Ellon, shown below, is a town in the Grampian Highlands located at the point where the River Ythan is low enough to be forded. The name comes from the Gaelic word "Eilean", which means island and it is likely that this location was an important crossing point to the Buchan area. It is the site of an ancient Pictish settlement about 400 B.C. The Celtic Mormaers and the Norman Earls of Buchan held court here as well. These were the Comyns and the enemies of Robert the Bruce, who defeated them at the Battle of Oldmeldrum. It was after this battle in 1308, that the village of Ellon was burned..