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

Names of Hills and Rivers. 25
Culsalmond is mentioned in a Bull of Pope
Celestine III., of date 1195, confirming to the
monastery of Londores all its possessions and
privileges, and the name is there given Culsamiel.
Three years later, at the request of the Convent,
Pope Innocent III. issued another ' Confirmation
of Privileges,' and Culsamiel now becomes Cul-
samuel, in which form it continues in the records
of the abbey for more than 200 years (Spal. CI.
Ant, IV., 501 ; and Earldom of the Garioch,
p. 25), Documents of such an early date might
be supposed to give with certainty the original
form of the name, but it will be observed that
they were written in Rome, probably by a scribe
who knew nothing of Scotch names, and who
certainly has blundered with several others he
has mentioned. Further, if Culsamiel, or Cul-
samuel, was supposed to commemorate some
person, as a place name it is neither Gaelic nor
English, nor a good hybrid, and I think we are
safe to reject these forms as unreliable. Cul-
salmond appears in a ' Decreet,' of date 1446, as
Culsalmonde (Spald. CI. Mis. V., 285), and the
name has remained so till the present day, al-
though the common pronunciation is Culsamon,
If Culsalmond is the true form it may mean the
'back of the hill-foot,' ciil-saile-vwn (monaidh).
Bennachie is one of the most prominent hills
seen from any of the heights in Strathbogie, and,
in interest, is second only to the Tap o' Noth.