Place names

by Alun ap Rhisiart — last modified Aug 28, 2010 05:58 PM

: Gallow Hill

Most of the established place names of the area are derived from Gaelic, which was spoken locally until the early 19th century. A few are older, being British (Brythonic) while some modern names come straight from English.

Auchengower Field of the goats (Gaelic)
Barbour Above the bank or drop, or, it could come from surname Barbour.
Barreman Height of St. Adamnan (Gaelic)
Camsail Sail or heel shaped bay (Gaelic)
Clachan Hamlet (Gaelic)
Clyde Probably from Clota, "River Goddess" (British)

: Barbour cemetary

Clynder Red slope, or reddish meadow, or meadow by the water (Gaelic)
Coulport Back port. This was one side of the ferry crossing over Loch Long to Ardentinny. (Gaelic)
Cove Cave (Old English)
Crossowen Ewan's cross (Gaelic)
Culwatty Watty's nook or inlet (Gaelic)
Duchlage Black corrie or hollow (Gaelic)

: Clynder

Feorlin Breck Feorlin (see Fernicarry). Breck = dappled. (Gaelic)
Fernicarry (Old name Feorlin-carry). Feorlin=a measure of land; carrie=stake net (yair) (Gaelic)
Gareloch Short loch (Gaelic)
Helensburgh Named after Helen, wife of Sir James Colquhoun (Gaelic)
Kilcreggan Church of the Rocks (Gaelic)
Knockderry Knoll of oak trees (Gaelic)
Loch Long This is not the long loch, a foil to the short loch, but is said to come from the Gaelic for ship, i.e. ship-loch. (Gaelic)
Lochan Ghlas Laoign Loch of the grey calf (Gaelic)
Mambeg Little rounded hill (Gaelic)
Mamore Big rounded hill (Gaelic)
Peaton Possibly derived from the English word 'peat' as the old name was Alt-Na-Mone, which means peat burn, or peat-coloured water. (Gaelic)
Port Kil Port of the church. No church now remains. (Gaelic)
Rahane Ferny place or enclosed place or a place of signal or fire or John's promontory. (Gaelic)
Rhu (formerly Row). Point or spit. (Gaelic)

Places Names 4

Rosneath This is one of the most problematic names with a number of possible derivations. The 'Ros' part comes straight from the Gaelic for promontory, but 'neath' had been variously described as bare or unwooded, a virgin, a person called Neath, or possibly most likely, a sanctuary or holy place. (Gaelic)
Stroul Spout of water (Gaelic)
Tom a Mhoid Hill of justice. The Barony Court was held here. Cf Gallow Hill, where sentence was carried out. (Gaelic)

Photographs

Personal tools

Sections

Place names