Grantown-on-Spey () is a town in the Highland Council Area, historically within the county of Moray. It is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountains, about south-east of Inverness ( by road).

The town was founded in 1765 as a planned settlement, and was originally called simply Grantown after Sir James Grant. The addition 'on Spey' was added by the burgh council in 1898. The town has several listed 18th and 19th century buildings, including several large hotels, and serves as a regional centre for tourism and services in the Strathspey region.

The town is twinned with Notre-Dame-de-Monts in the Vendée, Pays de la Loire, France.

History

thumb|right|Grantown-on-Spey war memorial (erected 1921).

The burgh was founded in 1765 during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, to encourage both agricultural marketing and handicrafts, as well as to increase local land values and reduce unemployment and emigration. This was part of a wider effort at social and economic improvements brought about by some progressive landlords following the decades of peace after the Jacobite rising of 1745. The church was rebuilt in the 1880s. By 1841 the town had a population of 1,000. By the 1860s, linen manufacture had declined and Grantown was primarily functioning as a market town for the surrounding agricultural district; then during the late Victorian era tourism began to develop.

By 1965, the town had a population of just under 1,600, and could accommodate 800 visitors in tourist accommodation.

In 2016, a charity fundraising event was held to honour the linen manufacturing history of the town. Millers' of Speyside is a large abattoir on the edge of the town. There is a large smokehouse, currently operated by the Meatsnacks Group - prior to 2016 it was operated by Young's Seafood. The Cairngorms National Park Authority main office is located in the town.

Accommodation

There are various hotels and B&Bs, and self-catering accommodation. A large caravan park is managed by the Caravan and Motorhome Club.

Landmarks

Museum and other notable buildings

thumb|right|The Square, including the former Speyside Orphanage building and clocktower (1824).

Grantown Museum is located in Burnfield Avenue, near one of the town's car parks. In 1861, the Grantown Female School (Burnfield House) was built with funds from Captain John Grant, a factor of Strathspey. The school closed in 1890 when its pupils transferred to Grantown Grammar School and Burnfield House is now the home of the Museum.

The Speyside Orphanage (also known as the Speyside Charity/Free School) was established in 1795, with funds from Lady Grant of Monymusk. It was originally built by local builder John Russell, but was damaged by fire and rebuilt in 1824, it closed in 1975. The building was converted to a heritage centre, and then later to private flats in 1986. The building is Category A listed and has a small clock tower, with an electric public turret clock from 1975. (The earlier clock is in the town museum). At the corner of 1 High Street and 1 The Square is a Category B listed former bank, built by Matthews and Laurie. It was purpose-built in 1867, and originally housed the Caledonian Bank, then later the Bank of Scotland - which was the last remaining bank in Grantown, before finally closing in March 2021. A turreted building t nos. 3 & 5 High Street formerly contained the Town Post Office and the premises of A.C. Grant, formerly supplier of tweeds to HM King George V.

At 57 High Street is the Ben Mhor hotel, dating to the 1880s, formerly the Temperance Hotel. The former Strathspey Hotel (also called Dunbar's Hotel) is an early 19th century Category B listed building at 70/72 High Street, now converted into homes. Hastilow's Palace Hotel is another former hotel with multiple dormer windows (built in 1894 on the site of the previous Black Bull Inn) on the High Street, and is now a care home. The earlier hotel building was built in 1765, and on 4 September 1860 hosted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Garth Hotel, on the Square, dates back to 1769, when it was built for James Grant, clerk and factor to Sir James Grant, as a private residence, and was later converted to a hotel. Craiglynne Hotel is a late 19th century hotel on the western edge of the town, on Woodlands Terrace.

The Royal British Legion building on the Square is an Art Deco building that was formerly a cinema from the 1920s to the early 1960s, before becoming a hall for the legion.

Community Facilities

Ian Charles Community Hospital is an NHS Scotland community hospital.

Anagach Woods is located on the eastern edge of the town, and has numerous waymarked trails. It is home to a secretive capercaillie population (a species of bird which has suffered drastic declines in numbers in recent decades and is extremely susceptible to human disturbance, meaning that local guides may nowadays decline to direct enthusiasts to try to find them, either in this area or the wider region. The current Inverallan Church was rebuilt on the site of several earlier churches to a design by the architect Alexander Smith Cullen in 1886. It dates from 1754, and was built as part of the military road from Grantown eastwards to Corgaff by the 33rd Regiment of Foot under Lord Charles Hay. The old bridge is now used only by pedestrians and cyclists.

The Strathspey Railway is a heritage railway which currently runs between Aviemore and Broomhill (near Nethy Bridge), via Boat of Garten. The railway has been progressively reopening the line, and work is ongoing to extend the railway again to Grantown. This included the placement of a new bridge over the River Dulnain.

Buses

There are several local bus services, mainly concentrating on the route to and from Aviemore, but also serving surrounding places. Some services operate only on schooldays.

Occasional buses go to the Cairngorm Mountain Railway - especially in the winter, for skiers.

Various long distance bus services are available in Aviemore, Elgin and Keith. Current information for bus services of most of the operators is on the websites of Moray Council and the Stagecoach group.

Education

thumb|right|Grantown Primary School on Grant Road.

The first school in Grantown was planned from 1765 (on a middle lot to the south side of the Square), with two classrooms, but was not built until 1767 owing to insufficient children of school age in the town. The school was extended in 1879, and continued to expand, the senior years eventually becoming the current Grantown Grammar School - which in 1975 moved to a new large campus building at its present location. It provides education for children and young people between the ages of 11 and 18 years. Grantown Primary School remains on the site of the earlier school, in a newer building constructed following the 1872 Education Act.

The Speyside Charity/Free School and the Grantown Female School were former schools of the town; their extant buildings have been repurposed. In 1911 it was extended to 18 holes, to a design by Open champion Willie Park Jr., and later altered by James Braid, US Open Champion.

Notable people

  • Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese politician
  • Bobby Cruickshank, Golfer
  • Gregor Fraser, Pipe Major, 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
  • John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard, diplomat
  • Isabella Leitch, the nutritionist, was born here in 1890
  • Craig MacLean, Track Cyclist
  • Nikolai Orlov, Russian-born pianist
  • James Ogilvie-Grant, 11th Earl of Seafield, Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Elgin
  • W. N. T. Beckett, Captain, Royal Navy
  • Robert Grant, Astronomer
  • John Shaw Dawson, Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court

References

  • Live weather data in Grantown On Spey
  • The Highland Council / Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd – General "Leisure" and other information
  • Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – local weekly newspaper with on-line content
  • Grantown Grammar School, which serves Grantown and a wide surrounding area
  • Public train service fare and timetable information for all of Great Britain
  • Scotrail – public train services for Scotland
  • St Columba's (Scottish Episcopalian) church
  • St Anne's (RC) church
  • Map
  • Grantown Museum