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

146 Place Names in Strathbogie.
stouk of aittis, with the cottaris reik henis of
every pleuche yeirhe, together with the aiker of
land, houses and biggings lyand within the town
of Darnway and baronie thereof belonging to the
said office of Mairschip.' Although it is imposs-
ible to say with certainty, there is a reasonable
probability that Auchmair means the * field of
the mair,' more particularly as the Cabrach was
Crown property, and a local official would have
been necessary.
On the opposite side of the valley is Torni-
chelt, which is given in the rental of 1600
Tornikelt, and I am therefore inclined to think
the Gaelic is Torr-na-coillte, ' the knoll of the
woods.' The knoll is a strongly-marked feature
on the brow of the hill, and clumps of natural
birches are still found growing all over the neigh-
bourhood. Similar names appear elsewhere in
Scotland, and in Ireland, but from a different root,
viz., eiVle gen. of ei'hV, a doe, as in Rahelty and
x^nnahilt (Joyce, I. 477). This place is, however,
quite close to what must have always been the
public highway, and is very unlikely ever to have
been frequented by such timid creatures. The
burn at Tornichelt is called Alsperit, which is
probably from a/Zt, ' a burn,' and spreidh, ' cattle '
— hence Allt-spreidh, ' the burn of the cattle.'
About half-a-mile to the southward the Allt-
Deveron and Rouster unite, and it is curious that
even in the Cabrach there is difference of opinion