Broadgreens, Banchory Devenick - what happened?

[sketch1946]

Greetings to all, Happy New Year!

AFAIK Broadgreens in Banchory Devenick has been inhabited since at least 1340AD.
Now seems that Broadgreens is deserted????
The local church is no longer operational?

Can anybody tell me what has happened to Broadgreens?
(I have a family connection, Duncan/Duthy, early 1800's)

[AndrewP]

Hi Sketch1946,



The Royal Mail still lists Broad Greens (now as two words) in its postcode listings. On that basis, it is likely to still be inhabited.

Broad Greens
Banchory Devenick
ABERDEEN
AB12 5XQ

It looks like the church, originally a Free Church; later St Devenicks on the Hill Parish Kirk has been converted into houses.

https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/smr ... NJ90SW0025

All the best,

AndrewP

[sketch1946]

Thank you Andrew
I was concerned when I looked using Google Streetview,
the Broadgreens farmstead in their latest satellite image looks deserted, no vehicle tracks near the main dwelling or signs of life, although the large farm shed might still be in use. Maybe someone has bought the property and is waiting for future redevelopment I heard about?
In contrast, the neighbouring property of Brandsmyers looks immaculate, it seems to have been renovated and recently sold. I believe the parish kirk/church is this one:
https://canmore.org.uk/site/20284/banch ... cks-church
Does anybody know if this church is still being used? I believe some of my ancestors are resting there...
I hope they're not destined to be under a parking lot...

[AndrewP]

It looks like Banchory-Devenick Parish Church closed for worship in 2013 and was sold off. The church became a part of Maryculter Trinity Church, using the building in Kirkton of Maryculter.

See following webpage:
https://www.marycultertrinitychurch.org.uk/history

The cemetery at Banchory-Devenick [former church] is operated by Aberdeenshire Council.

https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/commun ... l-grounds/

All the best,

AndrewP

[sketch1946]

Thank you, Andrew
I have ancestors in Edinburgh too, but have no clue where they lived, it was nice to be able to see the actual farmhouse in Banchory Devenick where my ggg grandfather was born in 1800.
I was dreaming of coming over to Scotland some day to have a look around, but the Covid story interfered with that idea.
At least I can keep in touch in a way by using the internet.
Thanks again for your time and the links, Best regards from the far north of Australia, up here my nearest neighbours are kangaroos and crocodiles, exotic but not good at conversations

[WilmaM]

The tracks to Broadgreens, do indeed look as if there's little life there - how the google car got up is a mystery [unless they have moved to off road vehicles!]
Farming isn't a lucrative business in Scotland any more, so it could be that the farm land has been bought by a neighbouring farm and the buildings not much used at present. Given how close it is to the city I'd be surprised if it was vacant for long though.
It may be worth posing your question on a more local site - ie a group on facebook or the like - and see if local knowledge can fill in more of the story for you.
There is a private group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247298742093053/
Or contact the Local History Society.

The Google mapping system has been a great boon to those not able to travel to their native shore, and indeed even to those of us who live a few miles away!

[AndrewP]

On looking at Google Maps StreetView, at Broadgreens it only shows a 2023 set of images. If you go to the foot of the access road and move out onto the road, you get a few choices of dates to look at. One from about 15 years back shows a sign with a name for Broadgreens. The later views there do not show the sign. On googling the name you can find directory references to J & I Grant or James Grant at Broadgreens. I suspect these directory references have been hoovered up from the internet many years back and will now be well out of date.

2010 StreetView:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.10069 ... &entry=ttu

2023 StreetView:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.10072 ... &entry=ttu

Probably out-of-date info:
https://www.aberdeenonline.co.uk/info/3784/

All the best,

AndrewP

[sketch1946]

Thanks Wilma, Andrew
I appreciate the comments and links...

It still saddens me when I think how people can love progress so much
that local people feel they should stop producing their own food,
and buy it from wherever...
a great concept as long as there's money to go around...
Where will the money come from if Scotland stops producing agricultural produce?

I feel we should support and appreciate and encourage hardworking farmers
to keep farming, keep growing the stuff we eat.

Back in the day, I remember visiting my uncles' farms,
saw meat and milk being processed right on the spot,
I remember the freshness and vividness of country life.
How healthy and happy and rugged all my cousins were...

I wish i could have the same feelings for modern
ultra-processed plastic-wrapped food from the supermarket.
Yesterday I was looking at a history of the guilds in Aberdeen,
how they diligently protected their own livelihoods...

I have the words of the song in the back of my head
"... they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot..."

[AndrewP]

I have the words of the song in the back of my head
"... they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot..."

https://thegreatestsongs.com/468-big-ye ... -mitchell/

I never gave a thought to the meaning of that song from my childhood years. Now I hear it [and read it] I see the meaning.

Thanks,

AndrewP

[sketch1946]

Haha, yeah Andrew, perfect, thanks for the link,

While we're at it, another song pops into my head..
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... anor+rigby

How many songs and poems have deep and meaningful lyrics?

Maybe the whole world should sit down and rethink the word 'progress'???