Clinterty Agricultural College

Clinterty Agricultural College was a small further education college near Aberdeen in Scotland, which became part of Aberdeen College (now North East Scotland College).

Clinterty College was founded in 1968 with the purchase of Meikle Clinterty and the following year Mains of Tertowie farms near the village of Blackburn in Aberdeenshire. Initially classes were taught in surplas school provision in Bucksburn and students ferried out to the farm at Meikle Clinterty for practical activities. The first principal of the college was John Telfer. John had originally travelled around Aberdeenshire running agricultural day release classes from the back of his Morris Minor Traveller and he was probably the most influenctial individual along with James Michie the Director of Education in Aberdeenshire, involved with the development of Clinterty.

Construction of the new college started in 1973 on a green-field site near the village of Blackburn, and opened its doors to students in September 1975. The college provided training and education in Agricultural Skills, Crop & Animal Husbandry, Mechanisation and Agricultural & Construction Plant Engineering.

The college developed with the appointment of a Vice Principal/ Farm Director Douglas Brown and Heads of Departments, Bill Beattie Engineering and Mechanisation and Ian Jackson Extra Mural. New college buildings including teaching block, engineering workshop and hostel were complete in 1975. New innovative courses in Recreation and Tourism, Outdoor Pursuits, Horticulture, Arboriculture, Equine Studies and Small Animal Care were introduced during the 1980s.

The college had three distinct farm units: Meikle Clinterty, which was mainly used as a pig unit, a new dairy unit was built at Clinterty in an area known as the Haughs, and Mains of Tertowie farm housed the beef and sheep units. After the majority of the farms and land were sold Clinterty continued to offer courses in subjects such as small animal care and service engineering.

It is anticipated that Clinterty will cease to operate as an active educational centre in summer 2012.

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