The Improving Laird Steen, The Kemnay Steens

This wedge shaped stone can be found on the south-west edge of Bogbeth Park, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire. The stone references the improvements to the local agricultural landscape that took place in the 18th century, particularly under the watch of George Burnett of Kemnay (1714-1780). George was the first of the ‘Improving Lairds’ of Kemnay. Here he is shown standing above his coat of arms, overseeing the work taking place on his land. A parrot can just about be seen perched on his arm. The only known painting of George from 1721 shows him as a confident looking seven year old holding a multicoloured parrot. In the fields below, dykes are being constructed from the stones cleared from the fields. The largest fieldstones, which are too heavy to move, are being blasted with explosives. There are people cutting peat and planting tree saplings, while elsewhere mature trees are harvested for their timber. As the land becomes more productive the yields improve. New ideas come to Kemnay around crop rotation, using horses instead of oxen and growing turnips. Kemnay House, the Burnett family home is shown alongside the 'Wilderness' and 'Moss' to the south. An arrow on the side of the stone points the way to ‘Paradyce’ – the name of a wooded hill to the north, but perhaps also a reference to the improving landscape. Paradise Hill would later become the site of Kemnay Quarry. The stone is one of the Kemnay Steens, nine carved stones placed along footpaths in and around the village with the aim of encouraging people to explore the rich history, folklore and natural identity of the surrounding landscape. The stones reference local Pictish carvings and later medieval styles but they also have their own visual vocabulary; the more stones that are encountered, the more reoccurring symbols, characters and themes are noticed. Each stone tells its own story but there is also a deeper narrative hidden in the carvings, waiting to be unpicked. The designs for the artworks are the result of six months of research and engagement activity which included community events, talks and stone carving workshops. The project began in July 2019 and was led by The Kemnay Public Art Group a sub-group of Greener Kemnay; a group of local residents who support the reduction of the carbon footprint of the village. The group was asked by Aberdeenshire Council to manage a public art project using the balance remaining in the Percent for Art Fund, accumulated from previous housing developments. Additional funding was then secured from The National Lottery Community Fund.