Grantown-on-Spey, Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Grantown-on-Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area, historically within the county of Moray. It is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountains, about 20 miles (32 km) south-east of Inverness (35 miles or 56 km by road).

The town was founded in 1765 as a planned settlement and was originally called simply Grantown after Sir James Grant. The addition 'on Spey' was added by the burgh council in 1898. The town has several listed 18th and 19th century buildings, including several large hotels and serves as a regional centre for tourism and services in the Strathspey region.

History The burgh was founded in 1765 during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution to encourage both agricultural marketing and handicrafts, as well as to increase local land values and to reduce unemployment and emigration. This was part of a wider effort at social and economic improvements brought about by some progressive landlords following the decades of peace after the Jacobite rising of 1745. Under the direction and funds of the landowner Sir James Grant, the site chosen for the town was to be a mile from Castle Grant and designed with space for a marketplace (known as the Square), with the High Street leading southwestwards, with large plots for sale at 200 yards length at right angles to the road. Old Grantown, an earlier small village near the castle was demolished and Kylintra Burn, a local stream was diverted to become the local water source. The new town was advertised in newspapers and elsewhere as a site close to farms, forests and quarries, with persons and businesses invited to apply for feus and leases.

The official opening ceremony for the new town occurred on 12 June 1766, with a procession and celebration party. By 1768, the town was considered established and the first buildings had been constructed. By 1787, it was reported that over 300 inhabitants lived in Grantown. To assist manufacturing, Grant paid for the construction of several small factories, linen manufacturing houses and a bleachfield. During this period, new side roads, bridges, a town-house and jail were also constructed. By 1800, the town had grown enough to satisfy the demand for a new church and in 1803, Inverallan Church was built (originally named Grantown Church), itself replacing an older Inverallan Church (said to have dated to medieval times). The church was rebuilt in the 1880s. By 1841, Grantown had a population of 1,000. By the 1860s, linen manufacture had declined and Grantown was primarily functioning as a market town for the surrounding agricultural district and then during the late Victorian era tourism began to develop. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed for a night at the Grant Arms on 4 September 1860. In 1863, it was reported that Grantown had 21 merchants, two banks, three inns (the Grant Arms, Black Bull and New Inn) and several shops, along with the newly opened Strathspey Railway. In 1898, Grantown was granted Burgh Status and 'on Spey' was added to the name of the town by the Burgh council.

In 1900, the High Street consisted of numerous commercial shops, including a ironmongers, stationer, newsagent, photographer, art studio and several clothes shops selling tartan, tweeds and knitwear. By 1902, tourism had grown significantly to the town and region, accounting for much of its subsequent development and growth in the 20th century.

The town war memorial to the First World War was erected in 1921 in the form of a granite column, designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, with casualties from the Second World War added in 1945. By 1965, the town had a population of just under 1,600 persons and could also accommodate 800 visitors in tourist accommodations.

In 2015, the town celebrated its 250th anniversary with celebrations and a picnic involving foods eaten in the 18th century. In 2016, a charity fundraising event was held to honour the linen manufacturing history of the town.

Economy The primary industries in the area are agriculture, tourist related services and forestry. Further afield, there are several whisky distilleries, including a new distillery named the Cairn by Gordon & MacPhail under construction on the south west edge of the town at Craggan. Millers of Speyside is a large abattoir on the edge of the town. Grantown has a large smokehouse currently operated by the Meatsnacks Group (prior to 2016 it was operated by Young's Seafood). The Cairngorms National Park Authority main office is located in the town.

Accommodation In Grantown on Spey there are various hotels, B&B's and self-catering accommodation. There is a large caravan park at Grantown-on-Spey managed by the Caravan and Motorhome Club.

Museum and Notable Buildings Grantown Museum is located in Burnfield Avenue near one of the town's car parks. In 1861, the Grantown Female School (Burnfield House) was built with funds from Captain John Grant, a factor of Strathspey. The school closed in 1890 when its pupils transferred to Grantown Grammar School and Burnfield House is now the home of the Grantown Museum. Adjacent to the museum is a Bell tower that holds the old town bell.

The Speyside Orphanage (also known as the Speyside Charity/Free School) was established in 1795, with funds from Lady Grant of Monymusk. It was originally built by local builder John Russell but was damaged by fire and rebuilt in 1824, it closed in 1975. The building was converted to a heritage centre and then later to private flats in 1986. The building is Category A listed and has a small clock tower, with an electric public turret clock from 1975 (the earlier clock is in the town museum).

The High Street and Square contain several notable examples of scottish baronial architecture and Georgian and Victorian era buildings. At the corner of 1 High Street and 1 The Square is a Category B listed former bank built by Matthews and Laurie. The building was purpose built in 1867 and originally housed the Caledonian Bank, later the Bank of Scotland and last remaining bank in Grantown, before finally closing in March 2021. Numbers 3 and 5 High Street is a turreted building that formerly contained the Town Post Office and the premises of A.C. Grant, formerly supplier of Tweeds to HM King George V. At 57 High Street is the Ben Mhor hotel, dating to the 1880s that was formerly the Temperance Hotel. The Strathspey Hotel (also called the Dunbar's Hotel) is an early 19th century Category B listed former hotel building at 70/72 High Street that is now converted into homes. Hastilow's Palace Hotel was a large former hotel with multiple dormer windows (built in 1894 on the site of the previous Black Bull Inn) on the High Street and is now a care home. The Grant Arms Hotel is a listed hotel on the Square which in its current form was primarily built in 1875, with substantial additions in the 1880s. The earlier hotel building was built in 1765 and on 4th September 1860 hosted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Garth Hotel on the Square dates back to 1769 when it was built for James Grant, clerk and factor to Sir James Grant as a private residence and was later converted to a hotel. Craiglynne Hotel is a late 19th century hotel on the western edge of the town on Woodlands Terrace.

The Royal British Legion building on the Square is an Art Deco building that was formerly a cinema from the 1920s to the early 1960s, before becoming a hall for the legion.

Community Facilities Ian Charles Community Hospital is an NHS Scotland community hospital providing healthcare services in Grantown-on-Spey.

Anagach Woods is located on the eastern edge of the town and has numerous waymarked trails. It is home to a Capercaillie population.