Elgin

History

The discovery of the Elgin Pillar, a 9th-century class II Pictish stone, under the High Street in 1823 suggests there may have been an Early Christian presence in the area of the later market, but there is no further evidence of activity before Elgin was created a Royal Burgh in the 12th century. In August 1040, MacBeth's army defeated and killed Duncan I at Bothganowan (Pitgaveny), near Elgin. Elgin is first recorded in a charter of David I in 1151 in which he granted an annuity to the Priory of Urquhart. David had made Elgin a royal burgh around 1130, after his defeat of Óengus of Moray. During David's reign, the castle was established at the top of what is now Lady Hill. The town received a royal charter from Alexander II in 1224 when he granted the land for a new cathedral to Andrew, Bishop of Moray. This finally settled the episcopal see which had been at various times at Kinneddar, Birnie and Spynie. The ancient Forest of Darnaway was designated a Royal Forest and was used by the Scottish kings for hunting.

Alexander II was Elgin's greatest benefactor and returned many times to his royal castle. He established the two religious houses of the town, the Dominicans or Blackfriars on the west side and the Franciscans or Greyfriars in the east. Further to the east stood the Hospital of Maison Dieu, or House of God also founded during the reign of Alexander II for the reception of poor men and women.

On 19 July 1224, the foundation stone of the new Elgin Cathedral was ceremoniously laid. The cathedral was completed sometime after 1242 but was completely destroyed by fire in 1270. The reasons for this are unrecorded. The buildings now remain as ruins date from the reconstruction following that fire. The Chartulary of Moray described the completed cathedral as "Mirror of the country and the glory of the kingdom".

Edward I of England travelled twice to Elgin. During his first visit in 1296, he was impressed by what he saw. Preserved in the Cotton library now held in the British Library is the journal of his stay, describing the castle and the town of Elgin as "bon chastell et bonne ville"—good castle and good town. By his second visit in September 1303, the castle's wooden interior had been burned while held by the English governor, Henry de Rye. As a result, he only stayed in Elgin for two days and then camped at Kinloss Abbey from 13 September until 4 October. King Edward was furious when David de Moravia, Bishop of Moray, joined Scotland's cause with Bruce, and Edward appealed to the Pope who excommunicated the bishop, thus removing papal protection, causing him to flee to Orkney, then to Norway, only to return after Robert Bruce's victories against the English. After Edward's death in July 1307, Robert the Bruce attacked Elgin and then retook Scotland in 1308.

From the Reformation to the eighteenth century

The citizens of Elgin and surrounding areas did not seem to object to the new religion following the Reformation. In 1568 the lead was stripped from the roof of the cathedral, by order of the Privy Council of Scotland. The lead was sold to William Birnie and Alexander Clark. The proceeds went to the maintenance of Regent Moray's soldiers, but the ship taking the lead cargo to Holland sank almost immediately on leaving Aberdeen harbour. Without this protection, the building began to deteriorate.

The Kirk Session records of Elgin name women who danced at New Year 1623 to the sound of a trumpet. Six men, described as guisers or "gwysseris" performed a sword dance wearing masks and visors covering their faces in the churchyard and in the courtyard of a house. They were fined 40 shillings each. The fabric of the Cathedral continued to deteriorate. In 1637, the rafters over the choir were blown down and in 1640 the minister of St Giles along with the Laird of Innes and Alexander Brodie of Brodie, all ardent Covenanters, removed and destroyed the ornately carved screen and woodwork that had remained intact. The tracery of the West window was destroyed sometime between 1650 and 1660 by Cromwell's soldiers. On Easter Sunday 1711 the central tower collapsed for the second time in its history but caused much more damage. The rubble was quarried for various projects in the vicinity until 1807 when, through the efforts of Joseph King of Newmill, a wall was built around the cathedral and a keeper's house erected. Mountains of this rubble were cleared by one John Shanks, enabling visitors to view the ornate stonemasonry. Shanks was presented with an ornate snuffbox by the authorities; it is now in Elgin Museum.

