Old Deer Auchredie

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

Etymology
The word Deer, which gives the name to the parish and the mother church of the Presbytery, appears in ecclesiastical aud other records to have been variously spelled, Deare, Dear, Diére: Dier, and Deer; but always of letters which, when spoken according to the ordinary rules of pronunciation, would have invariably produced the same sound.

The story of the founding of Deer was discovered by a manuscript in the University of Cambridge, said to have been written by the monks of Deer, and to record the origin of the Abbey. Saint Colomba and Saint Drostane came together from Iona, and landed first at Aberdour, the ruler thereof gave them ground whereon to build a church--Aberdour being, according to this authority, the earliest Christian church in Buchan. The missionaries subseuently proceeded inland, seeking ground whereon to build another church; but the Maormor, or ruler of the district, was at first strongly opposed to them. About this time his son fell ill, and after trying in vain every remedy, he sought the advice and prayers of St. Drostane. The fervent prayers of that righteous man availing to the recovery of the youth, the Maormor's hostility was changed into friendship, and he freely granted land to the missionaries. St. Colomba having thus obtained a settlement for St. Drostane, was about to part from him, when noticing a tear on his cheek, he observed, "This shall be the place of tear"--that is Deer.

Boundaries
It is bounded on the north by the parishes of Strichen and Lonmay; on the east by the parishes of Longside and Cruden; on the south by the parish of Ellon; and on the west by New Deer.

Extent
The extreme length, in a direct line, from Earlseat, on the Cruden boundary, to Skillymarno, on the north Ugie, is about 10½ miles; and the extreme breadth, also in a direct line, is from the Hythie boundary on the north Ugie, to near the Brucklay Station on the Formartine and Buchan Railway, the distance is a little over six miles. The area of the Aberdeen portion of the parish is computed to be 24,627¼ acres; and the Banffsbire portion, at 2,812 acres; together, 27,439¼ acres.

Topography
The surface of the whole is undulating, presenting to the appearance of the eye of a spectator, a series of rounded hills, intersected by valleys and streams, which are of no great height or size. The south Ugie intersects the parish from the bridge of Baluss on the Longside boundary, to Overtown of Bruxie, on the New Deer; and the height of the river at this point is about 210 feet above sea level; and the distance from the sea, by the course of the stream, is 20½ miles. The church is 134 feet; the Wuddyhill is 291 feet; the house of Knock is 171 feet; and the square of Stuartfield is 160 feet. The hill of Trefynie, or King's Crown, is 405 feet; the hill of Dens is 548 feet; Slampton Hill is 418 feet; and the hill of Kinaldie is 368 feet. The hill of Skelmuir is 470 feet; and the hill of Kinknockie is about 450 feet. The moss of Annochie is 350 feet; the Kidshill is 352 feet; the Castle-hill of Benwells (planted) is 491 feet; the hill of Little Elrick is 421 feet; the hill of Balwark is 466 feet; and the hill of Clackriach is 410 feet above sea level. With the exception of the hills of Dens and the Windhills, Skelmuir, Aikeybrae, and the Castle-hill of Benwells, most of these hills are cultivated to the very tops, and the valleys are all either cultivated or planted.
North of the Ugie, the ridges of Bruxie and the White Cow, which borders on New Deer and Strichen parishes, are of less altitude. The hill of Cairndale is 396 feet, the Knapperty-hill is 408 feet, and the highest part of the White Cow wood is 466 feet. The eastern portion of the parish, also north of the Ugie, is occupied by the policies of Pitfour and Aden. The bridge of Deer is about 130 feet; the south gate to Pitfour is 165 feet; the lake is 176 feet; the ruins of the Abbey of Deer are about 158 feet; the wood of Sappling-brae is 323 feet, and the Observatory stands 396 feet above sea level.
In the north-eastern portion of the parish, lies the old parish of Fetterangus, which is in Banffshire, and comprehends the village of Fetterangus, the lands of Gavals, Cabra, and the Hythies. The higher ground within the Cairn Orchies race course is upwards of 400 feet; and the quarry between the race course and the shelters is 430 feet. The Hythies, which lie to the north-east of the north branch of the Ugie, are bare and uninteresting. The village of Fetterangus, with its old burying-ground, is about 224 feet above sea level; and the hills of Gaval, Cabra (324 feet), and Auchrynie (330 feet), presenting a very undulating surface, but are mostly cultivated, or planted.

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