When introducing various motivations in Chapter 2, it was made clear that these were presented using Lewis anthropo-toponyms as a reference point. Can additional motivations be found by investigating comparative material? Do any prominent patterns emerge?
Finally, we need to ask whether any differences are a result of social and cultural differences or a reflection of the available source material. Such factors will be further considered and incorporated into the classification proposed in 5.2. In 1.4.4.3 different types of evidence which can be used to determine the nature of a commemoration were discussed and various categories of evidence were listed. These include: EvClas1 Direct accounts, EvClas2 Indirect accounts, EvClas3 Contextual evidence, and EvClas4
Comparative evidence. Motivations determined on the basis of the interpretation of the author of PNF are considered as indirect accounts (EvClas2). For example, in the case of Macduff’s Cross, it is the discussion provided by Taylor (PNF 4, 637), where a strong case is made for the motivation of this toponym as a boundary marker is made, which makes it possible to regard this as belonging to EvClas2. The material discussed here has been approached in a similar manner. There is some overlap between the categories, but they are generally approached in a hierarchical manner, with the greatest emphasis being placed on direct accounts. When looking at the PNF motivations presented here, we find that eleven entries are placed in EvClas1, nine in EvClas2, and thirty-nine in EvClas3. It should be noted that a strong correlation can be found between motivations relating to residence or ownership and EvClas3 (contextual evidence). Additionally, many of these toponyms are recorded at a relatively early date. The table clearly shows how the source material can have a significant impact on how anthropo-toponyms are viewed. Based on the evidence
174 presented, an assumption could easily be made that most anthropo-toponyms relate to ownership, particularly at an early date. However, the categorisation of the evidence would partially also suggest that it is rather the lack of direct evidence at an early date which provides these results. The relationship between chronology, evidence types and motivations is one of the issues to be further discussed in 5.4.
Motivations visible in PNF 4 Residence or ownership142
Arnoldsland (Arnoldsland 1888 x 1914), PNF 4, 361 (EvClas3)
*Barclay’s Cairnie (Ber<c>lais Carny 1452 x 1480), PNF 4, 615 (EvClas3)
Boulterhall (<B>oyterhall 1684), PNF 4, 406 (EvClas3)
*Budhouse Lands (Budhous-landis 1530), PNF 4, 277 (EvClas3)
*Buistslands (Buistisland 1609), PNF 4, 117 (EvClas3)
Charlottetown (Charlton 1855) ‘Named after Charlotte Paterson, who held the land here in the mid-nineteenth century, the hamlet and the name came into existence when the Giffordtown Free Kirk was built in 1843. For full details, see Calley [1999]
[Collessie: A Parish Alphabet], 34.’, PNF 4, 209 (EvClas2)
*Cumming Lands (Cumyng Aiker 1530), PNF 4, 281 (EvClas3)
Dalgairn (Dalyell Lodge 1828, Dalgairn 1856) ‘[Henry] Stark died in 1796 and by 1800 his widow, Marjory Horsburgh, had sold Bandirran by Cupar to John Dalyell of Lingo, who renamed it Dalyell Lodge (Harley [Dalgairn: The Story of a House and its Garden (Fife Folk Museum, Ceres)] 2004, 8). In 1847 William Scott, a farmer from Scones Lethendy Perthshire, bought Dalyell Lodge and it was given yet another name, Dalgairn, which it has retained to this day. The name was connected to this family as his first cousin was called Janet Dalgairns (Harley 2004, 16). While the new
