History of Dunphail

The Secret Valley

By A H Forbes


Belvlair. (Balvlair) – From the Gaelic Baile, a residence, and Blair, Blar, a plan or field, and by extension a field of battle. The residence on plain.

Edenkillie. – The first part of this word is from the Gaelic^ Eudan, the face, literally a brow ; hence by extension it is applied to the face of a hill. It is also found as Aodann, and contracted to Ediji, Eden, Edan, and Edn. The latter part is from the Gaelic Coille, a wood, and in topography takes the forms of Kel, Kil^ Kelly, Killy, and Kyle, the wood. Signifies the woody hillside or braeface.

Lochnuan. – From the Gaelic Loch, a lake, and the Gaelic Uan, a lamb, cognate with the Latin Agnus, Welsh Oen. As is usually the case, it occurs here in the genitive plural with the preposition of prefixed, forming the word Nanuan, of the lambs. Uanan is the diminutive form. The loch of the lambs.

Oichquhorn. (Aucheorn) — The first part Oich is from the obsolete Gaelic word Oiche, water, as found in the Oich river, the Oichel, and Loch Oich. It is also found as Ock, Ocker, Ocke, Eck, and Uich. The latter part of the word is from the Gaelic Cam, a mound, and by extension applied to a stack-like hill. The genitive form is Chuirn ; hence the old form of the word would have been Oich-a- Chuirn. The mountain stream or the mountain lake, as the case might be.

Pressley. – From the Gaelic Preas, a furrow or ground cut up by running water, and Ley, a meadow. The furrowed meadow land.

Regall. (Regaul) – Is from the Gaelic Reidh, a plain or level field, and more commonly employed to signify a mountain flat, and Anglicised Rea, Re, and Ray, and the second part is from the Gaelic Ail, a hill or rock. The smooth hill or rock.

Tillyglens. – The prefix here is from the Gaelic Tilach, a little hill or mound, and variously found as Tilla, Tillow, Tilly, and Tilli. In an Irish glossary it is given as the equivalent of Briy which is another word for a little hill, and cognate with which is the English Brae. The latter part is from the English Glen, and has the same signification as the Gaelic Gleann, and though nearly identical in form, the one has not been derived from the other, the one being Anglo-Saxon, and of much later date than the Gaelic Gleann, Welsh Glyn, The hill glen.

Information from “Place Names of Elginshire” by D Matheson. Published 1905Available for download from http://www.archive.org/details/placenamesofelgi00mathrich