Place Names in the Black Isle

[alastairgm]

Having got a copy of my ancestor Ann MacDonald's marriage of 1830 from the OPR for Urquhart & Logie Wester parish I see she is "of Drumore". In the 1861 Census her residence is shown as being in Druim Mhoir, which I think must be the same place.

In the 1841 census, though, she is shown as being at "Brae Tenacarn" (I think this is what it is but the writing is not clear) and in the 1851 one at "Bosmore". I think these could be different names for the same place as not only is she there but the neighbouring households are the same ones in all three years, and also in all three censuses the next place named is "Braes of Dunvornie". This I can find both on Old-Maps and on the present day OS map, but not the other three.

These are not isolated places but the inhabitants cover two or more sheets of the Census. They are nearly all Crofters and Ag. Labs., so may have been cleared at a later date?

Her relatives who left ROC give their place of birth as being Ferintosh, which ties in with the Braes of Dunvornie area.

Is there anyone with a knowledge of the area who could say where Drumore/ Druim Mhoir/Bosmore/ Brae Tenacarn were or are?

alastairgm

[Chortlegirl]

Hi Alastairgm

I've got a book called "Place names of Ross and Cromarty" by WJ Watson (first published in 1904).

In the entries for Urquhart parish there is a place called Teanagairn (Gaelic for "House of the cairn" after a ruin of a cairn found in the wood about a mile west of Culbokie.)

On a Victorian map of the area, there is a house / farm called "Tighnacarn" between Braes of Dunvournie and Culbokie. It looks like this could this be the same as Teanagairn and perhaps close by your Brae Tenacarn.

I've also looked in Watson's book and the only Drumore listed is in the neighbouring parish of Killearnan. It's a holding that's part of the settlement of Fettes (just north of Redcastle).

Unfortunately I couldn't find any mention of Bosmore in Waston's book or on the Victorian map.

Hope this info is of some help!
Lynn

[alastairgm]

Hello Lynn,

That's a very useful book you've got there.
 Teanagairn is in the right place , as my Ann MacDonald married a John Fraser from Culbokie. Presumably the Braes would be up the slopes to the East of the farm, just as the Braes of Dunvornie are to the East of the present day Dunvornie Farm.
Both the Drumore and Druim Mhoir I'm looking for are definitely in Urquhart & Logie Wester parish. According to the OS Glossary of Gaelic Place Names they mean "Big Ridge" so there must be plenty of places that would have been called that around.
Bosmore is a bit more difficult.  The OS Glossary doesn't list "Bos-" as either a Gaelic or a Scots word. Could be "Bog", misheard by the enumerator, I suppose.
Anyway, your Teanagairn suggestion sounds the right one to me, so I know where to go when I visit the Black Isle, hopefully next summer.
Many thanks for your help; much appreciated.
Merry Christmas! Regards, Alastair MacDonald

[Chortlegirl]

Hi Alastair

Glad the info was of some help to you. I've had another look at Watson's book and the next settlement listed immediately after Teanagairn is Duncanston. Watson says that the Gaelic place name for Duncanston was "Bog a'mhiodar". A possible candidate for Bosmore (considering the liberties sometimes taken with Gaelic spellings?!)? Bog a'mhiodar is listed as meaning Bog of the Pasture Ground or Bog of the Round Wooden Vessel (Watson says the former is more likely).

By the way by ggg grandparents were John MacDonald and Janet Fowler from the Culbokie area. They married in 1835 in Urquhart and Logie Wester (their daughter Jessie born approx 1838 in Culbokie is my gg grandmother) - any connection with your MacDonalds?

Hope you had a lovely Christmas!
Best wishes
Lynn

[alastairgm]

Hello Lynn,

You're right about the Duncanston connection. I've now looked at the  1871 Census and lo and behold in it Duncanston is now followed by Bogmore (sic) and then by Braes of Dunvornie. Obviously in 1851 the enumerator either mis-heard or couldn't read his own writing.
Your book is proving invaluable. Also in 1871 there is a place near Duncanston called either Knocknaril or Knockinarit which I can't find on any map. Is that in your book, by any chance?
My gggrandfather was a John MacDonald but he was born around 1785 and left the Black Isle for Morayshire in around 1810 and married and settled there, so he's unfortunately not the same one. I'll prepare a summary of my Black Isle MacDonalds and send them to you separately, to see if any coincide.

Many thanks, Regards, Alastair.

[Chortlegirl]

Hi Alastair

I think that Prof Watson has come up trumps again! He lists a place called:

"Cnoc an araid - a mile or so west of Culbokie, most likely from "anart" (linen) which in E Ross becomes "arad".

This looks a likely candidate especially when the "d" in Gaelic is often pronounced like a "t". I've checked on my Victorian map of the area, but can't see it marked anywhere.

The other "Knock" place names listed in the parish are:

Knockandultaig (from Gael. for "bat's hillock").
Cnoc na fanaig (from Gael. for "Hill of the lazy-bed" or "hoodie crow")
Cnoc 'chois (from "Hill of the recess")

I think the first "Knock" looks the most likely (and is the right part of the parish for your family too). The only drawback with Watson's book is that it doesn't have any maps unfortunately, just a list of place names.

Were your ancestors involved in distilling by any chance? There was quite an industry in the parish until 1786 (employing over 1000 people) as a result of what was known as the "Ferintosh privilege" (this allowed the local landowner to run distilleries effectively duty free as compensation from the Government for damage caused by Jacobites). The privilege was removed in 1786 and as a result, in the following years, many people from the area had to move away to seek employment elsewhere. It just seemed a bit of a coincidence that your ancestor moved from one area to another where there was a strong whisky industry!

Best wishes
Lynn

[alastairgm]

Hello Lynn,

I can't see Cnocanaraid or anything like it on the old-maps site either but at least Prof. Watson confirms it's in the area we're looking at, which is most helpful.
As regards a family connection with the whisky industry I'm afraid I haven't come across one as yet. All my ancestors seem to have been crofters or farmers or otherwise connected with the land. That doesn't mean there wasn't a still hidden somewhere, I suppose, but that wouldn't be the sort of thing you find in the records, unless they were caught and prosecuted!
I'll get my MacDonald details to you shortly.
Many thanks. Regards, Alastair

[Fransmoi]

TEANACAIRN  became TEANAGAIRN over time and from at least 1813 to 1852 my gt gt gt grandparents Alexander Mackenzie & Janet Robertson were begatting and dying at this farm. A son Alexander died there aged 82 in 1874.

Janet said her father was a provost of Dingwall and they were related to no less a personage than the PM William Ewart Gladstone !

I'd be glad to hear from anyone with more information on this  family.A grandson built a low walled enclosure topped with wrought iron railings in Old Urquhart Cemetery with 7 stones commemorating them.

Frances

[lspecht]

Hi,

I'm trying to link my ggg-grandfather, Charles Fowler, to his parents, whom I believe were Colin Fowler (a/k/a Foular), of "Dunvorny and Knock-narid", and his wife, Cathrine Gordon.  From what I can find, Dunvorny and Knock-narid were in the Duncanstown area of Dingwall.

Charles Fowler married Sarah Deadman in London in 1807, lived for many years in Elgin, and died in 1841 in Aberdeen.  My research shows that he worked as a silversmith/dentis/cupper.  I have lots of information regarding Colin's children but still can't make the link.  Any help would be much appreciated.

By the way, among the children listed as having been born to Colin and Cathrine is a Janet Fowler, born 23 Nov 1757.

--Lisa