142 The early forms given in brackets are the earliest forms containing the personal name in question.
175 owner personalised it in the same way that Dalyell had done in 1800, he was clearly influenced by the onomastic shape of the earlier name.’, PNF 4, 284-5 (EvClas1)
Denmuir-Y143 (Dunmure-Aytoun 1590, Dunmure-Paterson 1590), PNF 4, 346-7 (EvClas3)
Dunbog-Y (Dunboug Beitone 1521), PNF 4, 350 (EvClas3)
Ferniehall (Fairny Hall 1775), PNF 4, 286 (EvClas3)
Fliskmillan (Fliskmyllane 1506), PNF 4, 393 (EvClas3)
Gibbsland # (Gib’s Lands of the Ferry 1517), PNF 4, 370 (EvClas3)
Grayson (1855) ‘It was bought in 1960 from the Church of Scotland by Mr and Mrs Lang. One of the conditions of sale was that it should not be called the Old Manse or similar. The Langs therefore coined their own name for the house, taking Mr Lang’s middle name, which was Gray, and adding the second element of Mrs Lang’s maiden name, which was Anderson. [Informants: Mr and Mrs Henry and Jane Lang, now of Newington Kilmany.]’, PNF 4, 454 (EvClas1)
Hayston (Hayistoun 1627) ‘The Hays were in at least part of the lands of Airdit Leuchars by 1516 at the latest, when David Hay is described as being “of Airdit”
(Fife Ct. Bk. [The Sheriff Court Book of Fife 1515-22] 34), and in 1523 they are described as having one quarter of Airdit (RMS [Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scottorum] iii no. 237). In 1578 Andrew Hay, feuar of a quarter of Airdit, sold his quarter to Andrew Murray of Arngask Perthshire, Fife (RMS iv no. 2820; see Airdit, above). The name Hayston, referring to this quarter, also known as Little Airdit, probably came to be used retrospectively at around this time’, PNF 4, 518 (EvClas2)
Jarvislands # (terra Gervasii 1294), PNF 4, 128 (EvClas3)
Kilboisland # (Kylboysland 1481), PNF 4, 129 (EvClas3)
143 Where y represents a surname.
176
*Laing’s Land (Langisland 1510) ‘The lands of Reedie had formerly been occupied by one Andrew Ramsay and *Laing’s Ward had been occupied and claimed by John Laing.’, PNF 4, 129-30 (EvClas2)
*Leightonslands (Lichtonis landis 1512), PNF 4, 423 (EvClas3)
Leuchars-Y (Lucheris-wemis (1476), Luchris-Monypenny (1495), Lucheris Bruce (1515), Lucheris-Forbes (1513), Lucheris Ramsay (1515), PNF 4, 523-5 (EvClas3)
Lindifferon-Y (Lindiffren-Barclay 1517, Lindiffren-Seaton 1517), PNF 4, 592-3 (EvClas3)
Lumbennie-Y (Lumbenny Berclay 1515) ‘Lumbenny Berclay (1515 Fife Ct. Bk. [The Sheriff Court Book of Fife 1515-22] 13) refers to the lands of Lumbennie acquired by David Barclay of Collairnie (Dunbog) in 1510 (RMS [Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scottorum] ii no. 3524).’, PNF 4, 635-7 (EvClas2)
Melville House (the house of Melvell 1723) ‘built for George, first earl of Melville and president of the Privy Council, in 1697-1703 (Gifford, [The Buildings of Scotland: Fife (London)] 1988, 321).’, PNF 4, 594 (EvClas2)
*Moncur’s Lands (Moncouris landis 1507), PNF 4, 529 (EvClas3)
Newington (Newington 1855) a letter from Rev. David Weekes of Kilmany records that: ‘Two brothers, Inglis at [neighbouring] Colluthie [Moonzie], decided to divide their lands equally. This meant building a new house, and giving it, and the newly created farm, a name. So they coined NEW-ING-TON. NEW for the obvious reason;
ING as the first letters of their patronymic; and TON for the new farm toun. The new Laird’s house was built in 1828, and so it all took place about then. My source for this is R.W. MacLeod, Lairds and Farmers in North Fife, Levenmouth 1998 revision of 1996, p. 103 […] He [wrongly] puts this in Moonzie Parish, and dates the house to the 1890s.’, PNF 5, 623 (the main entry appears in PNF 4, 468) (EvClas1)
