The Links

The links is the space between the sea and the arable land
Where are they located?
Kings Links (north of the Broadhill to Don Mouth)
Queens links (south Boadhill to Footdee)

March Stone - Freedomlands
The east of Seaton is marked out by 4 of the cities March Stones. These are stones which indicated the Freedom Lands of Aberdeen with 'march' meaning as a boundary. These stones are still in place today:

March stones in Seaton
63: Outside Pittodrie Football Club, on the pavement on Golf Road, near the East entrance of Pittodrie. The stone that lyes there currently is a modern replacement.  The stone marker form 1698 is described as an earth fast stone marked by a saucer and a key (it is laid flat.

64 (marked 64 ABD CR) located on traffic island at East End of School Road, junction with Golf Road,

65 (marked 65 ABD CR) northeast corner of wall adjacent to access road to brick field cottage 9Cat & Dog home),

Omega (marked with omega sign ABD CR) located on amenity area north side beach esplanade on line of Powis burn, near confluence with the River Don.

Link to PDF of 'Aberdeen's March Stones Trail'
Link to Leopard website re march Stones.

Sports and Recreation

The football act of 1424 was passed by the Parliament of Scotland.  The act stated that the playing of football was made illegal and punishable by a fine of four pence. (What does this equate to? Does anybody know? If so please comment at the bottom of this page)
Three further acts were passed in 1457, 1470 and 1490 prohibiting both football and golf in favour of wappenshaws for archery practice.

This act was repealed in 1906 after the act had fallen into disuse. This act came about due to the popularity of football, with people choosing this activity over archery, quoits and other sport that would equip a man for national defence.

Records suggest that Golf was played in Scotland in the mid 15th century but with the purpose to aim at a target rather than a hole. The first record of golf played into a hole is from 1633, with reference to the first hole and the Queen’s holes on the links.

In 1642 golf ball were manufactured in Aberdeen by John Dickson.

At present (2011) Aberdeen City Council owns and maintains the 18 hole and the 6 hole courses as well a a driving range on the Kings Links.
Bon Accord Golf Club est 1872,  Caledoniaien Golf Club instituted 1899, Northern Golf Club est 1897.

Link to info on Coucil web site about golf at Kings Links


Plague burials
The plague entered Aberdeen in 1647 and took a hold of the city from May - December. Camps were set up at Woolmanhill and the Links. The accommodation was poor quality and the conditions would have been unbearable, physically and emotionally. It was a place where people were brought to die. Around 1600 people died of the plague at this time, this equates to 20% of the population. In December 1647 37,000 turfs were cut at the Links for a mass grave for those who died in the huts. The poorer people of the city were more susceptible. This led to a gap in the labour market, with workers sourced from out with the city.

Protection of the Links - story through broadsheets from 1856 - (copies from the archivist at Town House) Proposal of Rail link from Harbour to Peterhead and Fraserburgh, taking in the links. Click here to see 9 broadsheets that tell the story...

Military use WWII
Batteries on the beach

1780 Battery

1860 battery which was build at the same time as the Torry battery, it was a 4 gun battery. The battery stood until 1927.

During World War II 2 batteries were built along the Aberdeen coast line: HAA Battery constructed in 1940 and in use until 1942/3 was next to the Beach Leisure Centre. It was then replaced by ZAA Battery, sited next to Pittodrie.

Does anyone have any maps detailing this?
Does anyone have information about POW camps on the links?

Please share your Links memories with us by making a comment below

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