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Portlethen Village is a settlement along the North Sea coast in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The village is also known as Old Portlethen. The skerry of Craigmaroinn is situated just off the coastline near Portlethen Village.
Contents
Map of Portlethen Village, Aberdeen, UK
History
Portlethen Village is situated slightly to the east of the ancient Causey Mounth trackway, which road was constructed to make passable this only available medieval route from coastal points south from Stonehaven north to Aberdeen. This ancient trackway specifically connected the River Dee crossing (where the present Bridge of Dee is situated) via Portlethen Moss, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south. The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the battle of the Civil War in 1639.
For centuries prior to the collapse of local marine fisheries in the 1900s, Portlethen Village derived its livelihood from use of small oceangoing wooden boats in pursuit of North Sea fish. It also has a small public house called The Neuk.
Castle
It has been noted that Portlethen Village once had a castle nearby similar of that to the one in Muchalls. Legend has it that Portlethen castle had a secret underground cave leading to the sea likewise to the one at Muchalls Castle. No one is sure why this 17th-century building exists no more. It stood at the site of the Mains of Portlethen farm as remains of the castle's walls are present in the farmhouse. The castle may have been L-Plan likewise most castles in the area such as Muchalls. The castle was built by Robert Buchan, who owned the estate of Portlethen in the 17th century.