Findochty

Findochty (pronounced: /ˈfɪnɛxti/, Scottish Gaelic: Am Fionn Ochdamh) is a village in Moray/Banffshire, Scotland, 4 miles east of the town of Buckie. In 1568 the Ord family acquired the manor, port, custom and fishers' lands of Findochty, and later built Findochty Castle, now a ruin, which stands to the west of the village. In 1716 the Ords brought 13 men and 4 boys from Fraserburgh under contract to fish from Findochty, and for a time the harbour was busy with landings of herring and white fish. Findochty expanded as a fishing port through the 1700s and 1800s, and by 1850 was home to 140 fishing boats. But the expansion in the late 1800s of nearby Buckie provided a better harbour, and the fishing fleet had left Findochty by 1890. Findochty harbour is now used mostly by pleasure craft and is a good sun spot when the tide is out. A local artist, Correna Cowie created a statue of a seated fisherman who watches over the harbour.