Recalling the tales of the lost fisher villages of Torry and its earlier history as a royal burgh

Torry began life as a tiny medieval fishing hamlet at the Dee estuary from as early as the 12th century and had their own provosts and grew into a Victorian town which latterly became a suburb of Aberdeen in 1891, much to many Torryites' displeasure.  The original village is all but gone, and this tour attempts to redress the balance by recalling the stories of 'Old' Torry including: the Dee Ferry disaster, when 32 people lost their lives in the main channel of the estuary after the chain ferry overturned; the stories of Torry’s own saint and the churches dedicated to him; the Davidsons of Balnagask, the last lairds of Torry; the development of Victorian Torry, including churches, library, bridge, and into the 20th century with the advent of the cinema and Torry’s most famous export, the “rowie” or buttery roll.

Start point: Outside the old Torry Bar, corner of Sinclair Road & Baxter Street
End point: Victoria Bridge
Length: 2.14 miles
Terrain: mostly pavements, grassy ground
Approx. 2.25 hrs