Mormond Hill facts for kids
Mormond Hill is a large hill in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the town of Fraserburgh. The name comes from Scottish Gaelic A' Mhormhonadh. This means "the great hill" or "moor".
The top of Mormond Hill is about 769 feet (234 meters) high. You can find the villages of Strichen and New Leeds at the bottom of its southern side.
On the hill's summit, there are old satellite dishes and masts. These were once used for communications. Some were from the Cold War era, used by the U.S. armed forces. Others belonged to British Telecom.
Mormond Hill is also famous in Scottish culture. It is mentioned in a traditional Scottish song called Mormond Braes. This song is a type of ballad. A ballad is a story told through music.
The word 'Brae' in the song title means "top" in Scottish Gaelic. The song itself mixes English and Scots words. It talks about a girl who has lost her true love. She is getting ready to move on and find someone new.
Another mention of the hill is in a poem. It is called Farewell to Tarwathie. George Scroggie from Strichen wrote it in 1857. This poem is now well-known as a song.
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What Are the White Horse and White Stag?
Mormond Hill is special because of two large figures on its side. These are called hill figures. They are made from white quartz rocks. One figure is a white horse, and the other is a white stag. These are the only two hill figures in all of Scotland.
The Mysterious White Horse
The White Horse figure is about 1500 meters northeast of Strichen. It is made by placing white quartz rocks to form the shape of a horse. No one knows the exact date it was made. But it is thought to be around the late 1790s.
The most popular story about the horse is quite sad. It says a Captain Fraser created it. His horse was shot during a battle in 1794. A sergeant named Henderson offered his own horse to the Captain. Sadly, the sergeant was then shot and died. When Captain Fraser returned home, he made the horse figure. It was a way to remember Sergeant Henderson.
The Grand White Stag
The stag figure was created later, in 1870. It is much bigger than the horse. The stag is about 240 feet (73 meters) long. It is made from quartz rocks that are about 5 inches (13 cm) wide.
The stag is located about 150 meters (164 yards) above sea level. Over time, trees growing below the figure have started to block the view. The tenants of the local Laird (a Scottish landowner) made the stag. They made it to celebrate his wedding.
There is some debate about how the stag first looked. Some think it was just an outline. Others believe it was a solid shape. At some point, it was only an outline. But now, it is a solid figure. The stag has been cleaned many times. This helps keep it visible. It was cleaned in 1939, 1946, 1955, 1984, and again in 1994/95.
How Many Hill Figures Are There?
As mentioned, the White Horse and White Stag are unique in Scotland. There are three more hill figures in Wales. In England, there are about 50 more. The White Horse on Mormond Hill is one of sixteen horse figures in the United Kingdom.
The stag on Mormond Hill is one of only two stag figures in the UK. The other stag is in the Rheidol Valley near Aberystwyth. However, that one is not a true hill figure. It is a mining feature that just happens to look like a stag.
