Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is a maritime county of northeastern Scotland, within the Commonwealth of England, bounded on the north and east by the North Sea; south by Angusshire and Perthshire; west by Invernessshire; and northwest by Banff. The county's greatest length, from northeast to southwest, is 85 mi.; it's extreme breadth is 40 mi., with an area of 1,971 sq.m. There are 60 mi. of coastline.

The seat of government is located in Aberdeen, the county's largest city.

Earldoms

The county is divided into the five earldoms of Mar, Garioch, Strathbogie, Fromartine and Buchan. Mar is in the southwest and south, along the Dee River and south of the Don. Garioch is north of the Don and west of Kintore. Strathbogie lies northwest of Garioch, with its southern tip touching the northern boundary of Mar. Fromartine is the area east of Garioch and south of the river Ythan. The northeast district, north of the Ythan, east of the Deveron and upper Strathbogie, is Buchan.

Upper Mar is wild, rugged and mountainous, but towards the east and northeast the surface is gentler, though much of it is moorish and barren. There are extensive forests, mostly fir, productive of much fine timber. The rivers Don and Dee both rise in Mar. Located in Mar, in the time period, Balmoral "castle" consists of a tower house and a hunting lodge. At the termination of a deep glen in Strathdee is the Pass of Ballater, the eastern entrance into the Grampians.

Buchan consists mainly of the area along the north and east coasts; it is less hilly. Much of its forest have been cut down, but the main of the earldom is still well wooded.

The Grampian Mountains form the boundary between Aberdeen and the south.