Kemnay got its name fae The Kemes. The moraine left when the last Ice age receded. Some daft gouk believes it came fae the gallic for a bend in the river Don. There wis niver gallic in Kemnay jist poverty an , Doric.
“A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions on Earth, through geomorphological processes.” [ Wikipedia ]
In the 1747 map in Edinburgh, Kemnay wis spelt Kemna from The Kemes that started in the South West o’ the village at Kembhill Cottage or Kemhill Cottage near a fork in the road. The South West road went to Craigearn. The road to the West went to Monymoth [ Monymusk ]. Going North East we pass the Baptist Chapel [ near Stanly Clark Spares ] jist afore the 16 mile stane tae Aberdeen. Onward North East past the Milton on the left han’ side, and the Kames on the right, then past the gate tae Kemnay Hoose. Takk the left fork at the guide post tae the village. The right gaes tae the School an’ the Manse. [ Church of Scotland ]. Onward tae the village and Kemnay Station, which was next tae Station Hoose an’ there is nae Burnet Arms Hotel. The Kames break up here intae hillocks on baith sides o’ the railway line. Nae muckle o’ a village.
Bit, Dubbylane wis there fae Mains o’ Kemnay [ a farm opposite the present day post office ] N.N.E. to Paradise Cottages and then North to Kemnay Quarries. Back tae the Kames at the station. There is quite a burich at where the Hotel will be on the left han’ side o’ the railway line an’ then they veer North tae Alehousewells an’ on tae Crossfields. Then to the second Paradise Cottages on the Low Road at the Quarry. They broaden oot here and go North tae Kems Well [ Chalybeate :: Chalybeate waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron. Wikipedia] They next appear at Loanend, Drumdelby [ Dalmadilly] and go in the Direction of Inverury. Even today many areas o’ the Low Road are too boggy tae build on. It was sensible tae build the road and railway along The Kames . It was sensible tae name Kemnay after such a valuable feature.
A lot o’ Kemnay is on tap o’ a mound o’ sand. Half wye doon Kendal Road , next the Tin Kirkie [ Church Villa ] whar Geordie Adem the builder bade, is a development o’ hooses. The history o’ that site was ::
First, aboot the 1940’s it wis a sand pit producing beautiful builder’s sand.
Second, it was the village rubish dump for mony a year.
Third, it was covered ower wi’ earth an bigget on wi’ the hooses ye see today.
Every year my faither an’ me dug a hole in the back gairdin. We dug a hole aboot six feet roon. First doon through aboot a fit an’ a half o’ topsoil, then through twa feet o’ hard pan, an’ then intae beautiful soft fite sand. As much as ye winted, tae big fitever ye wid like. Kinoul hid gran sand bit Baldy Hervey an’ Strathlyn wir nae sae fortunate. Onybody on the wye up Kendal Road hid good sand deposits. Jod eesed tae say ” The natural Kemnay san’ wis the best; better than Kintore, Bogfur, Monymusk or Inverury.” He wid ken, cos he wore oot mair trools than onybidy in Kemnay.