Arbuthnott Community
Arbuthnott (from Scottish Gaelic Obar Bhuadhnait, meaning ‘mouth of the Buadhnat’) is a small village in northeast Scotland, 26 miles south of Aberdeen. It is located on the B967 east of Fordoun (on the A90) and north-west of Inverbervie (on the A92) in Aberdeenshire. The nearest train station is Stonehaven.
The parish of Arbuthnott is a rural community not a village situated almost wholly to the north of the river Bervie. It extends from near the mouth of the river to where it meets, in the west, the parish of Fordoun, a distance of 5 miles. With projections in the north and south, the parish has a length of 6 miles. In the northwest, the Forthie water separates it from the parish of Glenbervie, and to the east lies Kinneff. On the south, Arbuthnott is bordered by the parish of Bervie and on the southwest by Garvock. Fordoun lies to the west. The parish covers an area of 9583 acres, nearly 15 square miles.
Traditionally agriculture has been the main source of employment and although mechanisation has led to fewer workers on the land, agriculture still remains the main activity of the Parish. Redundant houses and cottages have been refurbished or rebuilt and there are now a good number of people who commute from their homes in the Parish to jobs in surrounding towns, in particular Aberdeen, to work in the oil industry.
Arbuthnott school closed in November 1973 and now children from the Parish either attend for primary education, Inverbervie, Fordoun or Drumlithie and for secondary education Mearns or Mackie Academy. Transport is provided for pupils to schools within their catchment areas.
There is no regular public transport.
The most obvious feature in the village is the 13th Century Parish Church of St. Ternan in which the Missal of Arbuthnott was written.
Memorial to Lewis Grassic Gibbon in Arbuthnott kirkyard
Lewis Grassic Gibbon hailed from the area and wrote about life in The Mearns. The Lewis Grassic Gibbon Centre is located next to the Village Hall, near the Post Office.
Rt Rev George Gleig was born at raised at Arbuthnott.
Arbuthnott House, the seat of the Viscount of Arbuthnott, is near the village.