The Rotary Club of Kintore

Club History/Emblem

Why a new Rotary Club in Kintore?

Historically, Kintore is a long established community and in recent years has increased in size with regard to resident population and also new businesses.

In March 2006 Past President Governor Doug Westland and Past District Governor Ron McKail, Rotary Extension Officer (North), completed a survey to establish if the Kintore area could support a Rotary Club.  Based on the increasing resident and business population, indications were that a Rotary Club was indeeed feasible.  PDG Ron was authorised by Rotary Inetrnational in Great Britain and Ireland to hold information meetings with members of the business and professional community with a view to setting up a Rotary Club.

Since these early series of information meetings the membership of the Kintore Club grew initially and, as at the Inaugural and Charter Dinners in March and June 2007 respectively, this had grown to 23 men and women members representing a wide spread of the Kintore residential and business community.

Club Emblem

Tasked with choosing an emblem to represent our club, members decided that they wanted something historical, symbolic and unique to the village of Kintore.  After much discussion they decided on Hallforest Castle.

Hallforest Castle is situated approximately 1 mile west of the village of Kintore.  Built in 1296, the Castle was built on six floors with 7ft thick walls and was one of the earliest towers in Scotland.  During it's lifetime the Castle was host to many Kings and Queens of Scotland.  Unfortunately, it is now a ruin.

The Castle took its name from the great forest in which King James IV hunted.  The forest, which lies between Kintore and Kemnay, is also recalled in names such as Forest Road and Tom's Forest.

It is said that it was built by King Robert the Bruce as a hunting lodge.  In 1305 Sir Robert Keith (12th Great Marischal) was chosen as one of ten Scots to represent his country at the English Parliament but in 1305 found him fighting with Bruce's army at the Battle of Barra, near Inverurie.

The Keith family helped Robert the Bruce to gain his throne in the ensuing battles for independence from the English.  He was rewarded by King Robert the Bruce with land at Hallforest, Kintore that included the Castle.  And so the Keiths arrived in the Garioch and the Castle became the stronghold of the Keith family.  Mary Queen of Scots is also known to have stayed at Hallforest Castle in 1562.