Auchnagatt - Field of Withies:

The village of Auchnagatt (known locally simply at "The Gatt") lies eight miles north of Ellon, on the A948

The name Auchnagatt means Field of Withies, withies being the old name for sallow or willow trees which grow along the banks of the Ebrie burn (i.e. Ebrie river). Until after the First World War the part of the village to the west of the Ebrie formed part of Haddo Estate, at one time known as Kelly.

In ancient times the slender willow branches were used for basket making, the Gatt being renowned for its Currachs which were wickerwork creels designed as panniers for beasts of burden. In an area of few roads and little wheeled transport these panniers were used for general haulage; carrying crops off the fields, manure as fertilizer out to the fields, and sacks of corn or oats to and from the mill. The village has long been the social centre for a farming
'neighbourhood' of some 25 square miles.

The remains of two Earth houses of early inhabitants were found at Windy Hill (a ridge of trees to the south-east of the village) in 1850. No trace of these remain, but they were sited one on each side of the rough track which was the original main road to Ellon.

Ellon was the seat of the Mormaers (Earls) of Buchan in Celtic times. Windy Hill can be reached on foot by the track above West Gibseat farm. There are connections too from Celtic times with Auchnavaird farm, a little to the south of Windy Hill.

The ancient "Book of Deir"records that 832 acres of what is believed to be modern day Auchnavaird were gifted by King Malcolm II to the Monastery of Deir in 1010AD.

Auchnagatt grew in importance when the railway north of Ellon to Maud, Strichen and Fraserburgh was built in the 1860's. The village had a station with sidings and five or more goods sheds.

Well into to the 20th century Auchnagatt supported a couple of grocery shops, a baker, saddler, cycle agent, watchmaker, post office and a branch of the local bank, as well as its hotel, meal mill and motor garage/filling station.

With the decline in the rural population, the closure of the railway and the advent of easy road travel, we now have but one grocer/general merchant, our post office and the hotel. The hotel was originally a coaching inn and staging post on the route north from Aberdeen. Present population of the village is around 100.

The neighbourhood of Auchnagatt takes in Braeside and Schivas, Knaven, Nethermuir, Clochcan and Fortrie Churches.

Auchnagatt lies within the parish of Savoch, which was detached from Deer and erected as a Parish in its own right in 1851.

There has never been a church within the village, and the Parish Church is approximately one mile to the south, signposted Savoch off the A948 and signposted Savoch Church off the Auchnagatt/Braeside road.

The Free Church at Braeside, known locally at the Hill Kirk, also served the community until the union of the Free Church with the Church of Scotland in 1929. The manse of the Hill Kirk became the manse of the united churches.

Due to falling membership over the years, Savoch is now closed. The Church at Savoch has an interesting and picturesque kirkyard, within which stands the 20ft obelisk War Memorial.

Public Hall
The stone-harled Public Hall in Auchnagatt is of wooden construction and was originally the East Independent Church of Stuartfield.

A committee was set up in 1905 to purchase the hall, its meetings being held in the waiting room of the railway station. Each member donated £5 to set the ball rolling, and fund raising events allowed them to buy, transport and re-erect the building in Auchnagatt in 1906.

It was modernised in 1956, and was again extended and upgraded in 1981. The hall is still run by a committee of local residents and is used extensively by groups catering for all age groups.

The Ebrie House also has a function hall.

Schools
There is a Primary School in Auchnagatt village.

The schools at Clochan, Knaven and Savoch (opposite the Church) were replaced in 1957 by the new Braeside School which takes children up to Primary 4, when they move on to either Auchnagatt or Methlick.

Both Braeside and Auchnagatt have healthy school rolls, and both have a varied curriculum using modern equipment and teaching methods.

As a community school, Auchnagatt is the centre for our Playgroup, Rainbows, Brownies and Guide Packs.

Secondary education is provided at Mintlaw and Ellon Academies, both some eight miles from the village.

Other Facilities
The Village Playing field and Children's Playground are adjacent to the school, as is the Tennis Court and Public Toilets.

Taylor's Emporium (our village shop) stocks practically everything and is well worth browsing. Early closing day is Thursday.

The Post Office, located near the Barons Hotel, is open Monday to Friday.

Walkway
Auchnagatt is an access point to the Formatine & Buchan Walkway, along the route of the old railway.

This long-distance footpath runs almost forty miles (60 km) all the way from Dyce (on the outskirts of Aberdeen) up through Ellon and Auchnagatt to Maud, then eastwards to a little beyond Mintlaw.

Shorter walks around the village are described in the Walks Booklet published by--- Central Buchan Tourism Group.---

Fish Farm
The small lake and fish tanks are fed by the waters of the Ebrie. Visitors are welcome, and fishing tackle is available for hire.

Clochcan
To the north east of Auchnagatt on the B9030 road towards Stuartfield is Clochcan, another area of farms and crofts amid rolling agricultural land.

The school at Clochcan closed in 1957 and, like that at Knaven, has since been converted to a dwelling house.

At the roadside in front of the old school is a cairn erected to the memory of "twenty-three scholars who never returned" from the 1914-1918 War.