When Daniel Defoe toured Scotland in 1717, he visited Elgin and said:In this rich country is the city, or town rather, of Elgin; I say city, because in antient time the monks claim'd it for a city; and the cathedral shews, by its ruins, that it was a place of great magnificence. Nor must it be wonder'd at, if in so pleasant, so rich, and so agreeable a part of the country, all the rest being so differing from it, the clergy should seat themselves in a proportion'd number, seeing we must do them the justice to say, that if there is any place richer and more fruitful, and pleasant than another, they seldom fail to find it out. As the country is rich and pleasant, so here are a great many rich inhabitants, and in the town of Elgin in particular; for the gentlemen, as if this was the Edinburgh, or the court, for this part of the island, leave their Highland habitations in the winter and come and live here for the diversion of the place and plenty of provisions; and there is, on this account, a great variety of gentlemen for society, and that of all parties and of all opinions. This makes Elgin a very agreeable place to live in, notwithstanding its distance, being above 450 measur'd miles [725 km] from London, and more, if we must go by Edinburgh.

Nineteenth century

In the 19th century, the old medieval town of Elgin was swept away. The first major addition to the town centre was the Assembly Rooms, built in 1821 by the Trinity Lodge of Freemasons, at the corner of High Street and North Street. In 1819, Dr Gray's Hospital was built on unused ground. The building has imposing columns and distinctive dome. Dr Alexander Gray, a doctor who worked for and made his fortune with the East India Company, endowed £26,000 for the hospital. In 1828 the new parish church of St Giles was built at a cost of £10,000. L. General Andrew Anderson, born in Elgin, also of the East India Company, died in 1824 and bequeathed £70,000 to the town to found an institution for the welfare of the elderly poor and for the education of orphans. The Anderson Institution was built in the east end of the town in 1832 with accommodation for 50 children and ten elderly people.

The population in 1841 was 3,911 inhabitants. The Burgh Court House was built in 1841, the museum was completed in 1842 and Elgin Sheriff Court was built in 1866.

The Morayshire Railway was officially opened in ceremonies at Elgin and Lossiemouth on 10 August 1852, the steam engines having been delivered to Lossiemouth by sea. It was the first railway north of Aberdeen and initially ran only 5+1⁄2 miles (9 km) between Elgin and Lossiemouth. It was later extended south to Craigellachie. The Great North of Scotland Railway took over the working of the line in 1863 and bought the company in 1881 following the Morayshire Railway's return to solvency from crippling debt.

The town was becoming prosperous, and by 1882 it had a Head Post Office with a savings bank, insurance and telegraph departments, and branches of the Bank of Scotland and the British Linen Company, Caledonian, Commercial, North of Scotland, Royal and Union Banks, and the National Securities Savings Bank, offices or agencies of 48 insurance companies, five hotels, and a newspaper.

The Cooper Park drill hall was completed in 1908.

The war memorial in Elgin dates from 1921 and represents "Peace and Victory". It was designed by Percy Portsmouth.

Geography and geology

The modern town straddles the River Lossie, with the suburbs of Bishopmill to the north and New Elgin to the south. Permo–Triassic rocks, rare in Scotland, are commonly found around Elgin. These are composed of aeolian sandstone formed when this area was subjected to desert conditions. Quarry Wood, on the town's edge, has a formation nicknamed Cuttie's Hillock which produced the internationally known fossils called the Elgin Reptiles. In the Elgin district, boulders belonging to the lowest group of Jurassic strata, Oxford clay and chalk are found both in glacial deposits and on the surface of the ground. The largest of these deposits is at Linksfield, where limestone and shale lie on boulder clay. There is a large hill in Elgin's town centre, often viewed as the highlight of the Elgin tourist trail.

Climate

Elgin's climate is temperate maritime, with cool summers and relatively mild winters due to its proximity to the sea. Rainfall is quite low as it is in the rain shadow of mountains to the west and south-west.

Demography

Source: Moray Council from 2001 Census data

Elgin's population in 1901 was 8460

Economy

The Elgin–Forres–Lossiemouth triangle is heavily dependent on Royal Air Force stations for the employment of civilians. In 2005, RAF Lossiemouth along with its neighbour RAF Kinloss contributed £156.5 million (including civilian expenditure) to the Moray economy, of which £76.6 million was retained and spent locally. The bases provide, directly or indirectly, 21% of all employment in the area, although in 2010 the closure of RAF Kinloss had a significant effect on these numbers. Aware of the impact that the Air Force has on the area's economy, the local population instigated a long campaign to save RAF Lossiemouth, the future of which was also in doubt. How much of an influence this had upon the government's and Ministry of Defence's final decision is uncertain, but the base was ultimately saved and RAF Leuchars instead faced the axe as part of the same Strategic Defence and Security Review. RAF Leuchars will now become, like RAF Kinloss, an army base. Other areas offering significant employment are local authority, construction and real estate, food and drink, tourism, transport, business services and wholesale/retail.