177 Prestonhall (Prestonhall 1642) ‘“The lands of Prestonhall originally formed part of the lands of Thomaston, and previous to 1614 belonged to the Turnbulls of Airdrie (Crail). […] These lands were acquired by Sir John Preston of Penicuik, Bart, […] Sir John, or some of his descendants, erected a mansion house on the lands, and thence the name was changed to Preston-hall” (Leighton [History of the County of Fife from the Earliest Period to the Present Time] 1840 ii, 41).’, PNF 4, 309 (EvClas2)
Pusk-Y (Pursk Narne 1516), PNF 4, 537 (EvClas3)
Rankeilour-Y ((Rankillar Hope 1723, Rankillar Mackgill’s 1723)), PNF 4, 602 (EvClas3)
*Reginald’s Land (terra Reginaldi 1240 x 1244), PNF 4, 569 (EvClas3)
Sandford-Y (Sandfurd Hay c. 1560s, Sandfurd Narne c. 1560s, Sanfort Balfour 1642, Sanfort Goldman 1642), PNF 4, 432 (EvClas3)
Scotscraig (Scottis-crag 1452 x 1480) ‘“It is stated, though on dubious authority, that the estate was feued during the reign of Alexander II by the bishop of St Andrews to Sir Michael Scott of Balwearie, the father of the famous Michael Scott, the Wizard,”
hence the name Scotscraig (Millar [Fife: Pictorial and Historical] 1895 ii, 275).’, PNF 4, 373-4 (EvClas1)
Sheirsland # (Serisland 1529), PNF 4, 435 (EvClas3)
*Thaneslands (Thanisland 1457), PNF 4, 548 (EvClas3)
*Tremblayslands (Tremblaisland 1615), PNF 4, 438 (EvClas3)
*Wemyss Hall (Wemys Hall 1775), PNF 4, 292 (EvClas3)
Y-Tarvit (Wester Tarvet alias Wemys-tarvett 1620), PNF 4, 312-4 (EvClas3)
Boundary
178 Macduff’s Cross (Corsmacduf 1428) ‘The cross first appears in the written record in 1428 as marking the north-western limit of the Liberty of Cupar […] While it is generally assumed that these Macduff-names mark the north-western edge of the county of Fife, where the Macduff earls of Fife held sway, we may in fact be looking in the wrong direction. It should be borne in mind that the abbacy of Abernethy was in the hands of a cadet branch of the Macduff kindred in the twelfth century, and the later lords of Abernethy belonged to the same family. It may have been this strong Macduff connection with the lands of Abernethy that gave rise to this cluster of Macduff names along their eastern boundary with Fife, rather than any Macduff interests in Fife itself.’, PNF 4, 637-40 (EvClas2)
Creation
Dandies Wood (Dandies Wood 1855) ‘It is named after the Forester by whom it was planted.’ (OSNB 43, 20), PNF 4, 452 (EvClas1)
Miller’s Loch (Miller’s Loch 1856) ‘It was made by the late Col. Miller, hence the name.’ (OSNB, under Falkland parish 29, 48), PNF 4, 698 (EvClas1)
Occupational usage
Durward’s Scalp (Durward’s Scalp 1855) ‘the name is derived from a man named
“Durward” who formerly rented this fishing station.’ (OSNB 39, 16), PNF 4, 389-90 (EvClas1)
*Young’s Boat (Youngs boate 1642) ‘Probably refers to a small ferry run by someone called Young.’, PNF 4, 399 (EvClas3)
Events
Sir Walter Scott’s Tree (Sir Walter Scott’s Tree 1855) ‘This name applies to a
Planetree in the Valley called Gowls Den. It is pointed out to each successive Forester by the Proprietor, for its Protection. The tradition is that “Sir W. Scott when he paid a Visit to the Den or glen, struck this tree with a small mallet pronouncing at the same time the Words ‘This is my tree’” (OSNB 43, 21)’, PNF 4, 472 (EvClas1)
179 Wallace’s Bridge (Wallace’s Bridge 1855) ‘The name refers to William Wallace, who is said to have been involved in a military engagement at nearby Earnside (Abdie) [for which see PNF 4, 80-2] in 1304.’, PNF 4, 98-9 (EvClas1)
Hagiotoponyms
