has twice entered the UK weather records with a low temperature of , recorded on 11 February 1895 and again on 10 January 1982. This record is shared with Altnaharra in the
Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland S ...
. Braemar has an average of 102 days of air frost and 153 days with 1 mm or more of rainfall.
Met Office The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is led by CEO Penelop ...


Retrieved 1 October 2015
Snowfall can be heavy in winter and early spring, and often accumulates to depths of or more. was recorded by weather watcher Chris Booth on 9 February 2021. On 30 September 2015, Braemar had one of the largest recorded diurnal ranges of temperature in the UK, as well as recording the warmest and coldest temperatures for the UK for September 2015 on that day; the maximum temperature was and the minimum was . The very next day it was again the coldest and warmest place in the UK. The minimum temperature was and the maximum was a new October record for Braemar—it was . Braemar recorded later that month, meaning that for the second month in a row, Braemar recorded the warmest and coldest monthly temperatures for the UK. As well as this, temperatures reached a new record for November in Braemar of , set on 2 November 2015. On 11 February 2021 Braemar made national news after a temperature of was recorded. It was the lowest February temperature since 1955 and the UK's coldest night since 30 December 1995.


History

The modern village sits over the Clunie Water, a strategically important crossing on the Elsick Mounth, an ancient trackway used by
Picts The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from ea ...
and Romans. It is located in the upper end of the historical
Earldom of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. The ...
, literally the ''Braes o' Mar''. The
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
name ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' or ''upland of Mar'' was originally applied to the general area; using ''Braemar'' for the village dates to around 1870. Before the 11th century, there were separate hamlets on each bank of the Clunie, ''Auchendryne'' on the west and ''Castleton'' on the east, or ''Bail Chasteil''. The names are clearly marked on the current
Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of 1745. There was a ...
maps, below 'Braemar'. 'Castleton' refers to
Kindrochit Castle Kindrochit Castle () is a ruined 14th-century fortification in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located at Braemar, in a strategic position on the banks of the Clunie Water, a tributary of the River Dee. The ruins are protected as a scheduled mo ...
, located within the modern village, rather than Braemar Castle to the south, while ''Kindrochit'' means 'bridge end'. Kindrochit (or Kindrochit-Alian) was known as ''Doldauha'' before the mid-9th century. According to legend, Malcolm III came to the area in around 1059, and built a timber bridge connecting the east and west banks. 'Kindrochit' means ''bridge end'' and the castle is assumed to have been built to protect the crossing. The ruins are considered to be largely of 14th-century origin, replacing the presumed timber-construction of the original castle. Following the accession of George I in 1714, the Earl of Mar launched the 1715 Jacobite Rising on 6 September at Braemar.Christoph v. Ehrenstein,
Erskine, John, styled twenty-second or sixth earl of Mar and Jacobite duke of Mar (''bap''. 1675, d. 1732)
, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008, Retrieved 12 June 2019.
In 1795, a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
chapel was built on the high-ground to the west of Auchendryne, giving the name to Chapel Brae, which was used as a school. Until the 20th century, Braemar was largely owned by one of the adjoining Mar Estates, with Auchendryne and Invercauld on one side, Castleton on the other. Allegedly, inter-estate rivalry was a factor in each having its own pub, the Fife Arms Hotel in Auchendryne, and the Invercauld Arms Hotel in Castleton, built over the mound where the Earl of Mar raised the Jacobite standard in 1715. Auchindryne (to use the spelling by Wyness) from ''ach' an droighinn (field of the thorn)'' belonged to a branch of the Farquharsons until it was forfeited in the aftermath of the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...
. Later that century it was acquired by William Duff, 1st Earl Fife. The Catholic Church in Braemar is dedicated to Saint Andrew and was built in 1839.
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
has traditionally been strong in the Braemar area, and the bones of Saint Andrew rested in Braemar before being taken to the place now known as St Andrews.
St Ninian's Chapel, Braemar St Ninian's Chapel in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is a Grade B listed Anglican chapel located in the grounds of the Mar Lodge Estate. Built from 1895 to 1898 for use as a private chapel by the family of Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, ow ...
, completed in 1898, is the
Scottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland. A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...
place of worship.
Johann von Lamont Johann von Lamont, FRSE (13 December 1805 – 6 August 1879), born John Lamont, was a Scottish-German astronomer and physicist. Biography Lamont was born at Corriemulzie near Inverey in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The son of Robert Lamont (fo ...
(1805–1879), the Scottish-German astronomer and astrophysicist who pioneered the study of the
Earth's magnetic field Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is the magnetic field that extends from Earth's interior out into space, where it interacts with the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun. The magneti ...
was born in nearby
Corriemulzie Corriemulzie is a locality on Mar Lodge Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Corriemulzie lies on the Linn of Dee road about 3 miles west of Braemar. The locality includes the Corriemulzie Burn that flows through the Linn of Corriemulzie, and under t ...
. On 16 March 2022, the 19th-century Braemar Lodge Hotel was engulfed in a fire and explosion.