Whisky is an important component of the wider local economy, with Glen Moray distillery, Miltonduff distillery and the BenRiach distillery all within six miles of Elgin.

In a 2006 study, Elgin was shown to be one of the most expensive towns in which to buy property in Scotland.

Politics

National governments

Elgin is in the Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey constituency of the United Kingdom Parliament which returns a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons, currently Graham Leadbitter of the SNP.

Elgin is in the Moray constituency of the Scottish Parliament which has significantly different boundaries to the UK Parliament constituency. The constituency returns a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood—currently Laura Mitchell of the SNP—and is part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region.

Local government

Elgin is represented on the Moray Council by two wards: Elgin City North and Elgin City South. Each ward elects three members using the single transferable vote system - a form of proportional representation.

City status

Elgin unsuccessfully bid to become a city as part of Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. The last Scottish town to become a city was Dunfermline in 2022.

Transport

Elgin is situated on the A96 trunk route which connects the cities of Aberdeen and Inverness. Heavy traffic through the town causes serious congestion. Scottish transport minister Tavish Scott visited the town in August 2006 to look at the traffic management problems and to meet campaigners for a bypass. It is estimated that a bypass would remove about one-third of traffic from Elgin's streets. The A941 runs from Lossiemouth through Elgin to Rothes, Craigellachie, Dufftown and Rhynie.

Elgin railway station is operated by ScotRail. The railway also connects to Aberdeen and Inverness which have trains to other UK destinations.

Elgin's bus station is located adjacent to the St Giles Centre and is operated mainly by Stagecoach Highlands. It provides services within Elgin and to other local towns as well as to Aberdeen and Inverness.

The nearest airports are Inverness Airport, which has flights to mainly UK destinations, and Aberdeen Airport which has UK and international flights.

Education

Nursery schools

Ark Childcare, Mosstowie

Jack 'n' Jill Pre-School Centre, Kinder House, 22 Wardend Place, New Elgin

Moray Leisure Centre Pre-School Nursery, Borough Briggs Road, Elgin

Magic Roundabout Pre-School Nursery, Thornhill Drive, Elgin

St Sylvesters Nursery

Bishopmill Nursery

Seafield Nursery

Liberty Kids

Primary schools

Aberlour House

Bishopmill Primary School, Morriston Road, Bishopmill

East End Primary School, Institution Road

Greenwards Primary School, Edgar Road, New Elgin

New Elgin Primary School, Bezack Street, New Elgin

Seafield Primary School, Deanshaugh Terrace, Bishopmill

West End Primary School, Mayne Road

St Sylvester's RC Primary School, Abbey Street

Linkwood Primary School

Secondary schools

Elgin Academy, Morriston Road, Bishopmill

Elgin High School, High School Drive, New Elgin

Gordonstoun, Gordonstoun Road, Elgin

Further education

Moray College, Moray Street, Elgin

Community care

Hospitals

Dr Gray's Hospital

Health centres

The Maryhill Health Centre.

Linkwood Medical at the Glassgreen Centre (Formerly the Victoria Crescent Medical Centre before its relocation in 2009)

Hospice

The Oaks Hospice, Sherrifmill

Religion

The following denominations have places of worship in Elgin:

Church of Scotland

St Giles', High Street

St Columba's South, Moss Street

Birnie Kirk

Elgin High, North Guildry Street

Free Church of Scotland

Free Church, South Street

Baptist Union of Scotland

Elgin Baptist Church, Reidhaven Street

Roman Catholic Church

St Sylvester's, Institution Road

Greyfriars Sisters of Mercy Convent in Elgin

Scottish Episcopal Church

Holy Trinity, Trinity Place

Other denominations

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pansport Road

Jehovah's Witnesses, Linkwood

Calvary Christian Life Centre, Lesmurdie Road

True Jesus Church, Lesmurdie Road

Pentecostal Church of God, New Elgin Hall Annex

Brethren, Riverside Gospel Hall, North Street

Culture and leisure

Elgin Museum, 1 High Street

Elgin Library, Cooper Park

Elgin Golf Club, Hardhillock, Birnie Road

Cooper Park: boating, pitch and putt, tennis

Biblical Gardens

Moray Leisure Centre, Borough Briggs Road, containing swimming pool, ice rink and a gymnasium

