Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, 10 miles (16 kilometres) east of the cathedral city of Elgin as well as situated on the eastern financial institution of the River Spey. 1,728 people reside in the town, which enjoys an abundant musical and also social background. The village is likewise residence to Baxters, the family-run supplier of foods items. The town owes its presence to Alexander Gordon, fourth Duke of Gordon (1743-1827). Throughout the late-eighteenth century, throughout the Scottish Knowledge, it was trendy for landowners to discovered brand-new communities and also villages; these can be identified throughout Scotland, because unlike their predecessors they all have straight, large roads in mostly rectangle-shaped layouts, a central square, as well as the houses developed with their major elevations parallel to the street. The renters benefited from more spacious homes, and also the Battle each other, it needs to be claimed, gained from not having the hoi polloi living in hovels exactly on the doorstep of Gordon Castle. Fochabers was founded in 1776, as well as is among the best instances of a planned village. It is a conservation area, with most of the buildings in the High Street noted as being of historic or architectural interest, as is Bellie Kirk, the Roman Catholic church St. Mary's Fochabers, which houses jobs by notable artisans, as well as the Episcopalian church, Gordon Chapel, which flaunts the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite tarnished glass in Scotland. Power was brought to the town in 1906 by Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond provided from a tiny hydro-electric generating terminal constructed in 1905 in the Quarters district on the banks of the fast-flowing Spey. For a while in the mid-twentieth century, Fochabers was the residence of three duchesses - Hilda, Duchess of Richmond and also Gordon; Ivy, Duchess of Rose City and also Helen, Duchess of Northumberland. Between 1893 and also 1966 the village had a train station, Fochabers Community, although after 1931 this was open only to freight. For almost three years, the people of Fochabers advocated a bypass, as the town is situated on the A96, the only direct route from Aberdeen to Inverness, and also consequently suffers from serious website traffic problems. Building and construction work with a bypass for Fochabers as well as the adjoining town of Mosstodloch began on 2 February 2010 and was completed in January 2012, at an expense of £31,500,000. The task was substantially delayed as a result of clash pertaining to the proposed route, and exploration of a Neolithic settlement on the site of the bypass.