Gillybrands

Gillybrands is an historic coaching inn and present day farm steading near Cammachmore, Scotland. [United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map, Landranger 45, Stonehaven & Banchory, 1:50,000 Scale, 2004] It was operating as a coaching inn along the ancient Causey Mounth drovers' road as early as the twelfth century AD, and original stone foundations from that era are extant. [ [http://www.codexgeo.co.uk/dsa/building_full.php?id=M023464 Gillybrands architectural history] ] Other nearby historic structures are Elsick House, St. Ternan's Church and Muchalls Castle.

Natural setting

The present day Gillybrands farm is situated along the banks of the Burn of Elsick.

History

Gillybrands is located along the ancient Causey Mounth road, which road was constructed in medieval times to make passable this only available route across the coastal region of the Grampian Mounth from coastal points south from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. This ancient drovers' road specifically connected the River Dee crossing (where the present Bridge of Dee is situated) via Portlethen Moss, 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, Nov. 3, 2007] ] The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the Civil War in 1639. [Watt, Archibald, "Highways and Byways around Kincardineshire", Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)]

ee also

*Cookney Church
*Lairhillock Inn

References