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The two squares of 'Fish Town'(known as Footdee), originally contained 28 single-storey thatched houses although this increased when the later Middle Row (circa 1837) and Pilot Square (circa 1855) were added, also additional storeys to the East and West sides of South Square creating a tenement feel. This was an attempt to ease crowding resulting from an influx of fishing families from other less prosperous areas and to help try to enforce the `one-house-one-family' rule.The Town Council decided to start selling the dwellings to occupiers in 1880, beginning a period of incremental development and reconstruction. Throughout
the 19th century, `tarry sheds´ were added to the communal land
within the squares opposite each dwelling and now every dwelling has its
own shed. |
Footdee
is an area of Aberdeen, Scotland known locally as "Fittie".
It is an old fishing village at the east end of the harbour. The area
has had a settlement as far back as the Medieval times and the first recorded
reference to the area of Fittie was in the year 1398. This village was
slightly further North than where Footdee is now located. It would have
been near to where the St Clement's Church is located. The following is
taken from Historic Scotland's Information Supplementary to the Statutory
List: 'Footdee is a particularly interesting example of a planned housing
development purpose-built to re-house Aberdeen's local fishing community.
Laid
out in 1809 by John Smith, then Superintendent of the Town's Public Works.
Smith went on to establish himself as one of Aberdeen's key architects.
Occupying an isolated spit of land to the SE of Aberdeen's city centre,
its regimented squares have been described as `a cross between the neo-classical
aspirations of Aberdeen and the close-knit fishing communities of the
north-east'. 
Originally
constructed from drift wood and other found materials, the sheds have
beenbuilt and rebuilt over the years in a variety of materials with rendered
brick now predominating slightly.Some timber built sheds remain, predominantly
on the North side of North Square. North Square Mission Hall occupies
the central area of the North Square, reflecting its significance as an
integral part of village life. Known locally as `the schoolie´ the
hall was built for general as well as religious purposes and continues
to operate as a multi-purpose meeting space.'