Occupation
around the Huntly area goes back to Neolithic times with evidence of Stone
Circles in the area around
c2000
BC and that of the Iron Age Picts and their Symbol Stones of nearly
c1500
AD. One stone till this day still remains in the square in Huntly although
badly weathered.
The village
of Strathbogie and later town stood on the medieval highway between the
fords of the river Deveron and River Bogie and was often known as the ‘Raws
of Strathbogie’ the lands were awarded to the first Lord of Strathbogie by
King William of Lion in the 12th century.
After the
Battle of Bannock Burn 1314 and Scottish Independence, King Robert the Bruce
then granted title of the lands and village of Strathbogie to Sir Adam
Gordon of Huntly in 1318/19 for his loyal support. In 1488, the status of
the village of Strathbogie was raised to that of a Burgh of Barony in favour
of George, 2nd Earl of Huntly.
1779 saw
Alexander the 4th Duke of Gordon enlarge the Town on a grid
system leaving many areas for development of houses and factories. Up until
then Huntly comprised of the Square and a few lanes, Old Road and Castle
Street.
It wasn’t
until the second half of the 18th century that the name Huntly
was in regular use. |