and Monday of August; the Monday is a local holiday in the town. The show marked its 150th anniversary in 2014 with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. The town has its own weekly newspaper, the Turriff Advertiser, established in 1933 and commonly nicknamed The Squeak. History The Knights Templar appear to have had a base in the area, and a nearby site is still known as "Temple Brae". In 1273, the Earl of Buchan founded the Hospital of St Congan for a master, six chaplains and thirteen poor husbandmen of Buchan, though it is believed to have been in ruins before the time of the Reformation. These can be seen in the east gable of today's Episcopal church. In 1512, Turriff became Burgh of Barony with two fairs — Lammas Fair and St Congan's Fair — and founded a grammar school. Turriff's mercat cross, a red sandstone octagonal pillar, was built before 1557. Its base was widened by James Duncan in 1865, with sculpture by Thomas Goodwillie. It had an iron railing around it in the 19th century. An earlier St Congan's church, now ruined, is medieval in date. Its eastern tower remains, capped with a richly-carved 1635 double bellcote. The kirk's bell is dated 1556, and the clock (made in Carnoustie) dates from 1797. It was still working as of 1990. Demolition in the 19th century exposed a brightly coloured fresco of St Ninian on a white background in the splay of a window in the southern wall of the church. There is a record of a courtyard house (probably of the 17th century), known as Castle Rainy, which was used for a time as the town hall, in Castlegate until the late 19th century. Turriff was notable as the scene of the very first engagements of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639–51). Early in 1639, the Marquis of Huntly assembled his forces here, and thereafter went to Kintore in lower Aberdeenshire, eventually marching from there to Aberdeen itself. The Marquis — being informed shortly after his arrival in Aberdeen that a meeting of Covenanters was to be held in Turriff on the fourteenth of February — resolved to disperse them, by occupying the town with 2000 men. The incident was known as the "Raid of Turriff" and was followed a few days later by a minor engagement known as the "Trot of Turriff". By 1796, said