The History of Torry
People have been living in Torry since at least the 12th century. The place name first appears in written records in 1484 and was erected a burgh of barony by royal charter from King James IV in 1495.
The first bridge over the River Dee linking Torry with Aberdeen was built in the 1520s, and Torry’s first pub, ‘le Sandy Velle’, is recorded in 1535, serving travellers from Aberdeen.
Over time development in the area became focused on what became known as ‘Old Torry’, a fishing community on the south bank of the River Dee, to the north of present day Sinclair Road.
In 1842 the Harbour authorities built two leading lights in Old Torry to guide ships safely into Aberdeen Harbour. They are still working today.
Some of Old Torry’s oldest houses were lost when the River Dee was diverted to enable the first major expansion of Aberdeen Harbour in 1871, a development which enabled the construction of the Queen Victoria Bridge, opened in 1881.
Torry was historically part of the parish of Nigg in Kincardineshire. In 1891 Torry was incorporated into the burgh of Aberdeen. Torry remained part of the county of Kincardineshire for certain judicial functions until 1899, when the city of Aberdeen was made a county of itself.
In the 1970s North Sea oil and gas was discovered offshore and there was a rush to develop Aberdeen’s infrastructure to suit the industry’s demands. Shell proposed to demolish Old Torry in order to construct harbour-side storage for oil and gas. Aberdeen City Council approved plans the plans by 31 votes to 3. The matter went to public enquiry but was approved by the UK Government. The houses were bought by compulsory purchase, and in 1974 Old Torry was demolished. Today the site is called the ‘Torry Marine Base’, part of Aberdeen Harbour.
In 2017 former residents successfully crowdfunded for an information board commemorating Old Torry.
In the 20th century New or Upper Torry developed to the south of Old Torry, moving the centre of modern Torry away from the river and up the hillside.
Landmarks and historic buildings
TORRY BATTERY
The formerly fortified Torry Battery – last used defensively during the Second World War – is now a scheduled ancient monument, protected as a place of historical interest of national importance. Close by are the remains of a rocket-propelled life-saving apparatus station (supplanted as a rescue system by the development of helicopters), and further along the shore road are a disused but preserved foghorn and Robert Stevenson-designed lighthouse.
ST. FITTICK’S CHURCH
The ruin of St. Fittick‘s Church was built in 1199 and the key is available from the Starter’s Hut near the Balnagask golf clubhouse; the graveyard has remains of many who perished in the Wreck of the Oscar (1 April 1813), and a road in Torry is named Oscar Road.
BALNAGASK MOTTE
Balnagask Motte, near North Balnagask Road, may be the remains of the earthen mound which would have been the base of an early wooden castle, but it has never been the subject of archaeological investigation.