Exploring the rich history of Aberdeen, journey back into the 12th century when Aberdeen was first granted a bishop, during the time of the Romans Aberdeen was known as Devana and later adapted the name Aberdon, which could possibly mean mouth of two rivers from the words ‘aber’ and da-aevin’.
The city of Aberdeen grew quickly between the 12th and 13th centuries, the city started to take shape, having its first castle and stone church and mint built during this century as well as Alexander II granting the town’s merchants the right to hold a market here every week and later in 1273, the city was granted the right to hold annual fairs and later in the 13th century, Aberdeen had strong trading routes with Germany.
Aberdeen Timeline
| Aberdeen Timeline1 |
| 1137 |
| Aberdeen was given a bishop, a sign of its growing importance. |
| 1168 |
| A ‘hospital’ was founded where old priests and poor people were given food and shelter. |
| 1179 |
| Aberdeen was granted its first royal charter by King William the Lion. |
| 1200 |
| The population of Aberdeen would have been around 3,000. |
| 1257 |
| Aberdeen Grammar School was founded. |
| 1296 |
| After a victory against the Scots, King Edward I was in Aberdeen as part of a tour of the east coast of Scotland. |
| 1297 |
| The forces of William Wallace retook Aberdeen for the Scots. |
| 1336 |
| Aberdeen was burned by the English army. |
| 1350 |
| The Black Death reaches Aberdeen |
| 1363 |
| A leper hostel was founded outside Aberdeen. |
| 1383 |
| An Aberdeen priest, John Fordun, wrote “Scoticronicon” – a history of Scotland from Noah to 1383. |
| 1394 |
| Aberdeen received a Charter to build a tolbooth. |
| 1424 |
| The north transept of St Machar’s Cathedral was founded by Bishop Leighton. |
| 1450 |
| The population of Aberdeen is about 4,000. |
| 1489 |
| The original burgh of Aberdeen was made into a burgh of barony on December 26th. |
| 1527 |
| A leper hostel is founded outside Aberdeen. |
| 1532 |
| A blockhouse was built to protect the harbour. |
| 1545 |
| Provost Skene’s House is built. |
| 1593 |
| Provost Ross’ House was built. It is the second oldest residential house in Aberdeen. |
| 1636 |
| A House of Correction was built at Aberdeen. |
| 1651 |
| The Dee Bridge was built. |
| 1697 |
| St Nicholas House is built. |
| 1694 |
| Aberdeen’s paper-making industry began. |
| 1721 |
| Oil lamp street lights were introduced in Aberdeen. |
| 1721 |
| The first Episcopalian meeting house, St. Paul’s, was built. |
| 1721 |
| Aberdeen’s first rudimentary fire engine was introduced. |
| 1748 |
| Scotland’s oldest daily newspaper, the Press and Journal, was founded as the Aberdeen Journal. |
| 1771 |
| Granite production in Aberdeen ends. |
| 1775 |
| The first Episcopalian meeting house, St Paul, was built. |
| 1780 |
| The Royal Aberdeen Golf Club was founded. |
| 1795 |
| A police act was passed which led to the formation of a body of men responsible for sweeping and lighting the streets. |
| 1800 |
| A mental hospital or asylum was founded. |
| 1803-04 |
| St Peter’s RC Church was built. It was the first Roman Catholic church constructed in Aberdeen since the Reformation of 1560. |
| 1805 |
| Union Bridge, named after the Act of Union of 1801 which united Britain and Ireland, was built. Union Street was built around the same time |
| 1827-30 |
| The new bridge across the River Don was built by the civil engineers John Smith and Thomas Telford.North Church, now |
| 1850 |
| The railway arrived in Aberdeen, making it possible to export cattle to other parts of the country. A non-tidal harbour was created with the building of dock gates. |
| 1868-74 |
| The Town House was built. Designed by Peddie & Kinnear it was for many years the most prominent landmark in Aberdeen. The course of the River Dee was diverted to improve the harbour. |
| 1871 |
| Victoria Park was opened. |
| 1874 |
| The City hospital opened |
| 1879 |
| Union Terrace Gardens, in the centre of Aberdeen, was opened. |
| 1882 |
| Aberdeen’s first steam trawler was introduced. |
| 1891 |
| Aberdeen Prison was built. |
| 1891 |
| The two burghs of Old and New Aberdeen were united. |
| 1894 |
| The first electricity generating station in Aberdeen opened. |
| 1899 |
| Aberdeen’s first electric trams were introduced. |
| 1901 |
| Westburn Park was opened. |
| 1908 |
| Aberdeen gained its first cinema. |
| 1934 |
| The Robert Gordon Institute of Technology opened. The building of Aberdeen Harbour’s North Pier began. It was completed in 1780. |
| 1934 |
| The city’s boundaries were extended. |
| 1940 |
| Bon Accord swimming pool is built |
| 1971 |
| Granite production in Aberdeen ends |
| 1975 |
| The first North Sea oil arrived at Aberdeen. |
| 1982 |
| The Fish Market is built |
| 1985 |
| The Trinity Shopping Centre (now the Mall Trinty) was opened. |
| 1990 |
| The Bon Accord Shopping Centre opens. |
| 1992 |
| Gordons College was made a university. |
| 1994 |
| Westburn Park Tennis Centre was opened. |
| 1994 |
| Telford Dock was built. |
| 1994 |
| Persley Walled Garden was opened. |
| 1995 |
| Trinity Centre opens. |
| 1996 |
| Aberdeen is made a unitary authority. |
| 1997 |
| The Maritime Museum and the Gordon Highlanders Museum were opened. |
| 1997 |
| The new Aberdeen RNLI lifeboat station, at Victoria Dock Entrance in York Place, was opened. |
| 2003 |
| The redevelopment of the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre was completed in April. |
| 2005 |
| The Royal Aberdeen Golf Club hosted the Senior British Open. The Davidson Paper Mill was closed. |
