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{{short description|Town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland}}
{{About|the town in Scotland}}
{{Redirect|Turra|the surname|Turra (surname)}}
{{Redirect distinguish|Torraibh|Torraidh}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name                    = Turriff
| gaelic_name                      = Torraibh / Baile Thurra<ref name=tailleir>{{Cite web |title=Gaelic Placenames collected by Iain Mac an Tailleir (2003) |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Gaelic/placenamesP-Z.pdf}}</ref>
| scots_name                       = Turra
| static_image_name                = Turriff.jpg
| static_image_caption             = High Street, Turriff
| coordinates                      = {{coord|57.539031|-2.461141|display=inline,title}}
| area_footnotes                   = <!--to cite the values used in the area fields.  Use the <ref> </ref> tags -->
| area_total_sq_mi                 = <!-- Enter square mile data in RAW format (no commas or spaces) will automatically convert km² (if blank)-->
| area_total_km2                   = <!-- Enter square kilometre data in RAW format (no commas or spaces) will automatically convert sq mi (if blank)-->
| population                       = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Turriff}}
| population_ref                   = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
| population_density               = <!--for /sq mi ...use convert template {{Pop density mi2 to km2|(enter value) |precision=1|abbr=yes}} if pop density/km² is known use  {{Pop density km2 to mi2|(enter value) |precision=1|abbr=yes}} -->
| os_grid_reference                = NJ725505
| edinburgh_distance               = {{convert|160|mi|km|0}} [[Points of the compass|SSW]]
| london_distance                  = {{convert|569|mi|km|0}} [[Points of the compass|SSE]]
| civil_parish                     = Turriff
| unitary_scotland                 = [[Aberdeenshire]]
| lieutenancy_scotland             = [[Aberdeenshire (historic)|Aberdeenshire]]
| country                          = Scotland
| post_town                        = TURRIFF
| postcode_area                    = AB
| postcode_district                = AB53
| dial_code                        = 01888
| constituency_westminster         = [[Gordon and Buchan (UK Parliament constituency)|Gordon and Buchan]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Aberdeenshire East (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Aberdeenshire East]]
| website                          = <!-- local website for place -->
}}
'''Turriff''' ({{derive|gd|Torraibh|place of round hills}})<ref name=tailleir/> is a town and [[list of civil parishes in Scotland|civil parish]] in [[Aberdeenshire]] in [[Scotland]]. It lies on the [[River Deveron]], about {{convert|166|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], and has a population of 5,708.<ref>[http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/analyser/analyser?topicId=1&tableName=Usual+resident+population&aggregated=false&actionName=view-results&levelId=4&areaId=833 General Register Office for Scotland : ''Census 2001 : Usual Resident Population KS01 : Turriff Civil Parish''] Retrieved 4 January 2010</ref> In everyday speech it is often referred to by its [[Scots language|Scots]] name ''Turra'', which is derived from the Scottish Gaelic pronunciation.

==Services and amenities==
[[File:Turriffmercatcross.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Turriff [[mercat cross]]. The local [[sandstone|red sandstone]] used in the cross and the buildings behind it is characteristic of Turriff's older buildings]]
There are four churches in Turriff: St Ninian's (Church of Scotland, 1794),{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=68|ps=none}} St Andrew's (Church of Scotland), St Congan's (Episcopal Church, 1862),{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=68|ps=none}} and a Baptist church.

Turriff has a primary school, Turriff Primary School, and a secondary school, [[Turriff Academy]]. Turriff Primary School is a new build which replaced the old Markethill Primary School and opened to pupils on 22 August 2017. People from the surrounding areas, including the villages of [[Cuminestown]], [[Fyvie]] and [[King Edward, Scotland|King Edward]], attend the secondary school.

[[Santander UK]] (formerly [[Alliance & Leicester]]) have a branch in the town. This is the only remaining bank in the town. The main supermarket chains are [[Tesco]] (whose premises have previously been occupied by [[Presto (UK Supermarket)|Presto]], [[Gateway Supermarket|Gateway]] and [[Somerfield]]) and [[The Co-operative Food|Co-op Food]] and there are numerous specialist shops including two dispensing pharmacies. The town has a library, a sports centre and swimming pool. It is served by [[Turriff Cottage Hospital]]. In October 2013, Aberdeenshire Council approved a licence to occupy the Municipal Building (previously used as council offices) to a volunteer group for use as a general community centre, while they completed their [[Community Asset Transfer]] of the building. The group renamed the building Turriff Town House. The official handover was expected to be completed in 2016, but in June 2016 the group announced that they had not been successful in their Stage 2 Community Asset Transfer. The group retained the licence to occupy until 28 October 2016, when the building was returned to Aberdeenshire Council. Turriff and District Heritage Society were granted a Community Asset Transfer of the building and renamed it Turriff Heritage Centre.

Turriff has a senior football club called [[Turriff United F.C.]] who now play in the [[Highland Football League|Highland League]], having been voted into membership on 26 February 2009. Turriff United Ladies play in the [[Scottish Women's Football League Second Division|SWFL Second Division]] and there is also an amateur club, Turriff Thistle, which plays in the [[Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association|AAFA Division Two]]. There is also a [[rugby union]] club, [[Turriff RFC]] which has men and women sides.

The "Turriff Show", which is widely accepted as Scotland's largest two-day agricultural show, is held annually on the first Sunday and Monday of August; the Monday is a local holiday in the town. The show marked its 150th anniversary in 2014 with a visit from [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]].

