Old Deer

Old Deer

Old Deer (Scots: Auld Deer,^[1] Scottish Gaelic: Dèir) a parish and village in the district of Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The population in 1901 was 4,313. The village lies on the Deer or South Ugie Water, 10.1 miles west of Peterhead, and two miles from Mintlaw station on the Great North of Scotland Railway Company's branch line from Aberdeen to Peterhead.

Industries include distilling, brewing, and the manufacture of woollens, and there are quarries of granite and limestone.

The village is the birthplace of David B. Henderson, one of only two foreign born Speakers of the United States House of Representatives.

The thriving village of New Deer (formerly called Auchreddie) lies about seven miles west of the older village; to the north of New Deer is the ruined Fedderate Castle.

Monastery

Columba and his nephew Drostan founded a monastery here in the 6th century, of which no trace remains. The Book of Deer is a most interesting relic of the monks, which was discovered in 1857 in the Cambridge University library by Henry Bradshaw. It was probably stolen during the Wars of Scottish Independence by English troops. It is a small manuscript of the Gospels in the Vulgate, fragments of the liturgy of the Celtic church, and notes, in the Gaelic script of the 12th century, referring to the charters of the ancient monastery, including a summary of that granted by David I of Scotland. These are among the oldest examples of Scottish Gaelic. The manuscript is also adorned with Gaelic designs. It had belonged to the monks of Deer and been in the possession of the University Library since 1715. It was edited by John Stuart for the Spalding Club, by whom it was published in 1869 under the title The Book of Deer (Leabhar Dhèir in Gaelic).

In 1218 William Comyn, earl of Buchan, founded the Abbey of St Mary of Deer, now in ruins, ³⁄₄ mi (1.2 km) farther up the river than the monastery and on the opposite bank. Although it was erected for Cistercians from the priory of Kinloss, near Forres, the property of the Columban monastery was removed to it. The founder (died 1233) and he and his countess were buried in the church. The parish is rich in antiquities, but the most noted of them is the Stone of Deer, a sculptured block of syenite, which stood near the abbey; it was destroyed in 1854.

See also

• Abbot of Deer
• Deer Abbey
• Old Deer Community Website

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "^{article name needed}". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• Abbey of Deer - Article in the Catholic Encyclopedia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Deer.

Settlements and places of interest in Buchan, Aberdeenshire
Primary settlements	Boddam Crimond Cruden Bay Fetterangus Hatton Longside Maud Mintlaw New Deer New Pitsligo Peterhead St Combs St Fergus Strichen Stuartfield
Other settlements	Auchnagatt Buchanhaven Clola Inverugie Lonmay New Leeds Old Deer Rora Tyrie Whinnyfold
Places of interest	Aden Country Park/Aberdeenshire Farming Museum Bullers of Buchan Crimonmogate Deer Abbey Formartine and Buchan Way Loch of Strathbeg Maritime Heritage Museum Rattray Rattray Head Slains Castle

Areas and primary settlements in Aberdeenshire (see also: Aberdeen City)
in Banff and Buchan	Aberchirder Banff Fraserburgh Gardenstown Inverallochy and Cairnbulg Macduff Portsoy Rosehearty Sandhaven Whitehills
in Buchan	Boddam Crimond Cruden Bay Fetterangus Hatton Longside Maud Mintlaw New Deer New Pitsligo Peterhead St Combs St Fergus Strichen Stuartfield
in Formartine	Balmedie Cuminestown Ellon Fyvie Newburgh Oldmeldrum Pitmedden Potterton Rothienorman Tarves Turriff
in Garioch	Blackburn Insch Inverurie Kemnay Kintore Newmachar Westhill
in Kincardine and Mearns	Drumoak Fettercairn Gourdon Inverbervie Johnshaven Laurencekirk Newtonhill Portlethen St Cyrus Stonehaven
in Marr	Aboyne Alford Ballater Banchory Braemar Huntly Lumphanan Tarland Torphins

Coordinates: 57°31′9″N 2°2′12″W / 57.51917°N 2.03667°W / 57.51917; -2.03667