Aberchirder

The village of Aberchirder was founded in 1764 by Alexander Gordon, the 5th Laird of Auchintoul. Until 1823 its official name was, in fact, Foggieloan after a small farm community on the site of which it was built. There is some uncertainty as to how the name Foggieloan originated. There are various theories; the most likely is that there is a stretch of moorland north of where the farm town existed (and, now, north of the village) which was named Foggieloan Moss from two Gaelic words (peat moss) and (meadow), so Foggieloan means peaty or boggy meadow. Kinnairdy Castle, now belonging to the Innes family is 2 miles to the south west, where the River Deveron joins the Auchintoul Burn. In…