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Kemnay

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

Etymology
As to the origin of the name of the parish, the only conjecture is, that it is derived from Kembs, a chain of low rounded hills which appear in the central parts and run along the northern boundary, at some distance from the Don, and termintate on the borders of Cluny parish, on the south-west.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by the Don and the parish of Inverurie; on the east it is bounded by Kintore; on the south by a small part of Skene anadthe parish of Cluny; and on the west by the burn of Ton, the Don, and the parishes of Monymusk and Chapel of Garioch.

Extent
The greatest length of the parish in a direct line, from south to north, is about 5½ miles, and in no part does it exceed two miles in breadth, from east to west. The whole area is computed, or estimated to be 5,154 acres, 867 decs.

Topography
The surface is, upon the whole, undulatory, but not hilly, there being no hills in the parish of any considerable height, with several extensive flats of worn-out moss land on Lochshangie and Lauchentilly, and the haughs of Kemnay along the Don; the higher hills being those of Roquharrold and Acquhithie on the north, the Quarry Hills in the centre, and those of Scrapehard on the south; while the knolls, or ridges of the Kembs, intersect the central parts, from north-east to the south-west. The lower boundary of the parish, on the Don, opposite Ardtannies, is about 200 feet above sea level; the bridge over the river at Fetternear, by the old ferry-boat of Kemnay, is 264 feet; and the bridge over the Don, on the Monymusk road, is 260 feet. The church of Kemnay stands 283 feet above sea level.

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