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Bieldside is a suburb to the west of Aberdeen City Centre, Scotland, together with its neighbouring area of Cults is the wealthiest area in Scotland. It has one pub/restaurant, The Bieldside, a foodstore, a hairdresser, a tea room and a charity shop. The Old Deeside railway line (now the Deeside Way) passes through Bieldside, and Queen Victoria would often stop at Bieldside on her regular journeys between her summer retreat at Balmoral and the city centre.
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Map of Bieldside, UK
Bieldside is attributed as one of the wealthiest area in Scotland, and is home to the most millionaires per postcode outside London. Its residents include former UK Open winner Paul Lawrie and Stewart Milne. The area was also where Alex Ferguson lived whilst Aberdeen Football Club manager.
Notable residents
Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy was born in Bieldside. The Baroness was Lady Diana, Princess of Wales's maternal grandmother. Bieldside has some of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom in its residence. Notably prominent oil billionaire, Sir Ian Wood, Stewart Milne, a construction group owner, worth £400 million and oil company owners Ian Suttie and Bob Keiller who all occupy high places in the Sunday Times Rich List, worth over £50 million. The postcode that Bieldside occupies has the most millionaires outside London, 222 at last count.
Prehistory
Bieldside has been a settlement for at least 4000 years. The Bieldside Cairn (OS Grid reference. NJ 883 028) is a large burial cairn thought to be around 4000 years old. A housing development in the 1970s was built around the cairn which detracts from its atmosphere.
Education
Bieldside houses many English and Americans in the oil profession. The majority of Bieldside children go to Cults Primary School, then onto Cults Academy or nearby International School of Aberdeen or Private Schools in the city centre. Cults Academy pupils achieve extremely high Standard Grade and Higher exam results and in 2008 received The Sunday Times Scottish State Secondary School of the Year Award and in recent history has never dropped out of the top three schools in Scotland.
Golf
There is a prestigious golf club within Bieldside, Deeside Golf Club, which can boast Royal members such as Prince Andrew. There are also numerous open green areas and a private lake in the area.
Disability Centres
There are two Camphill Communities at Bieldside, Newton Dee Village and a set of Camphill schools known as Murtle Estate for 3 to 19 year olds, providing Curative Education for those with learning disabilities, including deprivation and autism. Another Camphill school (Camphill Estate) is in nearby Milltimber.