Newburgh, Aberdeenshire

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Dunes adjacent to Newburgh on south bank of Ythan Estuary

Newburgh (sometimes Newburgh on Ythan) is a coastal village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.^[1] The village dates to 1261 AD, when Lord Sinclair wanted to establish a chapel in the area.^[2] Somewhat later the chapel of Holy Rood was established. Gradually, the village grew.

Newburgh is on the Ythan Estuary and near the Sands of Forvie. Near the estuary mouth, the presence of tern colonies is notable, since there are several distinct species that utilize the north banks of the Ythan Estuary, and comprise a meaningful percentage of the breeding pairs of terns in the United Kingdom. In the summer terns can be observed feeding in their characteristic diving patterns approximately 600 to 900 meters inland from the estuary^[3]. The Forvie Nature Reserve is very near and to the north, where there is said to be the largest eider duck colony in the world. Beside the beach is an eighteen hole golf course with its bird shaped clubhouse and the Udny Arms restaurant, one of the best in Britain, statistically.

Newburgh was a victim of bombing in World War 2. 2005 saw a sudden expansion in housing in the village, with houses being built just west of the local school, and near the Ythan Hotel, at the southermost point of the village. Whilst the houses at the west end of Newburgh were a marketing success, residents were fairly critical of the properties going up next to the Ythan, dubbing the area too swampy for the foundations. Due to the sudden expansion of housing during the late 20th, and early 21st, century, some of its residents don't consider Newburgh a village anymore, rather a small town.

Transport services include the old garage at the northern tip of the village. Also, not a quarter of a mile out of Newburgh is the aptly named Newburgh Motors garage. Education is served by Newburgh Mathers School, named after John Mathers who, just before his death, left the residents of Newburgh enough money to set up a school in the local area. The tallest point of Newburgh is the knoll Gallows Hill, which, as the name suggests, is where, in the past, criminals were led to be hanged for crimes. The police station in Newburgh no longer exists: in its place stands a house. However, the presence of a cell, in the past, is given away by the bars in one of the windows. Also, in the front of the house are the words police station engraved in the stone.

Newburgh was famous for being a rumoured birthplace of the sticky toffee pudding. Indeed, people were going to the Udny Arms Hotel just to have said pudding, according to several sources. However, the debate as to whether or not Newburgh is the birthplace of the sweet continues today.