A look at Hatton of Fintray reveals several historical themes: Hatton of Fintray Old Church is a Category B listed building, while the site of St Giles Chapel brings together a graveyard and the location of a chapel. Remains of a designed landscape survive at Fintray House, and Skair Road largely follows an 18th-century road. The Fintray House Hill Climb is another recurring reason to visit. Choosing your focus helps with planning: local history and landscape offer a different emphasis from a stay centred around the event date.
Church, chapel site and graveyard
Hatton of Fintray Old Church is a Category B listed building. At St Giles Chapel, there is a chapel graveyard and the site of a chapel. No traces of the chapel survive; the extended graveyard is now the new parish cemetery. The cemetery is also the burial place of a Commonwealth war grave from the Second World War: the grave of Battery Quartermaster Sergeant Georg Donald of the Royal Engineers. Thus, the site of St Giles Chapel brings together a chapel site that is no longer visible, its present use as a parish cemetery and a named war grave. These different connections give local history more than one perspective: it extends from a listed church building to the history of the graveyard and remembrance.
The designed landscape of Fintray House
Remains of a 17th-century designed landscape survive at the site of Fintray House. The River Don and the surrounding views influenced its design. Extensive deciduous and coniferous woodlands stretch north of the Don within the landscape setting of Fintray House. The focus is therefore not only on individual buildings, but also on the design of their surroundings. The river and views form part of the historical explanation of the estate; the woodlands add to the landscape setting described here. Those interested in historic landscapes will find a different focus here than in the history of the village and its graveyards.
Skair Road and the military road
Skair Road also has a long history. It largely follows the route of the road that the Ordnance Survey called General Wade's Military Road. Major Caulfeild had this road built in the 1750s as part of a route between Stonehaven and Fochabers via Aberdeen. The route may have been realigned since the 18th century, so the historical route and the present-day road need not be identical along every stretch. Skair Road runs via the B979, Hatton of Fintray Road. Its history thus links a named road to a larger historic route, without overlooking the possibility that its route later changed.
Hill Climb and practical planning
The first Fintray House Hill Climb took place in May 1995; the event has been held every year since. Spectators are welcome. You can plan your travel dates around the race.
The Inverurie Rural A2B Dial-a-Bus serves Hatton of Fintray. Booked in advance, it offers a door-to-door service using low-floor vehicles with wheelchair-accessible transport. Details of the service may change, so check the latest information before travelling. This gives your travel plans a different focus: if you mainly want to experience a race, you can plan your dates around the Hill Climb; if you are interested in cultural history, the emphasis is on the history of buildings and landscapes. This distinction can help clarify the purpose of your stay before you look for accommodation in Hatton of Fintray.
Discover more destinations: Stonehaven, Balmedie, Peterculter, Peterhead, Milltimber, Logie, Macduff, Plaidy.
For the main travel overview: Aberdeenshire.
