The Parish of Lomnay, Scotland

The parish of Lonmay covers an area of approximately 20 square miles. It stretches from St. Combs by the sea to its boundary with Crimond. The history of St. Combs is linked to the fishing industry but now most of the working population is employed in the nearby fishing town of Fraserburgh. St. Combs' sandy beach stretches for 5 miles south to Rattray Head, with the Loch of Strathbeg R.S.P.B. Nature Reserve on its landward side. Further inland the parish of Lonmay supports around 40 farms pursuing both arable and livestock farming. Its fertile soil is famous for Lonmay potatoes and Buchan Beef. North from St. Combs are the villages of Cairnbulg and Inverallochy.

Lonmay church, with a seating capacity of 350, is two and a half miles inland from St. Combs and three miles from Crimond. The first church for the parish of Lonmay was built in St. Combs. The exact date is not known. The last service held in that church was in 1607. A new church was built in the cemetery close to the present manse. The present church was built in 1786 and the Bi-Centenary was celebrated in 1988. The slates on the roof of the present church came from the hold of a coastal cargo ship which became land-locked near Rattray Head at the same time as the Loch of Strathbeg was formed by a sand storm.

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