Clola
| Clola | |
|---|---|
 Church Croft, Clola |
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 Clola
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| Clola shown within Aberdeenshire | |
| OS grid reference | NK000438 |
| Council area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PETERHEAD |
| Postcode district | AB42 |
| Dialling code | 01771 (Mintlaw) |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Clola is a hamlet in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Clola is situated on the A952 road. There is considerable evidence of local habitation by early man in the vicinity of Clola. Some of these nearby human traces are evident in Catto Long Barrow, a massive stone structure now surrounded by agricultural fields.
The scattered residential and farming community of Clola, about three miles north of Ardallie, is centred on Clola crossroads on the A952 some 2.5 miles south of Mintlaw. The neighbourhood extends to a radius of a little over a mile around the former Church. 18th century spellings are Clolloch and Clolah, which probably came from the Gaelic clach or clachach meaning stony place.
The picturesque church building stands to the east of the crossroads. It is now a dwelling house its exterior form has happily been retained, bearing clear witness to its original function. The first church at Clola was a simple heather thatched stone and clay structure on the opposite side of the A952, near the latter day manse. This was superseded in 1784 by a new building on the present site. In the secessions of the early 19th century Clola became part of the Free Church of Scotland, in opposition to the Established Church, and in keeping with its new status the church was rebuilt in its present form in 1864. The construction of the third church cost £1,500 and was mainly funded by donations from the congregation. The plans were drawn up by Campbell Douglas and James Stevenson from Glasgow. It featured a stained glass window to the memory of William Ferguson of Kinmundy, at one time chairman of the Great North of Scotland Railway Co. and this window survives in the private dwelling. The Free Church re-united with the Church of Scotland in 1929. Population drifts in the post-War years led to Clola being linked with Ardallie, and this linked charge in turn finally united with Deer Parish on 4 May 1975. The last service at Clola had been held eight months earlier on 31 August 1974.
Quarter of a mile south of the Church is the former Toll House (Shannas Tollhouse). It is one of a small number of Tollhouses still used as a domestic dwelling and considered a good example of vernacular buildings. It sits adjacent to an old stretch of road beside the A952. Under the Turnpike Act of 1795 the minimum distance between toll bars was six miles. The Toll of Birness (the junction of the A952 Fraserburgh road and A92 Peterhead road) to the south of Ardallie is six miles from Clola. The Tollhouse is home to ShannasGordon Setters which have produced many champions in the breed in both the UK and overseas. The Toll House has an Ordnance Survey cut mark, a basic type of Benchmark on the corner of the house.
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Wikipedia