Muirkirk place name

[loz_scotland]

Hi, can anyone decipher this place of birth of my ancestor in Muirkirk Parish in 1781, her siblings were born at various locations e.g Dalfram, Muirkirk, Muirsmill, Muirkirk and Little Blackside, Sorn
    
    Thanks Laura

[grendlsmother]

Looks like Jointeshouse, although not sure.   Last bit is definitely "house" though.

[MonicaL]

I agree with the 'house' ending, grendlsmother. Struggled to find anything though with this the other day 

Monica

[RJ_Paton]

It could be JOINTER House which usually just means a house joining onto another

This marriage detail transcription from Kirkwall in 1734 makes a similar reference

Consisting of the Hall and fore Chamber and the Laigh house called the
pantrie and Yard thereto belonging for a Jointer house with the libertie
privilidge and freedome of the grasseing and fothering of two kine in
Summer and winter

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ingram/mss/1734txt.htm

Various documents on the NAS refer to "jointer lands" and all appear to be 18th century or earlier.

[grendlsmother]

Yes, that's probably it and could be an old spelling of Jointure House, which in English would be a Dower House.   It would be part of a wealthy woman's marriage settlement that she should be provided with her own house when widowed as any son she had and his family would take over the main house.   Although by this stage it has probably lost its orginal function and just become a house to be rented out.