The Howe O Buchan to Peterhead

From the Howe O’ Buchan crossing towards Peterhead the Line suddenly deteriorates to become an urban footpath overshadowed Peterhead’s westward expansion. Although pleasantly landscaped, bright with springtime daffodils and planted with alders, sycamores and the occasional horse chestnut there is little to see beyond the surrounding buildings.

 The present mansion of Howe O’ Buchan was built around 1840-5 but has the date stone of the earlier house behind it, inscribed A S W J S 1711, above the front door. The house contains a sculptured panel and bannisters which originated in Brucklay Castle.

By 1853 Howe o Buchan was the home of Thomas Walker, one of four brothers whose family had originated at Waulkmill and Bankhead in New Aberdour who between them owned the neighbouring  estates of Richmond, Balmore, Grange, and Howe O’ Buchan. When the railway station opened in Peterhead the water needed for the engines was pumped from Howe O’ Buchan.

Snowdrops at the Howe O' Buchan

 The Howe O Buchan crossing

Daffodils making a brave effort towards relieving the urban dullness

Meethill Reform Tower, seen from Station Road

The Reform Tower was built in 1832, on the site of a prehistoric burial cist, by the local Whig (now Liberal) Party to celebrate the introduction of the Parliamentary Reform Act of 1832. The Reform Act made Peterhead a Parliamentary Burgh and gave all male householders whose property had an annual value of £10 or more the right to vote.  The 5 storey granite tower, in plan a Greek cross, was originally intended to be an observatory, according to local tradition a child met his death by falling from the tower which once provided a hiding place for an escaped prisoner.

The Peterhead Tories also constructed a monument to commemorate the Reform Bill, situated in Broad Street, this is a single column on a granite base surmounted by four square panels bearing Latin inscriptions, the plant badges of Scotland, Ireland nations, and the arms of the Earl Marischal - removed from Inverugie Castle by Captain Ferguson of Pitfour, in turn topped by a Lion Rampant, in gold rather than red, so that it   symbolises a united Great Britain.

 The path ends ignominiously on a large carpark behind Peterhead Academy and Community Centre, the one concession to its former status as a railway line being the bollards at the crossing with York Street which resemble sleepers.

The former station site