Moray Sports Centre, Linkwood

Elgin Town Hall with auditorium for production of shows

Community Centre, Trinity Road: badminton

The Lantern Gallery, 18 South Guildry Street

Red Shoes Theatre and music venue, High Street

Elgin Youth Café, Francis Place

Moray Jazz Club, ground floor of the Elgin City Football Club, Borough Briggs Road

Dandy Lion statue, the Plainstones

Media

Television signals are received from the Knockmore transmitter.

Radio stations that broadcast to the town are BBC Radio Scotland on 92.6 FM, BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal (for Gaelic listeners) on 104.9 FM, MFR on 107.7 FM and Wave Radio, a community based station that broadcast from the Dr Gray's Hospital.

The town is served by the local newspaper, Northern Scot.

Music

During the 1960s, the Beatles, the Who, Pink Floyd, Cream and Dusty Springfield all performed at the Two Red Shoes dancehall, and The Kinks played Elgin Town Hall. Oi Polloi performed at the Ocean Club on Batchen Street in April 2007, under a gazebo erected by local punks.

Sport

In August 2021, a new community sports facility consisting of a full-size football pitch and two enclosed five-a-side pitches was opened.

Football

Formed in 1893, the town's only senior football club is Elgin City, who play at Borough Briggs stadium. They entered the Highland Football League in 1895 and won the league championship fourteen times. The club entered the Scottish Football League in season 2000–01 and currently competes in Division Two. Their home colours are black and white vertical stripes, black shorts and white socks. Past famous players for Elgin City include Andy Goram, Nicky Walker, Jimmy Johnstone and John McGinlay. Recently ex-Scotland players Brian Irvine and David Robertson have managed the club.

Two junior football sides, Bishopmill United and New Elgin, both currently compete in the Scottish Junior Football North Division Two while Moray Social, Golden Pheasant and Bishopmill Villa participate in the Moray District Welfare Football Association.

Rugby union

Moray RFC was established in 1923 and play their home games at Morriston Playing Fields.

Cricket

Elgin Cricket Club plays home games on the Cooper Park cricket pitch under the auspices of North of Scotland Cricket Association.

Ice hockey

Elgin is home to the Moray Typhoons, an SNL team. They play their home games at the Moray Leisure Centre.

Roller derby

The Helgin roller derby team trains regularly in Elgin.

Twin town

Elgin has been twinned with Landshut in Bavaria, Germany since 1956.

Notable people

13th to 17th centuries

William Wiseman (fl. 1295–1309), nobleman and Sheriff of Elgin. Ancestor of Capel Wiseman of Hertfordshire (1635–1683), Bishop of the Dromore Diocese (County Down) of the Church of Ireland, who was forced to flee to the Continent following the accession of James II in 1685.

18th century

Alexander Brodie Spark (1792–1856), banker and merchant

19th century

Lt William Rennie, (1822–1887), Victoria Cross recipient

Mary Ann Maitland (1839–1919), author

Sir David Hardie (1856–1945), Australian medical practitioner

John Grant (1876–1961), bagpipe musician and composer

Margaret Hasluck (1885–1947), author and anthropologist

James Low (1894–1960), footballer

Masataka Taketsuru (1894–1979), Japanese whisky distiller

20th century

Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1910–1990), usually cited as F. F. Bruce, theologian

Archbishop Mario Conti (1934–2022), Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Glasgow, Scotland

Leslie Benzies (born 1971), video game designer and producer

Kevin McKidd (born 1973), actor, director, and singer

Steven Pressley (born 1973), former international footballer, former manager of Carlisle United and current manager of Dundee FC

Lesley Souter (1917–1981), first female electrical engineer from the University of Glasgow

Chris Clark (born 1980), footballer

Richard Foster (born 1985), footballer