Banchory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

<tr><td style="width: 50%;">Gaelic:</td><td>Beannchar</td></tr>

Banchory
Location
OS grid reference:	NO698958
Statistics
Population:	6,270 (2004) [1]

Administration
Council area:	Aberdeenshire
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	Grampian Police
Lieutenancy area:	Aberdeenshire
Former county:	Aberdeenshire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	BANCHORY
Postal district:	AB31
Dialling code:	013302
Politics
Scottish Parliament:	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
UK Parliament:	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
European Parliament:	Scotland
Image:Flag of Scotland.svg

Banchory (Scottish Gaelic: Beannchar) is a burgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where the Feugh River meets the River Dee The name is derived from Scottish Gaelic for "horned" or "forked" and also relates to "by the bends", the "bends" being those of the River Dee. Local landmarks include Scolty, a hill topped by a tower monument. The original Gaelic form is almost identical to that of Bangor, Northern Ireland.

It has a small museum and is the birthplace of James Scott Skinner. It is growing rapidly with a new housing estate at the Hill of Banchory and a new primary school. Banchory Academy is also situated in the town and it among the better public (as in state) schools in Scotland. There are a number of hotels and restaurants in the village notably the Stag Hotel, the Burnett Arms, and the Douglas Arms. There are also a number of shops including newsagents, sports shops and chemists. Banchory is a tourist destination and venue of the Banchory Show which occurs in summer. Local sports teams include Banchory St Ternan football club and the Banchory Beavers swimming team. Banchory also has three teams which compete in the mid-deeside summer league (banchory thistle, Banchory youth and Banchory stoats).