*St Bride’s Well (Sanctbrydis Well 1544) ‘It lay on the boundary between those two parishes [Auchtermuchty and Collessie]. This last aspect of the well’s position is significant because the church of Abernethy (Abernethy, Perthshire) was dedicated to St Bride or Brigit, and the position of St Bride’s Well on the south-eastern parish boundary of Abernethy, Perthshire suggests that it acquired this name because it marked the boundary of St Brigit’s territory.’, PNF 4, 55 (EvClas3)
Bridie’s Well (Bridiis Wel 1328 x 1332), PNF 4, 163 (EvClas3)
St Catherine’s Haugh # (Sanct-Katherinis-hauch 1519), PNF 4, 310 (EvClas3)
Ecclesmartin # ((land of) Eglismarten c. 1248), PNF 4, 685 (EvClas3)
St John’s Well (St John’s Well 1845), PNF 4, 187 (EvClas3)
Kilmany ((church of) Kilmannin 1202), PNF 4, 456 (EvClas3)
Kilmaron (Kilmeron 1199 x 1202), PNF 4, 295 (EvClas3)
Logiemurdoch # ((church of) Logymurdach 1245 x 1255), PNF 4, 567 (EvClas3)
Mares Craig (Mariscrag 1541), ‘The name is probably connected with the nearby Maryscroft # […] Laing states that The Marie Croft “seems to have lain near the precincts of the Abbey”, and insists that Maries Craig is the correct form of the name of the craig now known as Mares Craig ([Laing, Lindores Abbey and its Burgh of Newburgh, their History and Annals (Edinburgh)] 1876, 446). It is plausible, therefore, that Mares Craig contains the personal name Mary, with reference to St Mary, who was one of the chief dedicatory saints of the nearby abbey.’, PNF 4, 92-3 (EvClas3)
180
*St Thomas Land (Sanct-Thomas-land-endis 1593, but note Sanct-Thomas Croftis 1592), PNF 4, 238 (EvClas3)
St Mary’s Farm (St Mary 1828) ‘Ultimately the name of the farm and the burn derive from the dedication of the earlier medieval church of Cupar, close to whose site the burn flows’, PNF 4, 604 (EvClas3)
Transferred association
Halley’s Lake (Halley’s Lake 1855) ‘It may have been facetiously named after Halley’s Comet, which had last appeared in 1835, with reference to its long narrow shape. (Comet named after the English astronomer Edmund Halley, died in 1742).’, PNF 4, 633 (EvClas2)
Samson’s Stone (Samson’s Stone 1888 x 1914) ‘A fanciful name given to very large stones which could only be lifted by someone with the strength of Old Testament Samson (before his hair cut). There is another such near Callendar (Perthshire).’, PNF 4, 187-8 (EvClas2)
Other association
Cardan’s Well (Cardan’s Well 1790s) ‘The story surrounding this well claims that the extraordinary Jerome Cardan (1501-76), mathematician, physician, cryptographer, astrologer and gambler, cured Archbishop Hamilton of his illness by – among other things – making him walk daily to the well to drink the water.’, PNF 4, 581 (EvClas1)
John Knox’s Pulpit (John Knox’s Pulpit 1856) ‘There is no indication that John Knox ever preached, or did anything else, here. Leighton, however, discusses the religious disputes a century after Knox, noting that when the minister of Strathmiglo
conformed to episcopacy “he was deserted by the greater part of his congregation.
[…] When the dispute became more intense, and persecution began to prevail, the inhabitants of Strathmiglo […] went to the hills and the muirs to hear sermon from, and to worship with, their own outed and persecuted ministers. One of the most noted of the wild places in which they sought to worship in peace after their own fashion was “Glenvale”, a deep and wild ravine in the Lomond hills, where the shires of Fife and Kinross meet, a place now seldom visited by any one. At the bottom of the wildest portion of this ravine is a large rock formed somewhat like a pulpit, from
181 which the outed ministers often preached to their harassed flocks; and here on
different occasions many persons were apprehended by soldiers sent for that purpose.
The rock is still called the preaching rock” (Leighton [History of the County of Fife from the Earliest Period to the Present Time] 1840 ii, 193)’, PNF 4, 691-2 (EvClas1)