THE SOUTH DEESIDE VIEW Autumn/Winter 2004 Welcome to the Autumn/Winter 2004 edition and apologies for the delay in producing this but as many of you know, some years ago, Trish Burrell and myself Carolyn Morrison resurrected the Newsletter but as we are now both in full-time careers we are finding that gathering the information and chasing input increasingly time consuming. Also, in the beginning, in order to raise money to fund the printing only of the Newsletter we organised a few local fund-raising events and along with sponsorship through advertising and donations from the Community Council we had been able to produce the newsletter on a timely basis. Unfortunately, the funds are depleted and much as we would like to, neither of us has the time to organise fund-raising events or chase advertising. But recently in discussions with the Community Council we are hoping to get pre-paid ongoing advertising and sponsorship from local businesses BUT we may still need assistance in some form to keep the South Deeside View "rolling off the press"! Our whole object was to communicate local news and activities throughout the community which is spread over such a wide area and at the same time welcome new residents who might want to become involved in any of these ongoing activities and hopefully bring the community closer together and more neighbourly, at the same time understanding local North East traditions. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank those who have continued to provide news and advertising etc. and also the Community Council. So, if anyone is interested in either sponsorship, advertising or generally collating news/providing information on local history and traditions please call to discuss with Carolyn on 01224 732026. Wishing you All a Peaceful and Happy Christmas & All Good Wishes for 2005. Meals on Wheels We are a small group of ladies who deliver meals on wheels in Maryculter and Banchory- Devenick. Please contact Carol Masson on 01224 733583 for more information. Maryculter Friendship Club Meets on the 1st Thursday of each month, May through September, going on bus tours to places of interest. The Club has had a very happy season ending with a meal at the Old Mill Inn. The October Whist, with raffle and donations realised the sum of £253.20. It was further boosted by a “sale of apples” from the garden at Hilltop, Maryculter. Maryculter Scout Group were kindly allowed to gather the apples and on the night of the whist members and friends filled bags and donated £26 to the Friendship Club Funds. Stewed Apples and Eves Pudding must have been on the menu that week! Even Les the Scout Master surprised his wife Kathleen by producing baked apples for supper! Our Spring Whist is on 21st April 2005 at Corbie Hall to which all are invited and made welcome. It is hoped to have the 2005 Syllabus ready for that evening. We should have lots of scenic runs organised for the summer. If you live in the area and are interested in joining the Club, please ring Peggy on 01224 734888. MacMillan Coffee Morning Many thanks to all who attended the 11th MacMillan Coffee Morning held at Storybook Glen and grateful thanks to helpers and all who attended, contributed, donated - £600 was raised. (Sheila Stuart) Christmas Get-Together & Cookie Exchange Window Cleaner Services Is anyone is interested in coming along to Contact Martin Pilley on 01261 815411 Storybook Glen on Sunday 28th November 2-4pm for a cup of tea and a Milk Delivery chat while bringing along a tray of bakes with Milk, Papers (Press & Journal + Mearns a view to swapping tastes and recipes? It’s Leader), Fresh Orange Juice, Yoghurts etc an American idea I thought could work quite can be delivered daily by Robert Wiseman well here, especially in Maryculter where we Dairies, Craigshaw Drive, West Tullos, don’t get to see our neighbours as often as we Aberdeen. T: 896969 or by contacting local might like with the houses being as far apart Milkman who is as they are. Please contact Sheila Stuart on Alan Masson Franchise Milkman 734222 for further details. M 07770332969 or [email protected]. Drum Castle Dates for Diary Local History Notes on the Romans in North December Sat 11th and Sunday 12th Drum East Scotland Castle will be holding their annual Holly Festival. The courtyard will be full of covered This is just a summary to give interested stalls selling all sorts of different gifts, holly people a flavour. Many people have no idea wreaths will be on sale (as will holly-wreath the Romans came up this far! If anyone else DIY kits). With Carol Singers to entertain has any further leads please let me know. around the Christmas Tree and mince pies and mulled wine. As an outpost of the Roman Empire, Scotland played a significant role in the Roman world. The beautiful castle is owned and run by The south and east were occupied National Trust for Scotland which is a charity intermittently from 79AD to the early third supported by the general public, in helping to century. There is documentary evidence of preserve our wonderful heritage. the occupation. There is also archaeological Opening Times: research on the forts and in more recent years 12.30-5.30 Every Day from May through aerial photography has made a considerable September number of discoveries. 