Blair Collection > Place names in Strathbogie, with notes historical, antiquarian and descriptive

Place Names in StratJibogie.
cavated and used in old times as a kiln. The
excavation was about 8 feet wide at the bottom,
and sloped upward at one side as if intended to
allow access to the fire below.
To the south-west of Botarie the Burn of
Ardonald joins the Burn of Cairnie, and on the
former of these at one time stood the Mill of
Gale, as the name is written, though pronounced
Gellie {Cf. Gellyhill, Gellymill, and Gellyburn, in
Gamrie). Tradition says that this mill with all
its belongings was swept away by flood. On
the west side of the burn is Ardonald, ' Donald's
height,' locally called the Knowe of Ardonald, or
Ordonald. No tradition lingers as to who this
Donald was who has given his name to the hill.
About a mile distant is The Ord (hill) near to
Hollowdyke. In the old writings Ord and Ard
are used in combination interchangeably. Many
names appear so frequently in both forms that
I am doubtful if in topographical names there is
any distinction. Three Gaelic names occur in the
neighbourhood — Raemurrack, probably Reidh-
Murrachadh, ' Murdoch's or Murray's field ;'
Auchinclach (acJiadh-na-doicJie), ' the field of the
stone, or the stony field ;' and Auchairn, sup-
posed to mean Ach-fhearna,' the field of the
alders,' but the Retour of 1662 gives 'Auchin-
chairn,' the ' field of the cairn.' Heathery field was
formerly called Bogforge and Bogferge, which
may represent Bog-feurach, ' the grassy bog.'