| Details |
Fisher cottages, built as a planned housing development in 1808-9, laid out by John Smith, then Superintendent of the Town's Public Works to re-house Aberdeen's fishing community. It was initially laid out as two squares containing 28 thatched houses. The squares were hastily erected and when the first families moved in they sometimes lacked roofs or toilets. The squares are built with the front of the houses facing inwards to afford some measure of protection against the cold winds off the North Sea. The open areas in the centre of the squares were quickly colonised by a series of shanty style dwellings which the Council fought hard to have removed. Middle Row was built circa 1837 and another row of houses, known as Pilot Square was added some years later (circa 1855). These were slightly better houses for the harbour pilots. Initially all of the houses in the squares were of one story, but many families have added new stories as needs dictated. During the 19th century 'tarry sheds' were added to the communal land opposite each dwelling . Originally of driftwood many have been rebuilt in various materials including brick, although some timber built sheds remain. The North Square Mission Hall occupies the centre of North Square, built for general as well as religious use. On an 1828 map the squares are named Fish Town, the name Footdee referring to a wider area, the fisher houses are now known as Footdee or Fittie. The origins of the name are obscure and the source of some debate. It has been claimed that Footdee refers to the foot of the river Dee: rivers have mouths and not feet and given that this is a new name then this suggestion is unlikely. It is possible that there may be a connection with St. Fotin, or St. Fittick (a church in whose memory lies across the mouth of the Dee on the Torry side). The original village began in the medieval period and grew around the medieval church of St. Clement's, a little further north than the current Footdee. A watching brief was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in June 2002 on groundworks for a replacement shed at 4 South Square: no archaeological features or finds were observed.
|
Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Aberdeen City
HER -
NJ90NE0007 - FOOTDEE