Crawton

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Crawton''' is a former fishing community on the southeast Aberdeenshire coast in Scotland, deserted since 1927.

Approximately {{Convert|3|mi|0|spell=in}} south of Stonehaven,<ref>{{cite web | title=Stonehaven & Banchory map – OS Landranger 45 | website=Ordnance Survey Shop | url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/landranger-map-stonehaven-banchory.html | access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref> Crawton Farm ({{gbmapping|NO879798}}) lies to the north of Catterline above a shingle beach. The ruins of 23 houses and a school are all that survive of the coastal hamlet on the clifftop.<ref name=scotgaz>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst4162.html | title=Overview of Crawton| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| accessdate=2007-08-03}}</ref> In its heyday, 30 Crawton men fished 12 boats and the village had its own fish merchant. Following nearly 50 years of decline due to overfishing, Crawton was finally deserted by its last inhabitant in 1927.<ref name=scotgaz />

Crawton is adjacent to the nature reserve of Fowlsheugh, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web | title=Scotland's Marine Atlas: Information for The National Marine Plan | website=The Scottish Government | date=2011-03-16 | url=https://www2.gov.scot/Publications/2011/03/16182005/44 | access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref>

Noted architectural or historic features in the general area include Dunnottar Castle, Fiddes Castle, Fetteresso Castle, Chapel of St. Mary and St. Nathalan and Muchalls Castle.

Crawton is known for its geological diversity and is a popular site for both university and school field trips. It is a tradition to perform a mini-bus quiz on the journey to Crawton, started by the geologist Ian Rae.

== Vicinity prehistory == Prehistorical features in the vicinity include Bronze Age archaeological recoveries at Fetteresso,<ref>{{cite web | title=Fetteresso Burial Chamber | website=The Modern Antiquarian.com | date=2000-01-26 | url=https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/10937/fetteresso.html | access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref> Dunnottar and Spurryhillock.<ref name="Watt">{{cite book|last=Watt|first=Archibald|title=Highways and Byways Round Kincardine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vuktcgAACAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Gourdas House|location=Aberdeen|isbn=978-0-907301-09-7|oclc=42275024}}</ref>

== See also == *Catterline *Craiglethy

== Notes == {{Reflist}}

{{Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire places|state = collapsed}}

{{coord|56.90937|-2.20032|type:landmark_region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO879798)|display=title|format=dms}}

Category:Geography of Aberdeenshire Category:Former populated places in Scotland Category:History of Aberdeenshire Category:Hamlets in Aberdeenshire