Cruden

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

Etymology
In some old records the name is written Crudane, and takes its rise from Croju Dane, signifying, "Kill the Dane," originating in the famous battle between King Malcolm II. of Scotland, and Canute, son of Sueno, king of Denmark. The battle was fought in the year 1014, in the hollow of Ardendraught, where the Danes then had a castle. The Scots were victorious, and on the site of the battle field they erected a chapel, and buried the dead of both armies.

Boundaries
The parish of Cruden is bounded on the north by the parish of Peterhead; on the east by the German Ocean, along which it has a sea board of about eight miles; on the south it is bounded by the parishes of Slains, Logie-Buchan, and Ellon; and on the west by the parishes of Old Deer and Longside.

Extent
The extreme length from south-west to north-east is 8¾ miles, and the extreme breadth from south-east to north-west is six miles; and the whole area is computed to be 18,444 acres.

Topography
The greater portion of the parish of Cruden may be termed a large undulating valley, having, on the north, or Peterhead boundary, the ridge of the Stirlinghill (260 feet), and the Blackhill (320 feet), the intermediate ridge being somewhat lower. On the west there are the hills of Gask, Aldie, and Moreseat (450 feet), and those of Auquharney and Dudwick (562 feet) above sea level; while, on the south division, there is the long flat hill of the Kiplaws (180 feet), stretching along the Slains boundary. Along the valley formed by the burn of Cruden, there are the steep braes of Ardendraught, and Ardifferies, with the higher hill slopes of the Auchleuchries (350 feet), and of Auquharney on the south-west of the parish, with those formed by the burn of Braco in the central division, and the lower undulating ground along the burn of Gask in the north-west division. The sea coast, south of the bay and "Scares of Cruden," presents a series of bold precipitous rocks, which rise from 50 to 150 feet, almost in perpendicular height from the sea. North of the sandy bay of Cruden, which occupies about two miles of the shore, the rocks are more formidable. On this division of the coast there is the Pot of the Buller of Buchan (150 feet in height), which has, on the sea side, a high natural arch through which boats can enter. The Bow of Pitwartlachie is a natural arch across a long ravine, with mural precipices of rugged rocks on both sides of immense height. The isolated rock of Dun-buy has a magnificent natural arch which can be approached only by boat. This rock swarms with migratory sea birds, especially in the breeding season. In the face of the cliffs along the shore, there are numerous subterranean caverns, yawning chasms, deep gullies, and dark ravines, into which the sea dashes in easterly-gales with fearful violence.

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