The town used to have its own weekly newspaper, the ''[[Turriff Advertiser]]'', established in 1933 and commonly nicknamed ''The Squeak''. The paper ceased printing in late 2022.

==History==
[[File:Turra Coo statue 2017-05-26 - 1.jpg|left|thumb|Statue commemorating the [[Turra Coo]]]]

The [[Knights Templar]] appear to have had a base in the area, and a nearby site is still known as "Temple Brae".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/19149/turriff-castle-rainy|title=Turriff, 'castle Rainy' &#124; Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk}}</ref>

In 1273, the [[Earl of Buchan]] founded the Hospital of St Congan for a master, six [[chaplain]]s and thirteen poor husbandmen of [[Buchan]], though it is believed to have been in ruins before the time of [[the Reformation]]. These can be seen in the east gable of today's Episcopal church.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=64|ps=none}}

In 1512, Turriff became Burgh of Barony with two fairs — Lammas Fair and St Congan's Fair — and founded a grammar school.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=64|ps=none}}

Turriff's [[mercat cross]], a [[red sandstone]] octagonal pillar, was built before 1557. Its base was widened by James Duncan in 1865, with sculpture by [[Thomas Goodwillie (sculptor)|Thomas Goodwillie]].{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=64|ps=none}} It had an iron railing around it in the 19th century.

An earlier St Congan's church, now ruined, is medieval in date. Its eastern tower remains, capped with a richly-carved 1635 double [[bellcote]]. The kirk's bell is dated 1556, and the clock (made in [[Carnoustie]]) dates from 1797. It was still working as of 1990.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}} Demolition in the 19th century exposed a brightly coloured [[fresco]] of [[St Ninian]] on a white background in the [[chamfer|splay]] of a window in the southern wall of the church.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}}

There is a record of a courtyard house (probably of the 17th century), known as Castle Rainy, which was used for a time as the town hall, in Castlegate until the late 19th century.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}}

Turriff was notable as the scene of the first engagements of the [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]] (1639–51). Early in 1639, the [[Marquess of Huntly|Marquis of Huntly]] assembled his forces here, and thereafter went to [[Kintore, Scotland|Kintore]] in lower Aberdeenshire, eventually marching from there to [[Aberdeen]] itself. The Marquis — being informed shortly after his arrival in Aberdeen that a meeting of [[Covenanters]] was to be held in Turriff on the fourteenth of February — resolved to disperse them, by occupying the town with 2000 men. The incident was known as the "Raid of Turriff" and was followed a few days later by a minor engagement at nearby [[Towie Barclay Castle]] known as the "Trot of Turriff".<ref>Trevor Royle (2005) ''Civil War: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms''. London, Abacus: 89-91</ref>

By 1796, said historian [[Charles McKean]], "the character of the town was set". "There were over double the number of ale and whisky houses than there were butchers," he added.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}}

Turriff prospered in the [[Victorian era]] through agriculture, as evidenced by its solid red sandstone suburbs, and became known for its role as the centre of feeing for Buchan farm labourers.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}}

More recently, the 1913 [[Turra Coo]] incident in the parish was the result of a local refusal to pay [[National Insurance]] when this was introduced by [[David Lloyd George|Lloyd George]]'s government. [[Sheriff Officer|Sheriff's officers]] seized a cow from a local farmer who refused to pay National Insurance contributions for his workers. The officers had difficulty selling the cow, as locals were sympathetic toward the farmer.<ref>{{cite news|title='Turra coo' tax protest remembered 100 years on|work=BBC News |date=9 December 2013 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-25282555|access-date=25 February 2018}}</ref> Eventually they brought in an outside auctioneer, but the auction was disrupted by protesters and the cow escaped. A statue of the "coo" was erected in 2010 in the town centre at the junction of High Street and Main Street and has become a popular emblem for the town.

Historically, Turriff was an important centre for agricultural trade, with its mart being mentioned in the mid-19th century [[Statistical Accounts of Scotland|Second Statistical Account of Scotland]] as one of the largest in the country. The mart finally ceased operation in December 1989, having been eclipsed by the newer Thainstone Mart at [[Inverurie]]. At one time the town was served by [[Turriff railway station|Turriff station]] on [[Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway]].

The town was never fortified.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=65|ps=none}}

==Geography==
The town is enclosed by the rivers or [[Burn (landform)|burns]] of Putachie, Knockie and Turriff.{{sfnp|McKean|1990|p=64|ps=none}}

==Notable residents==

*[[Gordon Duncan]], composer and bagpiper
*[[George Findlater]], recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]]
*[[Charles Reid (photographer)|Charles Reid]], photographer
*[[Alexander Allan Shand]] was born in Turriff
*[[Turra Coo]], cow involved in National Insurance protests in 1913
*[[Archie Mair]], [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] Goalkeeper and has also played for [[EFL League Two]] team, [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]].

==See also==
*[[List of listed buildings in Turriff, Aberdeenshire]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{citation |last=McKean |first=Charles |author-link=Charles McKean |title=Banff & Buchan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X5ZMAAAAYAAJ |year=1990 |publisher=[[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland]] |isbn=978-1-85158-231-0 }}

==External links==
*[https://myturriff.co.uk/ My Turriff]
*[http://www.turriffshow.org/ The Turriff Show]

{{Formartine, Aberdeenshire places|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Aberdeenshire places|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Turriff| ]]
[[Category:Parishes in Aberdeenshire]]