Woodside, Aberdeen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Woodside
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 Woodside
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| OS grid reference | NJ925088 |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ABERDEEN |
| Postcode district | AB24 |
| Dialling code | 01224 |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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| Website | aberdeencity.gov.uk |
Woodside is an area of Aberdeen. It came into existence as a quoad sacra parish within the parish of Old Machar in 1834, under an act of The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland of 31 May 1834 (IX. Sess. 10, 31 May 1834. – Declaration Enactment as to Chapels of Ease), and was named for the principal residence of the area, Woodside House.
Within this parish which was bounded to the north by the River Don there were three villages, Woodside, Tanfield and Cotton (also known as Nether Cottown). Its population in 1841 was 4,893 living in 440 houses. By 1868 it had become a police burgh and the community was being described as a village in its own right (distinct from the quoad sacra parish of which it was the largest part), and a suburb of Aberdeen. It was part of the Aberdeen Burgh Parliamentary constituency.
By 1881, it had developed into a community of 5,452 (the population of quoad sacra parish population growing to 5,928). It had its own separate post office, a railway station, paper works, a free library, a public school, and a number of churches of various denominations. Ten years later, in 1891 it, (along with Old Aberdeen and Torry) was formally incorporated into the county of the city of Aberdeen.
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Woodside Primary School
Woodside Primary School is a nursery and primary school run by Aberdeen City Council that takes children from the ages of 3 to 11. It currently has around 360 primary (P1-7) pupils and 80 nursery pupils [1]. It was originally built as replacement for a much smaller school which had been built in 1834. It consists of a main granite building, originally built in 1890 and expanded in 1902, and a separate smaller building and garden for the nursery aged pupils. It is located in Woodside at the corner of Clifton Road with Smithfield Road, opposite the Aberdeen March Stones numbered 51 and 52. The current head teacher is Mrs. Alison Cook.
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Woodside Primary School
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Woodside Primary School Dux Board
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The first part of the school was built in 1890
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The school was extended in 1902
Woodside Library
Designed by the architect Arthur Clyne, the library was built in 1882.
It was originally named Anderson library after Sir John Anderson, who was born and raised in Woodside. He gifted the library to the people of Woodside in perpetuity along with 50,000 volumes. It is a large granite building styled like a church.
By 1932 Woodside Library was the biggest branch library in Aberdeen, with around 70,000 books borrowed each year.
In March 2023 the local authority announced it would close six libraries, including Woodside, Cornhill, Cults, Ferryhill, Kaimhill and Northfield.
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Woodside Library on Clifton Road
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Date on the library building
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Stewart Park
Stewart Park lies between Smithfield Road and Hilton Road. It is a large park with tennis courts, a play area, golf putting, playing fields, whale bones and a fountain.
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Stewart Park Fountain
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Stewart Park Whale Bones
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Stewart Park Playing Fields
March Stones
There are 67 "March Stones" around Aberdeen. King Robert I ("Robert the Bruce") gave the people of Aberdeen the land around the city in thanks for helping him in 1313. This land was known as the Freedom Lands of Aberdeen, and the March Stones mark the boundary.
The March Stones start with Alpha and end with Omega. The route around them is approximately 26 miles long. Woodside March Stones are numbered 50, 51 and 52. March Stone 50 is located close to Station House Media Unit, and Stones 51 and 52 near Woodside School.
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March Stone 50 on Don Terrace
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March Stone 51 on Clifton Road
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March Stone 52 on Smithfield Road
The Church
There used to be three churches in Woodside, the North and South Churches and the Congregational Church which was on Great Northern Road. The North Church is now a block of flats. Choirs, drama groups, dances, musical nights and concerts were held there.
Woodside Parish Church, the Church of Scotland parish church for the area, is located in the middle of Church Street. It is to close at (or around) Easter 2023 (9th April 2023) with the church and halls being put on the open market for sale. The congregation will most likely agree to a union (merger) with the neighbouring High Hilton Parish Church on Hilton Drive. The new formal name for the united congregation, effectively a new church, will be "Aberdeen:Hillside Parish Church of Scotland" and it is likely to be known as "Aberdeen:Hillside Parish Church".
There is a Reformed Baptist Church, Grace Baptist Church Aberdeen, on Don Street, just behind the Tesco Express on Great Northern Road.
Woodside Railway Station
In 1858, A station was opened in Woodside on the drained bed of the old Woodside Canal, six miles from Aberdeen Joint Station. It was built to encourage people to move from Aberdeen city centre, enabling them to travel to work. The suburban service ended in 1937 with the closure of all its stations, though the now derelict platform can still be seen by trains passing by on the line, which remains open.
Gallery
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Woodside North Church, now flats
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Woodside Parish Church
In Woodside Parish Church today are youth clubs, the Boy's Brigade, Girl Guides and indoor bowling.
