Kinellar

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

Etymology
The origin of the name of this parish is unknown, but the names of different places in it are evidently derived from the Gaelic; such as Kinaldie, Ceann-allt-dubh, which signifies "the head or end of the dark stream;" Tertowie, Toy-tuaidh, "the hill of the north lying land"; Strathray, Stra-ruighe, "the strath of the shealing," or, Stra-druidh, "the Druid's strath;" Cairntradlin, Carn-traid-lane, the plain hill of cairns, or, "plain side of the hill of cairns;" and Kinellar, Ceann-ail-ar may signify "the head or highest point of the walls or dykes," on the track of the great Roman road delineated in Ptolemy's Itinerary.

Boundaries
It is bounded on the north by the Don and the parish of Fintray; on the east by the parishes of Dyce and Newhills; on the south by the parish of Skene; and on the west by the parish of Kintore.

Extent
The greatest length of the parish in a direct line from south to north is 4½ miles, and the greatest breadth from east to west, also in a direct line, does not exceed two miles. The whole area is computed to be 4,227 acres, 600 decs.

Topography
The long range of high ground which runs from the Don on the north, to Skene on the south, is formed by the flat rounded hills of Cairntradlin, Kinellar, Glasgoforest, and Auquhorsk; while the hill of Auchronie bounds the parish with Skene on the south. The haughs of Kinaldie and Cairntradlin lie along the Don, and the upper valley of the Blackburn has a gentle undulating surface rising into the higher rounded knolls of Tertowie, Backhill, and others in the central and west divisions.

The lowermost point on the Don, bordering with Dyce, is about 135 feet above sea level, the bridge on the Inverurie road at the hamlet of Blackburn is 245 feet, the parish boundary on the road and march burn of Auchenclech is 394 feet, the Cairn of Assembling, which is on the hill of Auchronie, on the boundary with Skene, is 732 feet; and the bounding stone, marked "Drum Stone, Harlaw, 1411," is 610 feet above sea level. The church of Kinellar stands 375 feet above sea level, and the highest point on the Blackburn and Kintore road at Glasgoego is 374 feet.

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