10.00-5.30 Every Day June, July and August Information on Drum Castle Events or It is commonly known that Hadrian’s Wall was National Trust Call Drum Castle direct on the northern limit of the Roman Empire. Of 01330 811204 course, there was not Anglo-Saxon border and the Scots had not yet migrated here from Library Service Ireland. Aberdeenshire Library Service (based at The governor chosen to Oldmeldrum)runs a Mobile Library Van lead the Roman armies into Service in the area visiting Netherley, S c o t l a n d w a s J u l i u s Banchory-Devenick & Maryculter every Agricola. His son-in-law fortnight – Wednesdays & Thursdays. Tacitus wrote his biography For dates/times contact Jacqueline Geekie or a few years later. He Pearl Morrison on 01651 872707at the above arrived as governor in late number with any summer 77AD putting down queries or resistance in North Wales. www.aberdeenshiregove.uk/alis In 78AD he consolidated the Roman hold over northern England. His army group must have numbered 20,000 men Fresh Local Produce advancing through southern Scotland to the line of the forth and then the Tay. Locally grown tatties, courgettes, cauliflowers, Bad weather hindered the army’s advance! carrots, spinach, herbs etc. can be purchased He established forts in the Forth-Clyde valley. from The Andersons at West Funach by Durris In the summer of 81AD he sent some ships up (Tel 01330 844655) the west coast and discovered the belt of mountains and lochs. So in 82AD he moved forward from the Tay into Strathmore. The Caledonian tribes were elusive and practiced guerrilla warfare. In 83AD he advanced into the Moray and Nairn and is know to have reached the Spey valley. In late 83AD the famous battle of Mons known east of Huntly at Glenmailen (111 Graupius took place, possibly on the Garioch acres), a further one has been identified on slopes of Bennachie for a large Roman camp the river Deveron at Burnfield. There are two has been discovered at nearby Durno by more near Keith at Muiryfold and Auchinhove Inverurie. A 1470 misprint led to the spelling on the river Isla (30 acres). It is expected that Grampius. He went on to take hostages from the army reached Pinnata Casta at Burghead, the Boresti tribe at Forres. mentioned by Ptolemy. After Agricola’s term of service his successor Locally, part of the north side of the camp at established a fort of 53 acres on the Tay at Normandykes survives along the edge of a Inchtuthil. He did not make the mistake of forestry plantation with a two metre rampart seeking to penetrate the Highland glens. This and a four metre wide ditch. At Peterculter, was abandoned in 87AD and they fell back to turn off the A93, along a minor road past a the river Earn. The Antonine wall was built in mill, continue beside the old railway 142/3AD stretching for 37 miles from Bo’ness embankment and then cross a stream to on the forth and Old Kilpatrick on the clyde. reach the plantation on the opposite slope, the left had corner of the trees marks the north Finally the Emperor Septeimius Severus each angle of the camp. arrived in Britain in 208AD to mount a major campaign in the North against the Maentae in Raedykes near Stonehaven was not Stirlingshire, Strathmore and the Mearns. A recognised as a Roman camp until 1757. In considerable fleet accompanied the advance 1914 it was surveyed and excavated. In 1844 up the east coast. Imagine the reaction of the a collection of Roman coins was found at locals when they saw that in Stonehaven Cowie Moss and a few years later another harbour. Severus took the title ‘Brittanicus’, was found on the Ury estate. Twenty of these ‘conqueror of Britain’ but died at York in coins are in the Edinburgh Museum of the 211AD. Society of Antiquaries. In 1890 two bronze leaf shaped swords were found at Netherley The Picts as such were first mentioned by a and at Balnagubs. They are in the Marischal Roman historian in 297AD. They were called College Museum.