Premnay, a parish in Garioch district, Aberdeenshire, containing, close to the northern boundary, Insch station on the Great North of Scotland railway, 13¼ miles SE of Huntly and 27½ NW of Aberdeen. Containing also Rothney and Auchleven villages, it is bounded NW and N by Insch, NE and E by Oyne, S by Keig, and W by Leslie. Its utmost length, from N to S, is 3 7/8 miles; its utmost width, from E to W, is 3¼ miles; and its area is 5432¾ acres, of which 1¾ are water. The drainage is carried eastward towards the Ury by Gadie Burn, traversing the interior, and the Shevock, tracing the northern boundary. Along Gadie Burn the surface declines to 400 feet above sea-level; and thence it rises westward and southward to 754 feet at Westfield, 747 at Waukmill Hill, 834 at Tillymuick, 999 near Hillhead, 927 at Brackla Hill, 1412 at Black Hill, 1564 at Hermit Seat, and 1619 at the Watch Craig at the SE corner of the parish. The three last heights all culminate right on the southern boundary, and the last is a summit of broad-based Bennochie. Red or pink granite, of a kind easily worked and well suited for all sorts of building purposes, abounds to the S of Gadie Burn, and clayslate to the N; whilst serpentine forms a bed 200 yards W of the parish church. The soil on the banks of Gadie Burn is various, but on the left bank is generally sharp and good; whilst along the foot of Bennochie is wet and cold. A few acres are under small plantations; rather more than 3000 acres are arable; and nearly all the rest of the land is pastoral or waste. There are Druidical remains at Druidstone, and a circular camp at Tillymuick. Lickleyhead Castle (1629) was restored about 1876, and is let to a shooting tenant; but the former mansion of Overhall is still a farmhouse. Auchleven has a small woollen factory. The property is divided among four. Premnay is in the presbytery of Garioch and the synod of Aberdeen; the living is worth £180. The parish church, 2 miles SSE of Insch station, was built in 1792, and, as enlarged in 1828, contains 360 sittings. Leslie and Premnay Free church stands 23/8 miles to the W, close to the Leslie boundary. The public school, with accommodation for 120 children, had (1884) an average attendance of 69, and a grant of £48, 11s. Valuation (1865) £3572, (1885) £4438, 8s. 4d., plus £588 for railway. Pop. (1801) 486, (1831) 625, (1861) 916, (1871) 997, (1881) 930.—Ord. Sur., sh. 76, 1874.
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