Help locating Byerhills

[Jeffrey]

I have an Elspeth Browne baptised at what looks like BYREHILLS, St Andrews and St Leonards. This was in 1633.

Does any one know where that would be please.

Judy

[Sandymc47]

Hi Judy

According to what I have read on line it is 3 miles South of St Andrews, Fife
Also known as Boarhills.
St Andrews is where Prince William went to University and met Kate.

regards Sandymc

[hdw]

Yes, apparently the name was only changed to Boarhills in relatively modern times. Somebody with an interest in history and antiquities, knowing that the area around Byrehills used to be referred to in Latin charters as Cursus Apri, the 'Boar's Raik' (area where wild boar ran free) decided that Byrehills should become Boarhills. The earliest instance of the latter name that I've found was from 1781.

Judy, I see that Gosman is one of the names you are researching. Are you interested in Gosmans in the parish of Kilrenny?

Harry

[Jeffrey]

Thank you for the help. I wondered if it was another name for Boarhills.

Yes am researching Gosman's.

The first one I have in my tree is Eupham Gosman c1717 d/o Robert Gosman who died in West Pitkierie in 1739.
She married Robert Adamson in St Andrews.

I believe Robert Gosmans son David Gosman c1710 and his wife Margaret Forrett had about 10 children baptised at Kilrenny. So there are quite alot from there.

I am quite fascinated by them and was up in Fife earlier in the year and took some photos of that beautiful area.

Are you researching them too?

Judy

[hdw]

No, I'm not researching Gosmans specifically, but I have been researching local and family history in Kilrenny parish and surrounding areas for over 30 years, and wrote a book about Kilrenny and Cellardyke which was published in 1986 by John Donald Ltd. and later reprinted by Birlinn.

http://www.birlinn.co.uk/book/details/Kilrenny-and-Cellardyke-9781904607083/

In the course of researching the book, I found a dramatic story in the Kilrenny kirk-session records about my 3 x great-grandmother Catherine Tarvit. She fell pregnant in the year 1789 and was interrogated by the elders of the kirk about the paternity of the child. She came up with a great story, that in the course of visiting her married sister in Perthshire,

"... she was mett be a man between Abernite and Dundee in a Sailor's habit who flew upon her and threatened her with Murder if she hindered him Satisfying his Wicked intentions."

The elders' response was a weary, "Aye,right!" They sent her homeward to think again, and when she reappeared the following week, she made the shamefaced confession that the father of the child was a married man, John Gosman, tenant farmer at Kilrenny Mill.

The child, a girl who was christened Janet Gosman, later married a gardener called William Erskine and they ended their days keeping a shop in St. Andrews.

That's my only distant connection with the name of Gosman! Catherine Tarvit later married a David Gellatly in Perthshire and I'm descended from their daughter Ann.

Harry

[Jeffrey]

That is very interesting.
He must have jumped on her and had his wicked way. Alternatively she was seduced and didn't like to admit it. Either way the church would have done a thorough interrogation! What a frightening thing.

Do you know who John Gosmans parents were?

I've got ancestors in Dumfrieshire who have been interrogated by the Kirk Elders and the truth is dragged out of them as to where,when and with who the sin was committed.
Must have been very intimidating.

Have you come across anything else about the Gosmans in your searches?

Judy

[hdw]

I'm afraid I haven't done any more research into the Gosmans of Kilrenny. The surname had died out locally by the time I was growing up there. However, I vaguely remember some snail-mail correspondence years ago with a Gosman researcher. I'm heading for bed now, but I'll dig it out from my files tomorrow.

Harry

[Jeffrey]

Thanks for the help.

Judy

[hdw]

I've managed to locate a letter sent to me in 1994 by a Mr. Gosman. I've scanned it, and if you'd like to PM me with your email address, I'll copy it to you. He also sent me a five-page print-out of Gosman B,M and D in Fife from the IGI.

Harry