Alford, Aberdeenshire

Alford (pronounced /ˈɑːfərd/ ^ⓘ  Scots: Aaford or Awfort, Scottish Gaelic: Athfort) is a large village in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland, lying just south of the River Don. It lies within the Howe of Alford (also called the Vale of Alford) which occupies the middle reaches of the River Don.^[5]

Alford Scottish Gaelic: Athfort[1] Scots: Aaford,[2] Awfort[3]
Alford Location within Aberdeenshire
Population	2,610 (2022)[4]
OS grid reference	NJ5716
• Edinburgh	90 mi (145 km)
• London	409 mi (658 km)
Council area	Aberdeenshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Alford
Postcode district	AB33
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Scottish Parliament	Aberdeenshire West
List of places UK Scotland 57.23°N 02.71°W / 57.23; -02.71

The "L" sound in the place-name has, over time, been dropped, and is silent. Alford gave its name to a battle of the Battle of Alford (1645). It is also the home of the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed, which is celebrated by a life-sized model of a bull on the edge of the village, which the Queen Mother inaugurated in 2001.^[6] It is believed^{[by whom?]} that the original breeding ground of the cattle was Buffal, located between Tough (Tulloch) and Craigievar nearby Alford.

The Alford Valley Railway, Grampian Transport Museum, Alford Heritage Museum and Craigievar Castle are visitor attractions, with a range of other archaeological sites, stone circles, and castles (including Balfluig Castle, Castle Fraser and Drum Castle) also nearby. One stone circle, originally believed to be prehistoric, turned out to be a 20-year-old replica.^[7]

Sport

Alford Golf Club opened on 15 May 1981. Initially a nine-hole course, it reopened as an eighteen-hole course in May 1992.^[8][9][10]

Public transport

Alford railway station was the former terminus of the closed Alford Valley Railway branch line.

There is a bus service connecting with Aberdeen, approximately 26 miles (42 km) away. There is much new housebuilding going on in Alford as of 2006^[update] to cater for a workforce who mainly commute in Aberdeen to work in the oil industry.^{[citation needed]} Bus services are operated by Stagecoach, with dial-a-bus services being operated by Aberdeenshire Council. Bus services connecting Alford to Aberdeen go by two different routes:

• the 218 goes via Westhill
• the X20 goes via Kintore and Kemnay.

Notable residents

• Alford is the birthplace of the renowned poet, Charles Murray
• Stewart Milne, chairman of both the Stewart Milne Group and Aberdeen Football Club was born nearby and attended school in Alford
• John Forbes, minister exiled by James VI
• Lord Forbes, of Forbes Castle
• William McCombie, pioneer Aberdeen Angus breeder
• Laura Main, actress in Call the Midwife
• Emeli Sandé, award-winning singer/songwriter.
• Dougie Gray, Rangers F.C. fullback
• William Minto, critic and novelist

References

1. "Rannsaich an Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig" (in Scottish Gaelic). .smo.uhi.ac.uk. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
2. Scots Language Centre: Scottish Place Names in Scots
3. The Online Scots Dictionary.
4. "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
5. "Aberdour - Anderston A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland". British History Online. S Lewis, London 1846. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
6. Davies, Caroline (11 October 2001). "Queen Mother helps to unveil statue of a bull". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
7. Metcalfe, Tom (21 January 2019). "'Ancient' Stone Circle Actually Built in 1990s by Scottish Farmer". Live Science. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
8. Third, Paul (5 May 2022). "Alford Golf Club's 40th anniversary: Steward who has been there since day one reflects on club's journey". Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
9. Beattie, Kieran (13 October 2015). "Pensioner hit in head by golf ball as he walked down Aberdeenshire street". Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
10. Wyllie, James (27 November 2020). "Alford Golf Club manager 'succumbed to temptation' by embezzling £12,000". Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 June 2022.

External links