Language

In the 1891 census, 59.2% of the population of Braemar spoke the
Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...
language "habitually"; the percentage of those actually able to speak the language (despite not having much opportunity to) would have been somewhat higher. The small crofting township of Inverey (''Inbhir Èidh'') was 86.3% Gaelic-speaking, most non-speakers being originally from Lower Deeside. The Gaelic spoken in the Aberdeenshire Highlands shared most features in common with the Gaelic of Strathspey and East Perthshire. The last native-speaker of the local Gaelic dialect died in 1984, though there are still surviving native-speakers of the similar Strathspey dialect. At the 2001 census, out of a total population of 839 in Crathie and Braemar Civil Parish, only 5 (0.6%) claimed to be Gaelic-speakers.


Braemar Gathering

Known colloquially as ''The Games'' and originating from those believed to have been held by Malcolm III, an annual Highland Games Gathering is held at Braemar on the first Saturday in September and is traditionally attended by the British Royal Family. In 1746, the Act of Proscription stopped all clan gatherings, but following its repeal in 1782, the old enthusiasms for such events returned. In 1815, the Braemar Highland Society was created and officially constituted in 1817; the first modern-day games taking place in 1832 with cash prizes being awarded to the competitors, using the funds of the Braemar Highland Society. On 14 September 1848
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
attended the Gathering at Invercauld. In 1866, ''Royal'' was added to ''Braemar Highland Society'' and in 1906, the Duke of Fife presented of
Mar Estate Mar, mar or MAR may refer to: Culture * Mar or Mor, an honorific in Syriac * Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland * MAA (singer) (born 1986), Japanese * Marathi language, by ISO 639-2 language code * March, as an abbreviation for the third month ...
to the Society and ''The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park'', the current home of the ''Braemar Gathering'', was created. Since
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
's time, the reigning
monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
has been the patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Society. File:Braemar Highland Games - John Mitchell - ABDAG004878.jpg, ''Braemar Highland Games'' by John Mitchell, 1898 File:braemargames_2006_06.jpg, Participants at the 2006 Games.


Amenities

Braemar has a golf course, two large hotels (Fife Arms and Invercauld Arms) as well as many smaller hotels and private homes offering bed and breakfast-style accommodation and a large SYHA
hostel A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or share ...
. On the southern edge of the village there is also a caravan site. Braemar also has a small
Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...
/village shop and mountain bike hire. The Morrone Birkwood Nature Reserve is a
nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological o ...
on the edge of the village reached from the car park at the top of Chapel Brae.


Transportation

There is a regular bus service between Braemar and Aberdeen.


See also

* Allanaquoich * Braemar Castle * Cairnwell Pass *
Glen Lui Glen Lui from ''Gleann Laoigh – calves' glen – Gordon (1925)'' is one of the major glens on the Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its main watercourse is the Lui Water a tributary of the River Dee, which it joins about a half-mil ...
*
Inverey Inverey (; gd, Inbhir Eidh) is a hamlet on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Description The hamlet straddles the Ey Burn close to its confluence with the River Dee. Inverey comprises two 'communities' separated by the Ey Burn ...
*
Linn of Dee The River Dee ( gd, Uisge Dhè) is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through southern Aberdeenshire to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen. The area it passes through is known as Deeside, or Royal Deeside in ...
*
Mar Lodge Mar Lodge is a sporting lodge to the west of Braemar and the principal building on the Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was built in 1895, replacing an earlier building, by Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife. Location Mar Lodge is a ...
* Mar Lodge Estate * St Ninian's Chapel


Notes and references


External links


Braemar information guide for visitors

Official Braemar Gathering Website
{{Authority control Villages in Aberdeenshire Places and place names on Mar Lodge Estate Buildings and structures on Mar Lodge Estate