Crimond

A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875

Etymology
In some old deeds the name of this parish is spelt Creich-mont, but there are doubts about the derivation of the prefix. Cri or Cra, are both English corruptions of Caer, which in Gaelic signifies a fort, and mom, mont, or mond, in the same language, signifies a hill, therefore Crimond would signify the fort on the hill, or the castle hill, which is close by the farm house of Rattray, and once a seat of Cumine, Earl of Buchan, but, after his defeat at the battle of Barra, in 1308, by King Robert Bruce, this castle was allowed to fall into ruins.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north and west by the parish of Lonmay; on the east, partly by the loch of Strath-beg, and the German Ocean, along which it has a sea-board of 2½ miles; and on the south by the parish of St. Fergus.

Extent
The greatest length of the parish, from east to west, in a direct line from Rattray Head to the Loch of Logie, is 6½ miles; and its greatest breadth, from south to north, also in a direct line, from Tillydaff to Mill of Crimon-mogate, is 2½ miles. The whole area is estimated to be about 7,420 acres.

Topography
The sea shore presents a flat beach of sand, bordered by sand hills covered by sea reed or bent grass, except at the point of Rattray Head, where there is a high headland and a long ridge of half submerged rocks, called Rattray-brigs, running in a north-easterly direction from the shore, and extending for about 1½ miles into the German Ocean, where, either through carelessness or ignorance of the coast, many vessels have been stranded. As to this dangerous reef of rocks, the sailor's caution runs thus :-

"Keep Mormond-hill a hand-spike high,
And Rattray-brigs you may pass by."

From the promontory of Rattray-head, the land rises by Stobhall to an elevation of about 165 feet above sea level, and then descends into the valley which is formed by the streamlet of Longley, and the church, which is only about 50 feet. From Longley, and the Turnpike-road bridge on the burn of Logie, the land rises gently to the south-west point at Loch-hills, and to the south-east boundary, near the mansion house of Kininmonth, which is in the parish of Lonmay.

[A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875]