Banff and Macduff
File:Admiralty Chart No 1442 Banff and Macduff, Published 1842.jpg
Banff and Macduff is a community council area in the Banff and Buchan committee area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with a community council.{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.banffandmacduffcc.org |website=Banff and Macduff Community Council |access-date=8 December 2024 |language=en}} The community council area includes the two named towns and a rural area extending to the south west.{{cite web |title=Community Council Boundaries [map] |url=https://www.banffandmacduffcc.org/collatoral/Boundary%20Map.pdf |publisher=Banff and Macduff Community Council |access-date=8 December 2024}}
Banff and Macduff are two neighboring coastal towns on either side of the River Deveron, known for their intertwined history and long-established rivalry.{{Cite news |date=July 13, 1997 |title=On the home front |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12315480.on-the-home-front/ |work=The Herald}}{{Cite news |last=Rae |first=Christopher |date=December 30, 2013 |title=Towns pitch battle over disputed land |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/42022/towns-pitch-battle-over-disputed-land/ |work=The Press & Journal}} They are often discussed together.{{cite web |title=Banff & Macduff |url=https://sobt.co.uk/banff-macduff/ |website=Scotland Off the Beaten Track |access-date=8 December 2024 |date=7 April 2012}}{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Alan |title=Old Banff and Macduff |date=1999 |publisher=Stenlake Publishing |isbn=978-1840330854}}
History
File:Banff and Macduff across Boyndie Bay - geograph.org.uk - 2717027.jpg
Banff and Macduff have historically both been fishing towns. The two towns have been home to herring fishermen.
The origins of their rivalry can be traced back to the hanging of Scottish outlaw and folk hero Jamie Macpherson. A messenger with a pardon was reportedly on the way through Macduff before his execution, but the people of Banff set their clock tower to an earlier time so that he would be hung before the messenger arrived. The people of Macduff were more favorable to Macpherson and the actions in Banff led to a rivalry between the towns.{{Cite web |title=Rivalry between Banff and Macduff traced to the hanging of M... |url=https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/9942?l=en |website=Tobar an Dualchais – Kist o Riches}}{{Cite web |title=Aug 02, 1889, page 12 - The Graphic: An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/393778586/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} The rivalry has been covered in media including The Herald in Scotland and CBC Radio in Canada, among others.{{Cite news |date=May 21, 1961 |title=Program Notes: Postmark UK |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/CBC-Times/1961/CBC-Times-1961-05-21.pdf |work=CBC Times|page=22|quote=""}}
In 1883, Banff and Macduff had a population of around 9,000.{{Cite web |title=Nov 05, 1883, page 2 - Evening Post at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/806269789/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} In 1906, the Duke of Fife gifted the Duff House to Banff and Macduff.{{Cite web |title=Nov 28, 1906, page 2 - The Perthshire Advertiser, etc. at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/806508632/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
Banff and Macduff railway station operated from 1860 to 1872 on the Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway; it was renamed as Macduff (Banff) station in 1866. The 1950s saw opposition in Banff and Macduff to the closing of the passenger rail station.{{Cite web |last=Waterston |first=Kirstie |date=2021-09-29 |title=Step back in time: The last passenger train to Macduff 70 years ago |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/past-times/3500624/last-passenger-train-to-macduff/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Press and Journal |language=en-GB}}
In 2013, the two towns fought over the legal ownership of the bridge between them. A councillor from Banff argued that historic maps showed part of the land near the bridge belonged to Banff and was incorrectly claimed by Macduff. A new bridge linking the two towns was proposed in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-02 |title=Public's views sought on a proposed new active travel bridge linking Banff and Macduff |url=https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/news/publics-views-sought-on-a-proposed-new-active-travel-bridge-255815/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Grampian Online |language=en}}
The two towns share the Banff and Macduff Lifeboat Station and the Banff and Macduff Heritage Trail.{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://banffmacduffheritagetrail.co.uk/about/ |website=Banff and Macduff Heritage Trail |publisher=Aberdeenshire Council}} An annual bowling competition has been held between the two towns for more than one hundred years.{{Cite news |last=Ritchie |first=Kyle |date=September 5, 2023 |title=Victory for Macduff Bowling Club over local rivals Banff |url=https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/sport/victory-for-macduff-bowling-club-over-local-rivals-banff-325448/ |work=Grampian Online}}