Collieston (Aberdeenshire)

Lat:57.347 Lon: -1.935

Collieston is a small village on the North Sea coast in Aberdeenshire.

Set around a small, sheltered bay, Collieston flourished as a fishing settlement from the 16th Century until the mid 1800s. The sheltered beach made it the most significant landing place along this stretch of the Aberdeenshire coast and therefore a natural place for a fishing harbour to become established.

Haddock, cod, whiting and herring were the main catches landed by a small fleet of yawls. These craft were small enough that they could be simply pulled up onto the shore.

After a catch was landed, some fish were processed in the village. Haddock and whiting were salted and sun-dried to produce "Collieston Speldings", a delicacy that was sold throughout Britain.

As fishing grew to an industrial scale in the 19th Century, Collieston began to lose out. Larger, drift-netting boats were able to bring in bigger catches, and Collieston Harbour was too small to accommodate them. The introduction of a pier in 1894 was intended to halt the decline. Instead, by narrowing the entrance to the cove, it caused an increase in the build up of sediment, making the harbour more shallow and even less suitable for modern fishing craft.

There is a significant history of smuggling in the area. The caves and small coves along this stretch of coast provided numerous opportunities to land and hide contraband.

Collieston is now a tourist destination and a commuter village serving Aberdeen.

Features of the area

• Coast
• Harbour
• Fishing
• Village

Aberdeenshire Group

Aberdeenshire is one of Scotland’s 32 unitary council areas. Although its headquarters are based in Aberdeen, the council area does not include the city itself.

Aberdeenshire borders Angus and Perth and Kinross to the south, and the Highland council area and Moray to the west.

Elsewhere on the BBC

• BBC NE Scotland and Northern Isles

Elsewhere on the web

• RCAHMS: Collieston Harbour
• Collieston Online - Community website
• Wikipedia entry on Collieston
• Aberdeenshire Council Local Studies