The picturesque town of Banff was made a Royal Burgh in the 12
th century with reminders of the era in the form of ancient symbols of commercial life, a mercat cross, town house and tollbooth steeple, all grouped together in the town centre. Important historical buildings within the town have explanatory plaques, making an historical trail round the town both easy and pleasant.
Banff is home to the magnificent Baroque mansion of Duff House designed by William Adam and built in 1730 for the 1
st Earl of Fife, William Braco, one of the richest men of his time in the northeast. The building is certainly impressive and could have been even more so, had it not been for some bitter arguments about the curving colonnades which Adam had wanted to include. Braco refused to pay for shipping carved Corinthian columns from Queensferry and with more litigation he never actually came to live in the house, and pulled down the coach curtains whenever he passed by.
In 1911 Duff House was given to the people of Banff and Macduff. It was first used as a sanatorium and later, during the Second World War as a camp for German prisoners. It is now a Country House Gallery, the Premier outstation of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Banff is situated by the River Deveron, which separates it from the neighbouring town of Macduff. If you would like to explore the history of the town and area further, a visit to the Banff Museum will suffice. The beach down by the golf course is a good bathing area if you fancy a dip in the sea or a stroll along the coastline. The west beach should be avoided for swimming, as there are strong currents from the estuary of the River Deveron.
