Dufftown

Dufftown (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhainidh [ˈpaləˈvanɪ(j)]) is a burgh in Moray, Scotland.

This article is about the place in Moray, Scotland. For the place in the United States, see Dufftown, California.

Dufftown
  • Scottish Gaelic: Baile Bhainidh
  • Scots: Dufftoun

Approaching the Dufftown Clock Tower in the middle of Dufftown
Dufftown
Location within Moray
Population1,667 (2011 census)
OS grid referenceNJ323399
• Edinburgh108 mi (174 km) SSW
• London430 mi (692 km) SSE
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKEITH
Postcode districtAB55
Dialling code01340
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Historically part of Banffshire, Dufftown is in the ancient parish of Mortlach (Scottish Gaelic: Mòrthlach). The old Kirkton of Mortlach, with the historic Mortlach Parish Church, is on the southern outskirts of the present town. In the 19th century, James Duff, 4th Earl Fife, established Dufftown as housing for soldiers returning home from the Napoleonic War.

In the Middle Ages, Mortlach (in Latin Murthlacum) was an episcopal see.

Dufftown hosts a highland games event every July which attracts many tourists.

Dufftown's notable buildings include Balvenie Castle, which was partly built with stones from the ruins of nearby Auchindoun Castle. The street plan of Dufftown is mainly four main roads meeting at the Dufftown Clock Tower; previously a prison but now a tourist information centre.

Episcopal see

The Diocese of Mortlach was one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The names of four bishops of the see are known:[1][2][3]

Today, the Diocese of Mortlach, under its Latin name of Murthlacum, is a titular see of the Catholic Church.[4]

Climate

Dufftown has an oceanic climate typical of Northern Scotland, characterised by relatively mild, damp winters and cool cloudy summers. The area averages 76 air frosts a year. Like much of Europe, Dufftown's climate is insulated somewhat by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current originating near the gulf of Mexico. This warm ocean current makes Dufftown's climate significantly milder during the winter than expected for its latitude.

Climate data for Keith (Nearest climate station to Dufftown)1981 - 2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 5.9
(42.6)		 6.4
(43.5)		 8.4
(47.1)		 11.0
(51.8)		 13.8
(56.8)		 16.0
(60.8)		 18.5
(65.3)		 18.1
(64.6)		 15.6
(60.1)		 12.0
(53.6)		 8.3
(46.9)		 5.7
(42.3)		 11.6
(53.0)
Average low °C (°F) −0.6
(30.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 0.8
(33.4)		 2.6
(36.7)		 4.9
(40.8)		 7.8
(46.0)		 9.8
(49.6)		 9.4
(48.9)		 7.2
(45.0)		 4.5
(40.1)		 1.8
(35.2)		 −1.0
(30.2)		 3.9
(39.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 65.7
(2.59)		 57.8
(2.28)		 63.2
(2.49)		 59.6
(2.35)		 60.8
(2.39)		 77.8
(3.06)		 70.6
(2.78)		 75.6
(2.98)		 89.2
(3.51)		 100.9
(3.97)		 91.9
(3.62)		 64.7
(2.55)		 877.8
(34.57)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 45.9 77.3 108.2 142.2 190.0 152.7 156.8 145.6 117.5 89.6 53.2 35.0 1,314
Source: metoffice

Whisky in Dufftown

Dufftown is located on the River Fiddich and is the location of several Scotch whisky distilleries. It produces more malt whisky than any other town in Scotland; in fact, a signpost on the way into Dufftown declares it the "Whisky Capital of the World". The largest and best known of the many surrounding distilleries is the Glenfiddich distillery that distills Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky. The Glenfiddich distillery is owned by William Grant & Sons, Dufftown's largest employer. This proliferation puts it on the famed Malt Whisky Trail,[5] which also includes Keith, Glen Grant Distillery, Marypark, and Tomintoul.

Glenfiddich: Dufftowns brand

The following distilleries have produced whisky in Dufftown.[6]

Active distilleries

Former distilleries
  • Convalmore
  • Parkmore
  • Pittyvaich
See also: Hogwarts

According to the third film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hogwarts, the main setting of the series, is said to be close to Dufftown by Hermione Granger, when the town is mentioned in an article in The Daily Prophet.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "Historical successions: Aberdeen". Crockford's Clerical Directory. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  2. Dowden 1912, The Bishops of Scotland, pp. 97–98.
  3. Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 317.
  4. Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 934
  5. "Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail". Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  6. "Dufftown's Distilleries". Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  7. Tom Begg, ‘Mackenzie , Dame Helen Carruthers (1859–1945)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 28 Dec 2016
  8. Watt, George (20 November 1972). "Lord Grant killed in car accident". Glasgow Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 12 January 2016 – via Google News.

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