View source for Rothes

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name                    = Rothes
| gaelic_name                      = Ràthais
| scots_name                       =
| static_image_name                = Rothes High Street.jpg
| static_image_caption             = High Street, Rothes
| map_type                         = 
| coordinates                      = {{coord|57.527|-3.208|display=inline,title}}
| population                       = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Rothes}}
| population_ref                   = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
| population_demonym               = Rothesian
| os_grid_reference                = NJ278492
| unitary_scotland                 = [[Moray]]
| lieutenancy_scotland             = [[Moray]]
| country                          = Scotland
| post_town                        = ABERLOUR
| postcode_area                    = AB
| postcode_district                = AB38
| dial_code                        = 01340
| constituency_westminster         = [[Moray (UK Parliament constituency)|Moray]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Moray (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Moray]] 
}}
'''Rothes''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɒ|θ|ᵻ|s}}; {{langx|gd|Ràthais}}) is a town in [[Moray]], [[Scotland]], on the banks of the [[River Spey]], {{convert|10|miles|km}} south of [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]]. The town had a population of 1,252 at the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 Census]]. A settlement has been here since AD 600.
[[File:Entering Rothes from the south, with the Castle in the background.jpg|thumb|Entering Rothes from the south, with the castle in the background]]

==History and castle==
[[File:Rothes Parish Kirk - geograph.org.uk - 1301453.jpg|thumb|Rothes Parish Kirk]]
At the south end of the village lie the remains of Rothes Castle {{nowrap|({{coord|57.5252|-3.2092|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=Rothes Castle}}),}} built on a hill by Peter de Pollok about 1200 to command traffic up and down this stretch of Strathspey. The castle's remains consist of a fragment of the massive outer wall overlooking the High Street of Rothes town. The castle was four storeys high, with a portcullis guarding the entrance to the inner courtyard and a drawbridge that crossed the dry moat, which ran between the outer wall and the hill on which the castle stood. Sir Norman Leslie, the castle's owner, was host to King [[Edward I of England]] on 29 July 1296.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/historicalrecor04leslgoog/historicalrecor04leslgoog_djvu.txt|title=Historical records of the family of Leslie from 1067 to 1868-9, collected from public records and authentic private sources|page=16|first=Colonel Charles, K.H., of Balquhain|last=Leslie|year=1869|publisher=Edmonston and Douglas}}</ref>

In the 1390s Rothes Castle and its lands were passed to the Leslie family, who would later become the Earls of Rothes.<ref>{{cite web | title= Rothes Castle and The Earl | url=http://maps.nls.uk/atlas/blaeu/page.cfm?id=967 | access-date=2015-11-02 }}</ref> Some of the earliest houses in Rothes were built from stones of the castle, which were taken by villagers to build dwellings after the castle was set alight and destroyed in 1662. The town can clearly be seen on maps even before this date.<ref>{{cite web | title= Robert and James Gordon Map | url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/00000182 | access-date=2015-11-02 }}</ref> John Grant of Easter Elchies acquired the estate from [[John Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes]] in 1711.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electricscotland.com/webclans/families/leslies_rothes.htm|title=The Great Historic Families of Scotland: The Leslies of Rothes|publisher=Electris Scotland|access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref> John Grant of Easter Elchies sold his estate to [[James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater|James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater and 2nd Earl of Seafield]] shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.forgottenbooks.com/fr/download/TheRulersofStrathspey_10493142.pdf |title=The Rulers of Strathspey: A History of the Lords of Grant and Earls of Seafield |page=66|author=The Earl of Cassillis|publisher=The Northern Counties Newspaper|year=1911}}</ref>

An official notice by James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater and 2nd Earl of Seafield, of intention to [[Feu (land tenure)|feu]] a town on the Mains of Rothes was placed on 12 December 1763 to the Elginshire Council, and in 1766 the Seafields laid out plans for a crofting township to align north–south along the valley. This forms the genesis of most of the road patterns in Rothes today. The planned town formed a cross to replicate the [[Saltire]] in honour of [[St. Andrew]]. It overlay its old unplanned predecessor, which can still be seen on the ground. A formal let of 23 tenements by the earl were placed on 1 March 1790.<ref>{{cite web | title= Rothes' Beginnings | url=http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/subjects/subject_place_report_view.asp?REF_ID=PN004136 | access-date=2015-10-01 }}</ref>

