Small Wonders
Famous for its royal ties, the town of Banchory is also home to a wealth of hidden history
ABERDEENSHIRE may be known for its royal connections and 263 castles but, the area has so much more to be explored. Banchory, around 32 km (20 miles) from Aberdeen, is a particular heritage hotspot.
Sitting on the banks of the River Dee, Banchory is a small town steeped in Scottish history. Did you know that musician and violinist James Scott Skinner, known for popularising Scottish traditional dance music in the early 20th century, was born near the Aberdeenshire town? Or that local antiquarian and archaeologist Hilda Patterson discovered Mesolithic flints in the area?
These, and more stories and artefacts about the area, are tucked away in a small museum hidden down the steps of Banchory’s local library.
“In Deeside you can really get the castle experience and royal stories, but this is the story of local people and what they contributed to the area,” explains Amy Miller, museums development co-ordinator for Aberdeenshire
Museums Service.
One of the unique draws of Banchory Musuem is that it is home to a vast collection of audio recordings of traditional Scottish music, as well as antique recording equipment, gathered by former local headteacher John Junner. A current exhibit includes the snowboard belonging to local Olympian Ben Kilner who competed for Team GB in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
“It gives visitors a flavour of the area,” Amy says. “For local audiences it is a bit of local pride. It shows that people from Deeside and Banchory have done exceptional things.”
And while its focus may be on “ordinary” people, Banchory Museum is still home to a wonderful collection of royal artefacts and Victorian symbols, such as a penny-farthing, and a wedding dress from the era.
“I love costumes because they give you a sense of a person,” Amy says. “You can imagine someone wearing it, and the lady’s costume is beautiful. That’s one of my favourite things.”
Don’t Miss...
Interactive exhibits, including life as an archaeologist or museum curator