The organisers of a history tour in the north-east’s largest town hope the event will instill a sense of civic pride in the local people.
On Saturday the Peterhead Town Trail walking tour will set off from the town’s Drummers Corner for a look at the Blue Toon’s dark past.
The event – advertised as “Peterhead’s Rogues and Rule-makers – the Local Government and the Law” – will take locals and tourists alike on a free two-hour walking trip around the historic heart of the town.
Along the way are 21 display boards telling some of the town’s most entertaining tales.
Local resident and history enthusiast Stephen Calder, a former Peterhead Academy teacher, has volunteered as an actor to play the Baron Bailie Thomas Arbuthnot, one of Peterhead’s most famous figures.
Last night Mr Calder said: “I’ll be acting as the Baron Bailie and covering the history of justice in the town. There are a lost of stories to share – you just need to look at the back copies of newspapers.
“The Baron Bailie was the provost of the time and a key figure in the Jacobite rising of 1715.”
Mr Calder will tell the tale of Baron Bailie Alexander Ellis, who served as harbour master in Peterhead and moonlighted as the town’s biggest smuggler.
“This trail event is aimed at the local people,” Mr Calder said. “I like to think the more people know about the town, it gives them a sense of pride and identification.
“We need to look to the future of course, but to do that we should celebrate our past.”
The Peterhead Town Trail event start from The Drum in Drummers Corner, and lead visitors to Broad Street, Prince Street and the harbour.
A town trail spokeswoman added: “This is a walking tour around Peterhead – Aberdeenshire’s biggest town – and highlights over four hundred years of history, stories, events, local scandals, gossip and sensations.
“The trail is made up of a short route, which concentrates on the town centre and harbour.”