<gallery mode="nolines" widths="180px" perrow="3">
File:Rothes Castle Wall - geograph.org.uk - 1134660.jpg|Remains of Rothes Castle
File:Rothes Castle Remains.jpg|Rothes Castle from the East
</gallery>

==Economy==
Rothes is home to four [[distillery|distilleries]]—[[Speyburn-Glenlivet Distillery]], [[Glen Grant distillery|Glen Grant Distillery]],<ref>{{cite web | title=Glen Grant Distillery  | url=http://www.glengrant.com/gb/en/ | access-date=2014-05-04 }}</ref> [[Glen Spey Distillery]] and [[The Glenrothes distillery|Glenrothes Distillery]]. [[Caperdonich (whisky distillery)|Caperdonich]] distillery was the fifth in the town but was mothballed in 2002 and demolished in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whisky-news.com/En/distilleries/Caperdonich.html |title=Caperdonich |publisher=Whisky-News.com |access-date=2013-03-11}}</ref>

Rothes's Glen Grant distillery opened its own bottling plant in 2013. The distillery forms part of the [[Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail | url=http://www.maltwhiskytrail.com/ | access-date=2014-05-04 }}</ref>

The Helius CoRDe Biomass Plant was a joint venture by the Combination of Rothes Distillers Ltd and Helius Energy.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Helius CoRDe Biomass Plant | url=http://www.robertson.co.uk/projects/commercial/helius-corde-chp-biomass-plant-rothes-morayshire.html?c=commercial | access-date=2015-10-02 }}</ref> It was officially opened by [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Charles, Duke of Rothesay]], on 16 April 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aet-biomass.com/en-gb/news.aspx?PID=278&M=NewsV2&Action=1&NewsId=10|title=HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay Opens Helius CoRDe|publisher=Aalborg Energie Technik|access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>

In addition to the distilleries, Forsyths is a major employer in the town. They specialize in fabrication for the oil and gas industry and the alcoholic-beverage industry.<ref>{{cite web | title=Forsyths | url=http://www.forsyths.com/ | access-date=2015-10-01 }}</ref>

==Transport==
{{see also|Morayshire Railway}}
Before 1968 Rothes had a [[Rothes railway station|railway station]] in the centre of town, which featured staggered platforms and unusual architecture. On the Orton line, it opened to passenger traffic on 23 August 1858 and was served by the [[Morayshire Railway]]. An extension to the line, from Rothes to [[Craigellachie, Moray|Craigellachie]], was opened on 23 December 1858. A new line between [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]] and Rothes was opened to freight on 30 December 1861 and to passengers on 1 January 1862. The Orton line closed on 31 July 1866, and on 4 November 1968 the Elgin to Rothes line was closed to freight and passengers.

<gallery mode="nolines" widths="180px" perrow="3">
File:Rothes Railway Station.jpg|Rothes Railway Station looking south on 27 May 1968, the closure notice is being read.
File:A class 24 arrives at Rothes.jpg|A class 24 arrives at Rothes with a train for Aberdeen in May 1968
File:Rothes Railway Station with Station Name.jpg|Rothes Railway Station with the Station name
</gallery>

==Sport and leisure==
[[Rothes F.C.]] are the town's senior football team, playing their games at Mackessack Park in the [[Highland Football League]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Rothes F.C. | url=http://www.rothesfc.co.uk/ | access-date=2014-05-04 }}</ref>

<gallery mode="nolines" widths="180px" perrow="3">
File:Mackessack Park Entrance.jpg|Mackessack Park Entrance
File:MackessackPark.jpg|Rothes FCs' Main stand at Mackessack Park
</gallery>

==Other facilities==
[[File:Rothes Primary School.jpg|thumb|Rothes Primary School]]
[[File:Grant Institute (geograph 6834296).jpg|thumb|left|[[Grant Hall, Rothes|Grant Hall]]]]
Rothes Primary School, which opened in 1916, educates the town's children from primary 1 to 7, at which point they further their education at [[Speyside High School, Aberlour|Speyside High School]], located 5 miles south in [[Aberlour]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://insidemoray.com/2016/09/special-anniversary-for-speyside-high-is-noted-in-parliament/|title=Special anniversary for Speyside High is noted in Parliament|date=23 September 2016|newspaper=Inside Moray|access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>

