The Lairhillock Inn is an historic coaching inn along an old carriage route approximately four miles north of Netherley, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In 2007 a new primary school opened across the road named Lairhillock Primary School, which replaced the old Netherley School and Maryculter School and serves a wider area than both Netherley and Maryculter schools. Other notable historic buildings in the vicinity include Netherley House, Cookney Church, Elsick House and Muchalls Castle.
Ancient history
The Lairhillock is located proximate to the ancient north-south Causey Mounth road, which road was constructed in medieval times to make passable this only available coastal route across the Grampian Mounth from coastal points south from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. This ancient drovers' road specifically connected the River Dee crossing (where the present Bridge of Dee is situated) via Portlethen Moss and Stonehaven to the south. The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the James Graham, Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the Civil War in 1639.