Fochabers, Scotland

[xoxoxoBruce]

In a food thread they were discussing Baxter's soup and Limey pointed out it's made in Fochabers, Scotland.
Looking at the link, keeping in mind the official village website will be presenting their best face, the village looked quite impressive with big stone buildings and ornate primary school that looks like a castle. But then I read the village has a population of 1600....say what? Only 1600?

Then I figured the village must be augmented by a lot of people living in the surrounding countryside, suburbs, if you will. But looking at the map, there seems to be a number of other villages in the area sharing the "suburbanites".

I guess the answer is age. The Georgian church is dated 1798. An advantage to being old is substantial buildings, built to last, will tend to accumulate and be adapted to current needs. One of the churches has become a museum. Of course an ugly, substantially built building, will haunt you for a long time.

[King]

That sounds about right to me, looking at the pictures on the site, and taking into account that it's in the north of Scotland. Some great buildings though, especially the primary school. For a primary school, that's ridiculously grand.

[limey]

Don't forget that the rich and (sometimes) philanthropic English saw Scotland as their playground in the 18th and 19th centuries (if not later) and built stuff like schools and churches to prove how Good and Worthy they were.
I think Elgin has royal connections and there was at least one Lord Elgin who had pots and pots of money (cf. the Elgin Marbles, removed from Greece by an archaeological expedition funded by a Lord Elgin ...).

[Sundae]

Also the Scots could (on occasion) be rather dour and into proving how Good and Worthy they were too.

In that sort of climate, well-built and lasting stone wasn't just a public way of proving you didn't fritter your money away on wine, women and song, it also kept out some rather filthy weather.