Laurencekirk is a small town in the historical region of Kincardineshire, Scotland, just off the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen highway, which bypassed it in 1985. It is administered as part of Aberdeenshire. It is the largest settlement in the Howe o' the Mearns area as well as houses the neighborhood secondary school; Mearns Academy, which was awarded the Charter Mark in 2003. Its old name was Conveth, an anglification of the Gaelic Coinmheadh, referring to a commitment to supply free food and board to passing soldiers. Laurencekirk is in the valley in between the Hill of Garvock and also the Cairn O' Mount. The renowned site of the Johnston Tower can be seen on the height of the Garvock. Laurencekirk was, in the past, known for making snuff boxes with an unique sort of airtight joint (referred to as a "Laurencekirk hinge") designed by James Sandy. Laurencekirk Golf Club (now inoperative) initially showed up in the very early 1900s. The club shut at the time of WW2. Lewis Grassic Gibbon wrote much concerning The Mearns as well as the surrounding location in his book Sunset Song. A homage centre can be gone to at Arbuthnott a few miles from Laurencekirk. Fred Urquhart dealt with the land at Laurencekirk in the 2nd World War, and his narratives make use of his observations of rural life right here.