Dyce

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

Etymology
There is no certain account, nor even conjecture which has the least appearance of probability, with regard to the origin of the name of this parish. Tradition, however, says that "Dyce, or Dyse, was in the earliest times called the Chapel of St. Fergus, near a marsh called Moss Fætach," and that Dyce is known to have been one of the six chapels attached to the rectory of Kinkel, as the contiguous parishes of Newhills and New Machar were, in Catholic times, chapels or vicarages connected with the "kirk at the Kirktown of Old Aberdeen," and the Cathedral of Old Machar.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by the parish of Fintray; on the east by the parishes of New and Old Machar; on the south by the parish of Newhills; and on the west by the parish of Kinellar.

Extent
The extreme length of the parish from east to west, in a direct line, is fully 4¼ miles, and the extreme breadth from south to north is 3 miles; and the whole area is estimated to be 5,285½ acres.

Topography
The hill of Tyrebagger, or Tyrebeggar, the highest point of which is 824 feet above sea level, occupies the south-western borders of the parish, and its lateral ridges descend to the Blackburn on the west, by the ridge of Marcus-hill (763 feet), and the Don on the west, by the lower hills of Bendauch and Woodland; while, on the east and north-east, the slopes of Tyrebagger rapidly descend by the ridges of Corsehill, and the more northern hill of Dyce, to the valley of the Don.

The lowest point of the parish, on the Don, is at the influx of the Far burn, and it is 104 feet above sea level, and the highest point on the river is at the influx of the Blackburn, where it is 146 feet. The bridge over the Blackburn, on the Aberdeen and Inverurie road is 245 feet above sea level, and the summit of that road on Tyrebagger hill is 501 feet. The Dyce Station, on the Great North of Scotland Railway, is 175 feet.

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