Insch
Insch
| |
---|---|
Location withinAberdeenshire | |
Population | 2,690 (2022)[1] |
OS grid reference | NJ632280 |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | INSCH |
Postcode district | AB52 6 |
Dialling code | 01464 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Insch_viewed_from_Dunnideer.jpg/220px-Insch_viewed_from_Dunnideer.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Dunnydeer_by_Bruce_McAdam.jpg/220px-Dunnydeer_by_Bruce_McAdam.jpg)
Insch(Scottish Gaelic:An Innis or Innis Mo Bheathain)[2][3]is a village in theGarioch,Aberdeenshire,Scotland.It is located approximately 28 miles (45 km) from the city ofAberdeen.
History
[edit]Insch is home to the Pictish Picardy Stone which is one of the oldestPictishsymbol stones and may date from the7th century.
Dunnideer Castlewas built in 1260 and is one of the earliest Tower Houses in Scotland which is still in existence.[4]
In 1837, theGazetteer of the British Islesdescribed Insch parish as having a population of 8370, while the village held 1536 people.[5]
Etymology
[edit]The name of the village may have come from theScottish Gaelicinnis,meaning anisland,or, as in this context, a piece ofterra firmain a marsh.[6]Alternatively,inchorinniscan refer to a meadow or low-lying pasture which more closely corresponds with the site of the village.[7]
Innisalso indicates the presence of water - a river, loch or estuary, perhaps - often seen asInchin place names, as in Perth's famous North and South Inches on the west bank of theRiver Tay.[8][9]Inchnadamphat the eastern end ofLoch AssyntandThe Inchin southern Edinburgh are further examples.Inniscan also be translated ashavenorsanctuary- an island of safety from enemies or a resting place on the cattle drove.[citation needed]
Facilities
[edit]Facilities include a post office, health centre, part-time fire station, leisure centre, golf course, bowling club, library, general and specialist shops, coffee shop and a community centre.
There areChurch of ScotlandandScottish Episcopalchurches.
Insch has two hotels, the Commercial Hotel and the Station Hotel.[10]Some locals will offer bed and breakfast facilities in response to demand from migrant workers.
A number of small play-parks are scattered around the village, along with a larger play park and football pitch beside the leisure centre.
The village has a regular bus and train service, located on the main Aberdeen to Inverness train line. The village is served byInsch railway stationand has regular bus services toHuntlyandInveruriewith connections toAberdeenandInverness.
Education
[edit]Within the village there is a nursery and theInsch Primary School.For secondary education, the pupils can attendThe Gordon SchoolsinHuntlyorInverurie AcademyinInverurie.
Insch Golf Club
[edit]The game of golf in Insch was first recorded before World War I, with the course being laid around Dunnideer Hill. It was then moved to its present location around 1923 where it existed until 1940, when the ground was seconded by the War Department for use as a grenade range. Golf was absent in Insch until a committee was formed in 1977 to provide the village with such a facility. A nine-hole course was built by voluntary labour along Valentine Burn and was reopened for play in 1982. The club expanded further in 1987, when a clubhouse facility – complete with changing rooms, office, bar, café and dance floor – was provided from the remnants of temporary accommodation for a local school. The course was extended by the addition of 12 new holes on the slopes of Dunnideer.[11]
Sports Team
[edit]The local Football team are called Insch AFC and play at Recreation Park, Insch, they play in the Premier Division under the governing bodyAberdeenshire Amateur Football Association(AAFA)
Famous residents
[edit]The surgeon/adventurerRobert DaunFRSE(1785–1871) was born and raised here.
Demographics
[edit]86% were born in Scotland, 10% in England and 4% elsewhere.[12]
References
[edit]- ^"Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland".National Records of Scotland.31 March 2022.Retrieved31 March2022.
- ^"Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig".
- ^"Scottish Parliament: Placenames collected by Iain Mac an Tailleir"(PDF).
- ^Visit Aberdeen’’ website
- ^Vision of Britainwebsite
- ^Watson, W.J.,Celtic Placenames of Scotland,(Edinburgh, 1926)
- ^Smith, Alexander (Ed.).A New History of Aberdeenshire in Two Parts: Part II,Lewis Smith, Aberdeen, 1875.
- ^Watson, W.J.Place-Names of Ross and Cromarty,1904, reprinted in paperback 1996 by Highland Heritage Books).
- ^"Glossary of Gaelic origins of place names in Britain (G to L)"Archived2008-08-28 at theWayback Machine,Ordnance Survey,accessed 30 September 2007
- ^"The Station Hotel - Insch, Aberdeenshire".The Station Hotel.Retrieved26 August2024.
- ^"About Insch Golf Club".inschgolfclub.co.uk.
- ^"Insch (Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information".citypopulation.de.Retrieved26 August2024.
External links
[edit]- Insch community websiteArchived5 September 2008 at theWayback Machine
- Loch Insch Fishery
- Insch Primary School