[[Grant Hall, Rothes|Grant Hall]], formerly Rothes Town Hall, is a community events venue in the town.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.northern-scot.co.uk/news/future-of-rothes-grant-hall-secured-after-egm-249847/|title=Future of Grant Hall in Rothes secured after EGM sees 16 new committee members appointed|newspaper=The Northern Scot|date=2 September 2021 |access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>

==Rothes Flood Alleviation Scheme==
Rothes has a very long history of flooding. On numerous occasions, houses have been flooded from a combination of the Back Burn, the Burn of Rothes and the Black Burn. The £25 million Rothes Flood Alleviation Scheme was devised to alleviate flooding from these burns. The works were completed in May 2011, £2.4 million under budget.<ref>{{cite web | title=Rothes Flood Alleviation Scheme | url=http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_82307.html# | access-date=2015-10-02 }}</ref>

==Climate==
Rothes has an [[oceanic climate]] typical of [[Northern Scotland]], characterised by relatively mild, damp winters and cool cloudy summers. The area averages 76 air [[frost]]s a year. Like much of Europe, Rothes' climate is insulated somewhat by the [[Gulf Stream]], a warm ocean current originating near the gulf of Mexico. This warm ocean current makes Rothes's climate significantly milder during the winter than expected for its latitude.

{{Weather box|location = Keith (Nearest climate station to Rothes) 1981–2010
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high C = 5.9
|Feb high C = 6.4
|Mar high C = 8.4
|Apr high C = 11.0
|May high C = 13.8
|Jun high C = 16.0
|Jul high C = 18.5
|Aug high C = 18.1
|Sep high C = 15.6
|Oct high C = 12.0
|Nov high C = 8.3
|Dec high C = 5.7
|year high C =
|Jan low C = -0.6
|Feb low C = -0.6
|Mar low C = 0.8
|Apr low C = 2.6
|May low C = 4.9
|Jun low C = 7.8
|Jul low C = 9.8
|Aug low C = 9.4
|Sep low C = 7.2
|Oct low C = 4.5
|Nov low C = 1.8
|Dec low C = -1.0
|year low C = 
|Jan precipitation mm = 65.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 57.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 63.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 59.6
|May precipitation mm = 60.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 77.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 70.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 75.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 89.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 100.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 91.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 64.7
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan sun = 45.9
|Feb sun = 77.3
|Mar sun = 108.2
|Apr sun = 142.2
|May sun = 190.0
|Jun sun = 152.7
|Jul sun = 156.8
|Aug sun = 145.6
|Sep sun = 117.5
|Oct sun = 89.6
|Nov sun = 53.2
|Dec sun = 35.0
|year sun = 
|source 1 = [[Met Office]]}}

==Notable people==
<gallery mode="nolines" widths="220px" perrow="3">
File:The Helius CoRDe Biomass Plant. Rothes.jpg|The Helius CoRDe Biomass Plant in Rothes
File:01-Glen-Grant.jpg|Glen Grant Distillery
</gallery>
* [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] [[Martin Dunbar-Nasmith|Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith]], [[Royal Navy]] officer and a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], who moved to Rothes in retirement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://insidemoray.com/2015/06/special-tribute-to-vc-hero-who-made-his-home-in-moray/|title=Special tribute to VC hero who made his home in Moray|newspaper=Inside Moray|date=2 June 2015|access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>
*[[Glen Grant distillery|James 'The Major' Grant]], eccentric businessman who inherited Glen Grant Distillery in 1872.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://whiskymag.com/story/the-crazy-world-of-james-grant|title= The crazy world of James Grant|publisher=Wisky Magazine|first=Iain|last= Russell |access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref>
*[[Noël Leslie, Countess of Rothes]], born on 25 December 1878 was the wife of the [[Norman Leslie, 19th Earl of Rothes|19th Earl of Rothes]]. A noted philanthropist and social leader, she was a heroine of the [[RMS Titanic|''Titanic'']] disaster, famous for taking the tiller of her lifeboat and later helping row the craft to the safety of the rescue ship ''[[RMS Carpathia|Carpathia]]''.<ref>''New York Times'', 20 April 1912.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.citypopulation.de/php/uk-scotland.php?cityid=234001 Scotland 2011 Census]

{{Moray places}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rothes| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Moray]]
[[Category:Parishes in Moray]]