Here’s five facts about Footdee:
- It’s an old fishing village by Aberdeen harbour
- There’s been dwellings there since medieval times
- Architect, John Smith designed Footdee’s cottages in 1809 to rehouse fishermen
- It is known, by locals, as Fittie
- Though many believed the name Footdee referred to ‘foot of the Dee’ it is actually a corruption of a dedication to St Fothan
So armed with these facts, why visit this tiny place? It has the Silver Darling restaurant, a nod to the old Scottish name for herring. There’s an obelisk, Scarty’s Monument; you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a memorial but it’s really the ventilation shaft of a disused sewage point. The war memorial commemorates Footdee folk who died in first and second world wars. The roundhouse was the former harbour master’s station and the marine operations building is shapely in gleaming glass.
All these pale to nothing when you meet the enchanting network of cobbled walkways hosting quaint cottages and quirky sheds. It’s said upcycling gave birth here long before television shows claimed its popularity. Rusting mangles and fishermen’s boots host flowers and trailing plants; lifebelts become the means to name a shed. It’s a time stands still, steeped in history (almost) hidden gem.
How had I missed it in the 60 years I’d been visiting Aberdeen? I spoke to my aunt, the Aberdeen oracle who’s lived in the city since she was five. Her face lit up. “Fittie? I love it. We used to go there often, walking round each path admiring the little cottages all dressed up.” If you’ve been, you’ll know what she means. If you haven’t, don’t overlook this fascinating, model village style piece of social history. Can you resist?
©️ Liz Mackenzie
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