Edzell

Coordinates: 56°48′26″N 2°39′18″W / 56.807198°N 2.655042°W / 56.807198; -2.655042

Edzell (Scots: Aigle,Scottish Gaelic: Eigill) is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is 5 miles (8 km) north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet 1.5 miles (2.5 km) to the west, which by then had been abandoned. Edzell's population in 2004 was 780.

History

Early village

The original village of Edzell was located around the walls of the first Edzell Castle, a motte and bailey structure to the south of the present castle. Of this village, only part of the church now remains, within the original churchyard.

Present village

The existing village of Slateford was expanded in the early 19th century by the Earl of Panmure. The new parish church, replacing the one in the old village, was built in 1818 on the village's north boundary, and led to the official renaming of the village as Edzell.