| Country: | Scotland |
| Official Name: | Portsoy |
| Gaelic Name: | Port Saoidh |
| Os Grid Reference: | NJ589660 |
| Edinburgh Distance Mi: | 121 |
| London Distance Mi: | 439 |
| Coordinates: | 57.683°N -2.688°W |
| Population Ref: | |
| Unitary Scotland: | Aberdeenshire |
| Lieutenancy Scotland: | Aberdeenshire |
| Constituency Westminster: | Aberdeenshire North and Moray East |
| Constituency Scottish Parliament: | Banffshire and Buchan Coast |
| Post Town: | BANFF |
| Postcode District: | AB45 |
| Postcode Area: | AB |
| Dial Code: | 01261 |
| Static Image Name: | Portsoy Old Harbour.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | Portsoy old harbour |
Portsoy (Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Port Saoidh)[1] is a small town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Historically, Portsoy was in Banffshire until 1975. The original name may come from Port Saoithe, meaning "saithe harbour".[2] Portsoy is located on the Moray Firth coast of northeast Scotland, northwest of Aberdeen and east of Inverness. It had a population of 1,752 at the time of the 2011 census.[3]
Portsoy became a burgh of barony in 1550, under Sir Walter Ogilvie of Boyne Castle, and the charter was confirmed by parliament in 1581.[4] [5]
From the 16th century until 1975, Portsoy was in the civil and religious parish of Fordyce but was administered by its own Town Council and Banffshire County Council.
Following the commencement of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, on 16th May 1975, lower Banffshire, including Portsoy, became part of Banff & Buchan District Council area which was, in turn, part of the larger Grampian Regional Council area.
A further reorganisation of local government in Scotland came via the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. With effect from 1st April 1996, 32 unitary authorities came into existence covering the whole of Scotland, Banff & Buchan District Council and Grampian Regional Council ceased to exist and Portsoy came under the jurisdiction of the Aberdeenshire Council unitary authority.[6]
The "old harbour" dates to the 17th century and is the oldest on the Moray Firth. The "new harbour" was built in 1825 for the growing herring fishery,[7] which at its peak reached 57 boats.[8] The Old Town Hall in The Square was completed in 1798.
Portsoy is known for local jewellery made from "Portsoy marble" (which is not marble, but rather serpentinite). The annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival was started in 1993 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the old harbour.[9] [10]
Portsoy, notably the harbour, has featured in BBC period dramas The Camerons, The Shutter Falls and Peaky Blinders"Peaky Blinders filming locations: where is it set as Cillian Murphy and cast seen in Portsoy shooting season 6" – The Scotsman, 9 February 2021 and a Tennent's Lager advert parodying the 1949 film Whisky Galore!. It was also the principal location for Gillies MacKinnon's film Whisky Galore!, a 2016 remake of the 1949 film; Portsoy represented the fictional island of Todday.[11]
Portsoy railway station was formerly the terminus of the Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Railway branch of the Great North of Scotland Railway system.[12] It closed in 1968.