Grantown-on-Spey

Grantown-on-Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area, historically within the county of Moray.The town was founded in 1765 as a planned settlement, and was originally called simply Grantown after Sir James Grant.The burgh was founded in 1765 during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, to encourage both agricultural marketing and handicrafts, as well as to increase local land values and reduce unemployment and emigration.[5][6] This was part of a wider effort at social and economic improvements brought about by some progressive landlords following the decades of peace after the Jacobite rising of 1745.[6] The new town was advertised in newspapers and elsewhere as a site conveniently close to farms, forests and quarries, with persons and businesses invited to apply for feus and leases.[8] By the 1860s, linen manufacture had declined and Grantown was primarily functioning as a market town for the surrounding agricultural district; then during the late Victorian era tourism began to develop.[10] By 1902, tourism to the town and region had grown significantly, and the same factor was responsible for much of its development and growth in the 20th century and into the 21st.[13] The primary industries in the area are agriculture, forestry, and tourist-related services, including guided wildlife watching tours operated from local hotels, notably the Grant Arms.In 1861, the Grantown Female School (Burnfield House) was built with funds from Captain John Grant, a factor of Strathspey.[25][24] The High Street and Square contain several notable examples of Scottish baronial architecture and Georgian and Victorian-era buildings.[41][42] It is home to a secretive capercaillie population (a species of bird which has suffered drastic declines in numbers in recent decades and is extremely susceptible to human disturbance, meaning that local guides may nowadays decline to direct enthusiasts to try to find them, either in this area or the wider region.[44][45][7] The rebuilding was funded by Caroline Stuart, Countess of Seafield as a memorial to the death of her husband and son.[46][47] It dates from 1754, and was built as part of the military road from Grantown eastwards to Corgaff by the 33rd Regiment of Foot under Lord Charles Hay.[8] The Inverness and Perth Junction Railway was completed in 1863, and increased the number of tourists and visitors to town.[50][51] There are several local bus services, mainly concentrating on the route to and from Aviemore, but also serving surrounding places.Current information for bus services of most of the operators is on the websites of Moray Council and the Stagecoach group.
Grantown-on-Spey war memorial (erected 1921).
The Square, including the former Speyside Orphanage building and clocktower (1824).
Inverallan Parish Church (built 1886)
The Old Spey Bridge (dating from 1754) is closed to motor traffic and used by pedestrians and cyclists.
Grantown Primary School on Grant Road.
Scottish GaelicHighlandDensityLanguageEnglishOS grid referenceEdinburghLondonCommunity councilCouncil areaLieutenancy areaInvernessCountryScotlandSovereign statePost townPostcode districtDialling codePoliceScottishAmbulanceUK ParliamentMoray West, Nairn and StrathspeyScottish ParliamentInverness and NairnHighland Council Areahistoricallycounty of Morayriver SpeyCairngormplanned settlementSir James GrantStrathspey regiontwinnedNotre-Dame-de-MontsVendéePays de la LoireFranceIndustrial RevolutionJacobite rising of 1745Castle Grantmarketplacelinen manufacturingbleachfieldVictorian eraQueen VictoriaPrince AlbertStrathspey RailwayFirst World WarAlexander Marshall MackenzieSecond World Warwhisky distilleriesGordon & MacPhailabattoirYoung's SeafoodCairngorms National ParkCaravan and Motorhome ClubBell towerpublic turret clockScottish baronial architectureBank of ScotlandHM King George VTemperance HoteldormerRoyal British LegionArt DecocinemaIan Charles Community HospitalNHS ScotlandcapercaillieChurch of ScotlandCaroline Stuart, Countess of SeafieldVictorian GothicInverallanmilitary roadBoat of GartenFort George33rd Regiment of FootLord Charles HayAviemoreCarrbridgeCentral BeltHighland Main LineForresInverness and Perth Junction RailwayGrantown-on-Spey EastGrantown-on-Spey Westheritage railwayCairngorm Mountain Railway1872 Education Actgolf courseWillie Park Jr.James BraidBobby Cruickshankleisure centreAung San Suu KyiJohn Kerr, Baron Kerr of KinlochardIsabella LeitchCraig MacLeanNikolai OrlovJames Ogilvie-Grant, 11th Earl of SeafieldW. N. T. BeckettNational Records of ScotlandHistoric Environment ScotlandBBC NewsArt FundCanmoreWoodland TrustWikisource1911 Encyclopædia Britannica