Pennan

Pennan

Pennan
Pennan
Pennan shown within Aberdeenshire
OS grid reference NJ845655
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town FRASERBURGH
Postcode district AB43
Dialling code 01346
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Pennan (Scots: Peenan)[1] is a small village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland[2] consisting of a small harbour and a single row of homes, including a hotel. It is on the north-facing coast and is about one hour's drive from Aberdeen.

Area history

Pennan portrayed the fictional village of Ferness in Local Hero — the red telephone box is visible
Aerial view of Pennan village

Pennan seems to have come into existence as a fishing village in the 18th century. Until the 1930s, the population of the village seems to have come under three main surnames - Watt, Gatt and West. The people of Pennan were dependent on the sea. Most families had small boats for their own personal use. Where the men would catch the fish, it was usually down to the women and children to try to sell it to clients in the country. In the last 50 years, most of the native families have moved out and most of the houses have been bought as holiday homes. Pennan became famous in the 1980s for being used as one of the main locations for the film Local Hero, and representing the fictional village of Ferness. Film enthusiasts have come from all over the world to make a phone call in the red telephone box which featured in the film. The phone box was in fact originally put there only as a prop for the film, and then removed, but as a result of public demand a genuine telephone box was installed a few metres from the original spot (+44 (0)1346 6210), and has been a listed building since 1989.[3] Landslips, especially one in 2007, have been damaging the village.[4] In 2009 a 25-foot crack appeared on the cliff side, sparking calls for the village to be evacuated.

This part of Aberdeenshire was inhabited by prehistoric peoples since at least the Bronze Age. One of the most ancient extant monuments is the long barrow at Longman Hill.[5]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Online Scots Dictionary
  2. ↑ UK Ordnance Survey, 2004
  3. ↑ Historic Scotland: Aberdeenshire listed building report
  4. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8365494.stm
  5. ↑ C.M.Hogan, 2008

References

  • United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map (2004) Landranger, 1:50000 scale
  • C.Michael Hogan (2008) Longman Hill, Modern Antiquarian
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