Document record MAB57042 - GALLOWGATE PORT

Site of town gate, as indicated on the OS 1st edition map, named Gallowgate but also known as Calsie or Causey Port.

Site of town gate, as indicated on the OS 1st edition map, named Gallowgate but also known as Calsie or Causey Port. It was the most northerly port controlling movement between New Aberdeen and Old Aberdeen and the north. Aberdeen had in total 8 ports or town gates that it controlled. The term port in this sense derives from the French port‚ meaning door. In Scotland town's gates or ports are also known as bows, from the arch of the gate. The first evidence for Aberdeen's ports comes from the late date of 1435, but it seems fair to assume that the ports existed from several hundred years before that date. There is evidence in other burghs of ports dating from the 12th century. The history of allowgate port is elusive: along with the Justice port it does not appear on Parson Gordon's map of 1661, despite the fact that both these ports existed at that time. However its location is probably revealed in the place name port hill, where a block of Council high rise flats sits today, towards the Mounthooly roundabout. When the port was first built remains uncertain. However there are records dated 1518 when Council Registers record 2 chalders of lime were given to Alexander Gray for '[th]e bigging of [th]e port of the gallowgett.' and that around one year later, on 18 November 1519, all unlaws and fines were granted for '[th]e bigging of and completing of [th]air port of [th]e gallowget.' On the surface this would seem to suggest that this port was built at the very late date of 1518. However this does not seem credible, Gallowgate was the main means of access into the burgh from the north, connecting with the Spital to Old Aberdeen and to the Brig o' Balgownie. Perhaps this was simply a rebuilding of this port. We do know that this port featured a heraldic panel showing the king's arms. In 1669 the Council ordered that due to their antiquity the king's arms had become obliterated and were to be 'illuminate and revived.' Moreover an entry in the Shorework Accounts for Aberdeen reveal that the arms were encased in dressed stone. Thus in September of 1669 George Leslie, then Dean of Guild paid 6s and 8d for '8 peic of esslerston.to be ane cease for the kings armes at the gallowgett port.' In 1710 the Council ordered that this port be repaired along with the Fittie and Justice ports. The Gallowgate port was one of three ports (the others being Shiprow and Netherkirkgate) which were ordered to be removed by Aberdeen Council in 1769. Nothing remains of the port.

DENNISON, E, 1997, HISTORIC ABERDEEN: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT. THE SCOTTISH BURGH SURVEY, p.33 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4057.

Record last edited

Jan 13 2021 3:18PM