Kemnay

Kemnay is an attractive village located in the Garioch area of Aberdeenshire, 16 miles west of Aberdeen city centre and six miles south of Inverurie.

The village, which has approximately 3,800 residents, is the third largest area in Garioch in terms of population after Inverurie and Westhill. With its location in the heart of Aberdeenshire surrounded by tranquil countryside, this vibrant community is a popular choice with families who enjoy living in the country, but love escaping to the city. Kemnay’s convenient commuting distance to Aberdeen also makes it an ideal location for those who work in the city.

There is a good selection of amenities in Kemnay, including a number of shops and a local medical centre, as well as some great leisure opportunities in the area, including salmon fishing in the River Don and an 18-hole parkland golf course, Kemnay Golf Club. There are also two primary schools in the area, Kemnay Primary School and Alehousewells Primary School, as well as Kemnay Academy, a secondary school which recently unveiled a £14.4 million extension.

History of Kemnay

Kemnay’s name is thought to be derived either from the Celtic words for ‘bend’ and ‘river’ (the village is situated on a bend in the River Don), or from the Gaelic phrase ‘ceann a’ maigh’, meaning 'head of the plain'. The exact time period when the area became a settlement is unknown, but the many archaeological features and artefacts in the area, such as stone circles and Roman encampments, indicate that Kemnay has been inhabited for centuries.

The village is well known for its association with granite, quarried commercially in Kemnay from the 1830s. Kemnay granite went on to become famous, with the stone being used in many of the UK’s most iconic buildings, including the Forth and Tay Rail Bridge foundations, London’s Tower Bridge, the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool and a number of the building’s on Edinburgh’s iconic Princes Street. More recently, the Scottish Parliament was built using Kemnay granite.

Additionally, there are a number of historical places of interest near the village, such as Fetternear House, a mansion built near where Fetternear Palace - residence of the medieval Bishop of Aberdeen - once stood.

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