Muchalls
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name = Muchalls
|gaelic_name=
|scots_name=
|local_name=
|static_image_name=Muchalls, Scotland.jpg
|country = Scotland
|population= 500
|population_ref= (approx)
|os_grid_reference= NO902922
|edinburgh_distance_mi= 115
|edinburgh_direction= SSW
|london_distance_mi= 510
|london_direction= SSE
|map_alt= Map showing Muchalls on the east coast of Scotland
|coordinates = {{coord|57.021|-2.161|display=inline,title}}
|post_town = STONEHAVEN
|postcode_area = AB
|postcode_district = AB39
|dial_code = 01569
|constituency_westminster= West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
|unitary_scotland= Aberdeenshire
|lieutenancy_scotland= Kincardineshire
|constituency_scottish_parliament= Aberdeen South and North Kincardine
|website=
}}
Muchalls is a small coastal ex-fishing village in Kincardineshire, Scotland, south of Newtonhill and north of Stonehaven.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst3958.html|title=Muchalls|website=Gazetteer for Scotland|accessdate={{today}}|archive-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301013427/http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst3958.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townhistory3958.html|title=Muchalls: Historical perspective for Muchalls|website=Gazetteer for Scotland|accessdate={{today}}|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212854/http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townhistory3958.html|url-status=live}} Muchalls is situated slightly north of a smaller hamlet known as the Bridge of Muchalls. At the western edge of Muchalls is the historic Saint Ternan's Church. The rugged North Sea coastline near Muchalls features numerous cliffs, sea stacks and headlands, not infrequently in haar. The Grim Brigs headland is situated at Muchalls southern edge and Doonie Point headland is approximately 1.5 kilometres south.
History
Muchalls is situated slightly to the east of the ancient Causey Mounth trackway, which was constructed on high ground to ensure passage along the only available medieval route from coastal points south from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. This ancient passage specifically connected the River Dee crossing (where the present Bridge of Dee is situated) via Gillybrands, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south.{{cite web|url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932|author=C.Michael Hogan|title=Causey Mounth|website=Megalithic Portal|editor=Andy Burnham|date=3 November 2007|accessdate={{today}}|archive-date=29 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629155116/http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17932|url-status=live}} William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Marquess of Montrose took that route when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the battle of the Civil War in 1639.{{cite book|last=Watt|first=Archibald|title=Highways and Byways round Kincardine|publisher=Stonehaven Heritage Society|year=1985|isbn=9780907301097}} From Muchalls Castle to the sea is a secret cave, about one mile long, which smugglers once{{when|date=December 2020}} used. The cave is said to be haunted by the green lady. The cave has been boarded up at the castle end and at the sea. The portion of the cave near Muchalls's bridge has collapsed just below the railway line.{{cn|date=December 2020}}
Charles Dickens visited Muchalls in its heyday as a Victorian resort and declared that Muchalls was a remarkably beautiful place. Footage was recorded in Muchalls for the 1990 film Hamlet.{{cite web|url=http://www.wheredidtheyfilmthat.co.uk/location.php?loc_id=622|title=Where did they film that?|accessdate={{today}}|archive-date=10 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110225041/http://wheredidtheyfilmthat.co.uk/location.php?loc_id=622|url-status=live}} Muchalls is the birthplace of Richard Henry Brunton,{{cite web|url=http://www.fownc.org/newsletters/no42.shtml|title=Centenary memorial service for Richard Henry Brunton|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914065814/http://www.fownc.org/newsletters/no42.shtml |archivedate=2007-09-14 |url-status=dead}} the father of Japanese lighthouses.
Transportation
Between 1849 and 1950, the village was served by the Muchalls Railway Station, on the Aberdeen Railway, the location of which can be estimated by its proximity to the Muchalls Peace Sign.
The 108 bus between Muchalls and Newtonhill was withdrawn in 2018 due to cost-cutting by Aberdeenshire Council.{{Cite web|last=Mandi Dorward|title=Bus journeys/services withdrawals from 7th May 2018 – NKRCC|url=https://www.nkrcc.org.uk/bus-journeysservices-withdrawals-from-7th-may-2018/|access-date=2021-11-05|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2018-03-29|title=Kincardine and Mearns area bus forum|url=https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/media/22550/kincardine-and-mearns-area-bus-forum-minutes-29-march-2018.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|archive-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105234247/https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/media/22550/kincardine-and-mearns-area-bus-forum-minutes-29-march-2018.pdf}} The village now has no public transport.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nescotland/articles/exmuchl.htm Muchalls on the Kincardineshire Coast - A Health Resort, By William Paul, 1896]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205225602/http://www.stadtlandfluss.co.uk/solar_eclipse.html Solar Eclipse 2003 at Muchalls]
{{Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire places|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Aberdeenshire places|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}