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

68 Place Names in Stratlibogic.
heads. In several other cases in this district the
word Cat appears in names of places which are
supposed to be ancient battlefields.
The charter of 141 3, to which I have referred,
confirmed a family arrangement, by which Mar-
garet of the Ard, and her son, Thomas, became
proprietors of lands in Drumblade, extending
from Dummullys to Kirkton and southward to
the boundary of the parish. From this Thomas
probably the farm of Thomastown took its name,
as it does not occur until after his time. It ought
to have a different origin, if it is true, as we are told
in 'Words and Places,' by Rev. Is. Taylor, that a
colony of Flemings, who settled in Pembroke-
shire in 1 1 10, gave rise to a class of names which
are found nowhere else in the kingdom. Among
others mentioned as examples are Robeston,
Johnston, Thomaston, Williamston, and James-
ton, all of which wc find in this district ; but some
of them we can certainly trace to other than
Flemish origin. There can be no doubt, however,
that Flemings settled here and there o\-cr these
northern counties as early as the 12th century.
A charter of David of Huntingdon, of date 1171-
II 99, is addressed to all who may see it, 'clerics,
laics, French, English, Flemings, and Scots.' We
have authentic notices of a colony of Flemings,
settled in the parish of Leslie at Crutcrystoun
(Curtestown), and from them doubtless came the