OS1/1/44/50
| List of names as written | Various modes of spelling | Authorities for spelling | Situation | Description remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLAIR HUSSEY | Blair Hussey Blair Hussey Blair Hussey |
Revd. [Reverend] John Keith, Keith Hall Mr. John Shand,Inkeeper, Fintray Mr. James Brown, Geystone |
055 | "Tradition records that a great battle was fought between the Scots and the Danes on the moor of Kinmuck; a range of fields, now arable, and also the moor, are called Plair-hassey which signifies the field of Blood. The Scottish army are said to have killed a boar at Kinmuck, which denotes the boar's head. This was an omen of victory. A great multitude of small cairns are scattered over the moor; and General Gordon, one of the heritors, remembers to have frequently observed the vestiges of an encampment on the south side of the moor, having a large morass (the mosses of Balbithan and Kinmuck) on the back and the burn of Denmiln or Danemiln on the right of the camp. The field of Battle extended the whole length of the parish of Kinkell on the north, or above two English miles. The Danes were defeated and pursued to the burn of Dennyburn or Danes-burn on the other side of the parish" Extract from Statistical Account of Keith Hall and Kinkell by the Revd. [Reverend] George Skene Keith. - (Written about 1780) "Part of an encampment still remains in the moor of Kinmuck, where tradition records that a great battle took place between the Danes and the Scotch. The latter are said to have slain a boar in their advance, and hence the name Kinmuck, or boars head. The place of Combat bears the name of "Blair Hussey, or field of blood." Extract from Statistical Account of Aberdeenshire 1843. page 743. The "Moor of Kinmuck" as an object has ceased to exist; agricultural improvement has rendered it all arable with the exception of a very small portion, which is itself being improved at present. During the course of improvement the "small cairns", the vestiges of an encampment," and " the large morass, (the mosses of Balbithan and Kinmuck.)" mentioned above have all been swept away or turned into arable land, not a vestige of them remaining. |
Continued entries/extra info
[Page] 50Parish of Keith-Hall and Kinkell
[Arrowed note Blair Hussey] Should not Site of Battle Between the Scots and Danes be written?
[Arrowed note to, "Part of an encampment still remains...] Could not the site of this encampment be shewn on Plan?
[Arrowed note] Never pronounced "Uasai" either in Scotland or Ireland.
"Asadh.- (pron [pronounced] Hassy or Hassie.") Resting etc.
"Asaidh - gen. sing [genitive singular] of Asadh."
"Asaidh.- v.n. [verbal noun] Rebel, revolt,"
"Tuasaid. - Fight. (pron. [pronounced] Uasai.") (Gaelic)
"Blood.- Gaelic. Uaisle. pron. [pronounced] uaishle."-
Battle.- Cath, blar, comhrag.-"
"Blar or Blair. A Plain, a Field."
"Asaidh. gen. Sing. [genitive Singular] of Asadh (pron. [pronounced] Hàsay ) anchoring, resting, Settling" Gaelic
Blair Hassay * This is evidently a modernised word, as the letter h never commences any word in Gaelic:- it appears from its traditionary etymology to have been corrupted from the Gaelic word "Uaisle" signifying "Blood", which in its pronunciation very nearly corresponds with "Hussey".- I have therefore adopted "Blair Hussey" as the correct orthography for this object so that the traditionary title of it may be preserved.
E.H. Courtney Capt. R.E. [Captain Royal Engineers]
Uaisle does not signify Blood in the sense of signifying a "Field of Blood" or "Bloody Field"
The word signifies "Noble" and may signify Blood in the sense in which we say "He is of Noble Blood" or he is of good Blood etc.
Transcribers who have contributed to this page.
Kate51- Moderator, Geoffrey M Gill
Location information for this page.
Linked mapsheets.
