For more information about the Fraserburgh Heritage visit the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre at http://www.fraserburghheritage.com
Fraserburgh, also known locally as the Broch, is one of the main population centres on the north east knuckle of Scotland , standing on the shoulder of the coastline called Kinnaird Head, where the Moray Firth meets the North Sea .
At a location approximately 50 miles north of Aberdeen , the town of Fraserburgh can trace its origins to a 14th century village called Faithlie. In 1504, Fraser of Philorth bought the lands of Faithlie and began developing the town. The first harbour was built in 1546, followed by a castle on Kinnaird Head in the 1570s. In 1592, a royal charter of James VI made the town a royal burgh of regality, which also changed the name of the town to Fraserburgh. |
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Around this time a university was established in the town, at a time when there was an outbreak of cholera in Aberdeen , but while it attracted a sizeable numbers of students it operated for only a few years. Nearly two centuries later in 1787, the castle was converted into the first lighthouse in Scotland . Later, in the 19th century, the first lifeboat station in Scotland was established in the town. It is fitting therefore that Scotland 's Lighthouse Museum is based in the town.
The growth of the herring fishing industry in the 19th century put the Broch firmly on the map. The development of the harbour allowed more than a thousand drifters to land their fish each season during the busiest years of 1870 to 1900. The fishing season ran from July to September, when the whole town worked on the coring and barrelling. The advent of the railway in 1865 enabled catches to be sent all over Europe . |
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Due to a variety of location and physical advantages, the town developed from its foundation in the 16th century to become the largest, most fishing-dependent settlement in the North East. The growth of the town has been intrinsically linked with the fortunes of the fishing industry, and during the boom years of the late 19th century, the town experienced rapid and prosperous growth. The original fishing village of Broadsea was absorbed by Fraserburgh during this period of growth but much of the old fishing village can still be found in the Broadsea Conservation Area. |
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