Portlethen

infobox UK place
country = Scotland
official_name= Portlethen
scots_name=
gaelic_name=
population= 6,632 (2006) [http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/statistics/area/portlethen_profile2007.pdf]
os_grid_reference=
map_type=Scotland
latitude=57.05
longitude=-2.1
unitary_scotland= Aberdeenshire
lieutenancy_scotland= Kincardine and Mearns
constituency_westminster= West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine
constituency_scottish_parliament= West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine
post_town= ABERDEEN
postcode_district = AB12 4xx
postcode_area= AB
dial_code= 01224 78"xxxx"

Portlethen is a town situated seven miles south of Aberdeen, Scotland along the A90. It has expanded rapidly over the last thirty years. Portlethen has a population of about seven thousand, and more than eight hundred houses are currently being built on nearby farmland. To the east of Portlethen lie three fishing villages: Findon, Downies and Old Portlethen (now often referred to as "Portlethen Village"). Although Portlethen is a town in terms of population (and it has been granted official town status); it resembles a residential suburb without a clear 'town centre' or focal point.

The town is served by Portlethen railway station.

History

Portlethen was originally a small fishing village. The harbour is located in what is now Old Portlethen, the original village on the coast about a half a mile east from Portlethen Parish Church.

Portlethen lies about two kilometers east of the ancient Causey Mounth road, which was built on high ground to make passable this only available medieval route across the Mounth from coastal points south to Aberdeen. This ancient passage specifically connected the Bridge of Dee with Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932 C.Michael Hogan, "Causey Mounth", Megalithic Portal, ed. by Andy Burnham, 2007] ] . The route was that taken by the William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the Civil War in 1639 [Archibald Watt, "Highways and Biways around Kincardineshire", Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)] .

There has been a school in Portlethen since the nineteenth century. The first school building was very small, and is now used as the police station. The school was then moved to the old community centre on Cookston Road, built in 1860. In 1962, a new school block was opened on Cookston Road, across from the old community centre. This is now Portlethen Primary School. There are currently campaigns to replace this building. In 1987, [Portlethen Academy] was opened. Until this, pupils had been bused to Mackie Academy in Stonehaven. Fishermoss Primary Opened in the early 1990's.

The Webb chicken was first bred on a farm to the west of Portlethen in the 1920s. The Webb and its related breeds are popular choices with free range farmers due to their natural disinclination to roost in trees and shrubs.

Much of Modern Day Portlethen has been built over the Portlethen Moss Nature Reserve, formerly home to the Great Crested Newt and the Red-spotted newt. The remainder of Portlethen Moss is approximately one quarter of the size it was twenty years ago.Residents have worked hard clearing the Moss and bringing it back to life.

Community facilities

Portlethen has two all-weather concrete tennis courts, local social work offices, a bowling green with public and private sessions, a swimming pool, two community halls, a supermarket, a family and education centre (within Portlethen Academy), an internet cafe, a public library, a health practice, a (Church of Scotland) church and hall, two industrial estates (Badentoy and Barclayhill) and a private members golf club. A new Youth Drop-In Centre was recently opened, and there are plans for it to be opened for longer hours. The drop-in-centre had been planned for over five years and opened in July 2008, in the old library.

There are four pubs in Portlethen. The Lethan Arms, The Paddock, Brewers Fayre and The Nuek (in Portlethen Village). There are four main shopping areas, Portlethen Retail Park, The Green, Muirend Retail Court and Rowanbank Court.

There are two main parks in Portlethen: Bourtree Park and Nicol Park. Nicol Park has a toddlers park, a skate park and two basketball courts. Bourtree Park has a football pitch and a few swings and climbing frames. There are currently plans to create a new "green area"/park in the north end of Portlethen. There are also several small parks containing swings and climbing frames throughout Portlethen.

Alongside the new development of 800 houses in Leathan Fields, there are plans for a new business park, new school and new retail outlets.

The Social Work offices of Aberdeenshire Council for the local area are located within Portlethen. There have been no area offices in Portlethen since the late 1990's.

Local Transport is the subject of much debate in Portlethen. Whilst most agree that bus services are frequent, they also agree that they are too expensive and tend to be late and overcrowded. Calls for bigger busses and lower fares are often overlooked by operators Stagecoach Bus.There is a train station in Portlethen, but services are few and far between, although fares are relatively cheap (compared to bus travel).

Education

There are two primary schools and one secondary school in Portlethen. Portlethen Primary School, the larger of the two primaries and Fishermoss Primary School. Both primary schools have nursery units, and are too small for the current population, which has resulted in the adding of temporary classrooms to both schools.

Portlethen Academy caters for Portlethen, the surrounding villages and Newtonhill, a village to the south of Portlethen. The new Portlethen Academy opened in August 2006, next to the site of the original building which was demolished less than twenty years after being constructed. The new building was built as part of the government's controversial PPI scheme, and purports to be one of the most technologically advanced schools in Scotland. Portlethen Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary on April 20th 2007.

Portlethen Golf Club

Portlethen Golf Club is a private members club founded in 1981, designed by Donald Steel. The Club Professional is Muriel Thomson who, when she was appointed in 1990, was the first female golf professional in Scotland.

Community Council

The Portlethen & District Community Council (PDCC) was officially reformed on 30th November 2007. It has held it's first few meetings and is already proving to be a vital service to the community. It is currently looking to re-establish the Portlethen Gala and many other issues.

Geography

Portlethen is a coastal village lying along the North Sea coast. A small island May Craig is situated off shore from Portlethen.

geocompass
hub = Portlethen
type = ex
NE = Findon
NN= Aberdeen
NW= Banchory-Devenick
WW= Maryculter
EE= Portlethen Village
SE= Downies
SW= Cammachmore
SS= Newtonhill, Stonehaven

References

ee also

* Bishops' Wars
* Craigmaroinn
* Mounth
* Portlethen Moss

External links

* [http://www.pdcc.org.uk Portlethen & District Community Council Website]
* [http://www.portlethen-pri.aberdeenshire.sch.uk Portlethen Primary School Website]
* [http://www.portlethenacademy.aberdeenshire.sch.uk Portlethen Academy Website]
* [http://www.fishermoss.aberdeenshire.sch.uk Fishermoss Primary School Website]
* [http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk Aberdeenshire Council Website]
* [http://www.stewartmilnenewhomes.com/grampian/images/brochures/Leathan%20Fields.pdf Information on New Development to West of Portlethen]
* [http://www.porty-chat.org.uk community forum]