Kincardine, Aberdeenshire facts for kids

Kincardine was an important old town, known as a burgh, in Scotland. It was located close to where the village of Fettercairn is today. Kincardine gave its name to the area called Kincardineshire and was its very first county town. A county town is like the main city or capital of a region.

Kincardine Castle: A Look Back

The town of Kincardine slowly grew up around a place called Kincardine Castle. We don't know exactly when the castle was first built. Some stories say that King Kenneth II died there a long time ago.

Early Days of the Castle

During the time of William the Lion, a family called the Carnegies became the caretakers of the castle. This meant they were in charge of looking after it. In 1296, something very important happened at Kincardine Castle. John Balliol, who was once the King of Scotland, admitted there that he had rebelled against Edward I of England.

The castle stayed in good condition for many years after that. Even Mary, Queen of Scots, a famous Scottish queen, visited Kincardine Castle.

Kincardine Becomes a County Town

By the year 1532, Kincardine Castle was a second home for William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal. It seemed to be right in the middle of the small town. The Earl wanted Kincardine to be officially named a "free burgh" and the main county town for the area, which was called the Mearns.

Why Kincardine Was Chosen

The Earl explained that the local sheriff courts (where legal cases were heard) were already meeting in Kincardine. He also said that people believed Kincardine had been a free burgh before, but the old document proving it had been lost. His request was successful! On January 27, 1532, Kincardine officially became the county town of the new area, Kincardineshire.

The Decline of Kincardine

However, by the year 1600, the town of Kincardine started to lose its importance. The sheriff and his helpers, who were in charge of the law, complained to the king. They said that the buildings in Kincardine were not good enough for them. There was no proper tolbooth, which was a town hall and jail.

Moving the County Town

Because of these complaints, the sheriff and his team were successful. The county town status was moved from Kincardine to a different place called Stonehaven.

Without being the county town, Kincardine quickly became smaller and less important. The castle also started to fall apart and become a ruin.

Kincardine Today

By the 1830s, Kincardine was described as just a "small village." People noted that only the foundations, or very bottom parts, of the castle walls could be seen. By 1870, there were no houses left at all.

Today, the castle foundations still exist. They are protected as a Scheduled Monument, which means they are an important historical site. The old cemetery of the St Catherine of Siena Chapel also remains. You can still see part of its wall and a gravestone from the 1700s.