Aberdour

"ABERDOUR, a parish, in the district of Deer, county of Aberdeen; containing 1645 inhabitants, of whom 376 are in the village of New Aberdour, 8 miles (W. by S.) from Fraserburgh. The name of this place is supposed to have been derived from the Gaelic term , signifying "mouth" or "opening," in reference to the rivulet Dour, which finds an entrance into the sea a short distance below the manse. . . In the south-eastern extremity are three farms, entirely cut off from the rest of the parish by the lands of Tyrie, and which some suppose to have been originally grazing land for the cattle belonging to the tenants on the seacoast; whilst others think that, at the time the parish was erected, they formed a separate estate belonging to the proprietor, who, wishing to have all his property in one parish, included them within the bounds of Aberdour. . . . For ecclesiastical purposes the parish is in the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen; patron, A. D. Fordyce, Esq.: the minister's stipend is sixteen chalders and a half of victual, half meal half barley, payable by the fairs of the year; with a manse, built in 1822, and a glebe of about seven acres, valued at £14 a year. The church, which is conveniently situated at the northern extremity of the village of New Aberdour, was erected in 1818, and contains about 900 sittings. There is a parochial school, where Latin is taught, with all the ordinary branches of education; the master has a salary of about £32, and £15 fees, with a house. . . More"
[From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1851) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016]