Kingseat, Aberdeenshire

Kingseat is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland about 10 miles (16 km) to the north-west of Aberdeen and 1 mile (1.6km) east of Newmachar.

Kingseat
Former Hospital Administration Building, Kingseat
Kingseat Location within Aberdeenshire
Area	0.2 sq mi (0.52 km^2)
Population	750 (2016) [1]
• Density	3,750/sq mi (1,450/km^2)
OS grid reference	NJ 904881
• Edinburgh	100 mi (160 km)
• London	406 mi (653 km)
Council area	Aberdeenshire
Lieutenancy area	Aberdeenshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Aberdeen
Postcode district	AB21
Dialling code	01651
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Gordon
Scottish Parliament	Aberdeenshire East

History

Etymology

The name Kingseat seems to originate from when King Malcolm Canmore rested at this location after the slaying of Macbeth at Battle of Lumphanan.[2] The name "Kingseat" is visible on Maps dating back to 1652.[3]

Kingseat Hospital

Designed by Marshall Mackenzie Kingseat Hospital was the first segregate or village hospital system in the British Isles opened in 1904.

During World War II it was requisitioned by the Admiralty to be used as a Naval Auxiliary Hospital which it functioned as until 28 February 1946.[4]

The hospital closed in 1994 but not before lending its name to the Kingseat Hospital in New Zealand.[5]

Conservation & Residential Development

The site was designated a conservation area in 2000 and plans were made to preserve the buildings by converting the site in to residential buildings.[6]

Governance

Kingseat is part of the Gordon county constituency for UK Parliament elections.

For Scottish elections Kingseat is part of the Aberdeenshire East constituency and part of the North East Scotland electoral region.

Kingseat is within the East Garioch ward which forms part of the Garioch administrative area of Aberdeenshire Council.

Newmachar Community Council represents the views of residents to Aberdeenshire Council and other public bodies. It has a statutory right to comment on all planning applications including all the major housing developments. The Council has nine elected member with elections held every three years.[7]

Kingseat Community Association (an association brought around by the "Kingseat Matters" project which started in February 2013) held its first meeting on the 18th of June 2013 and the first committee meeting on the 21st of August 2013.. The groups aim is "to make Kingseat, Aberdeenshire an even better place to live and work." The group published a Kingseat Action Plan in 2014 and did a lot of work trying to force the sites main developers to finish the sites construction, they also organised various sports and community days.[8] The group was dissolved in June 2020.

Geography

Located 10 miles (16km) NW of Aberdeen and 100 miles (160km) NNE of Edinburgh Kingseat is roughly 1 mile (1.6km) east of Newmachar connected by the B979 and a separate walking path. Newmachar providing many of the local amenities such as the school, church, local shop and pubs.

Economy

Kingseat Business Park is located to the east end of Kingseat. It has 3 large office buildings, including the Newmachar Business Centre, and 3 smaller units (known as pavilions) housing a Dentist and Childcare.

Culture and community

• 
  Kingseat Playpark
• 
  Kingseat Nature reserve

Kingseat has a small play park, nature reserve and plenty of green areas. The playpark took many years to develop due to problems with the sites developer. Finally Aberdeenshire Council stepped in to carry out the works to develop the playpark and provide further community park facilities. The council intend to recoup the costs from the developer.[9]

• 
  Kingseat Sibbald building
• 
  Kingseat Central Building with South West & East wards

Unfortunately the developer of the main site has also not completed major works on a number of the old hospital buildings. This has meant the community is without a village hall but more distressingly the buildings at the center of Kingseat are surrounded by wire fences and have been since the development began (c 2004).[10][11]

Sport

Kingseat Fieldsporters Club meeting regularly in the Kingseat woods during summer for clay pigeon shooting. They were formed on the 13th of August 1986 by a small band of enthusiasts at Kingseat Hospital. The club has been affiliated to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation since 1989.[12]

There are plans to create two football pitches at the south end of Kingseat Avenue (currently fields) but these are yet to be developed.[13]

When the site was still a village hospital it had a football pitch, tennis courts and bowling green.[14]

Education

There is a childcare business at the east end of the village catering for babies up to pre-schoolers.

The nearest primary school is short distance away in Newmachar and the nearest secondary school in Dyce.

References

1. "Aberdeenshire Settlements Population 2016". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
2. "Kingseat Hosptial Development Brief 2003". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
3. "View: Formarten and part of Marr and Buquhan [sic] / observed R.G. - Manuscript maps by Robert & James Gordon, ca.1636-1652". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
4. "Archives and Manuscripts - Special Collections - University of Aberdeen". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
5. "Buildings at Risk - Kingseat Hospital Ward Building (Former)". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
6. "Aberdeenshire Council, Kingseat conservation area". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
7. "Newmachar Community Council website". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
8. "Kingseat Community Action Plan March 2014". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
9. "Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce - Council to deliver community park and children's play facilities for Kingseat following developer wrangle". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
10. "Uncompleted development at". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
11. "Blog | Frisco Projects". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
12. "kingseat fieldsporters club blog". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
13. "Planning Application details not available". upa.aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
14. "Kingseat Hospital Development Brief 2003". Retrieved 12 July 2020.