"Achastel"(?) - place in Tongue parish

[RoserAncestors]

I believe my partner is descended from Donald McPherson and his wife Margaret/Peggy Campbell who were recorded baptising two children, John & George, in Tongue parish in 1795. That entry contains what seems to be a place name (?Achastel) - see attached image.

I was wondering if anyone knows where this place might be. I am trying to narrow down where Donald and Peggy might be buried to a particular one of the three graveyards in Tongue parish that have been photographed on the wonderful site by Christine Stokes: http://cosuthtongue.blogspot.com.au/

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ruskie]

There seem to be a lot of places starting with Ach ....:
http://maps.nls.uk/view/74400360

Keep in mind that it may be the name of a farmstead and may not be marked on any maps. Looking at the other entries on the page do any others come from the same place? Are the other places recognizable? (I am trying to get a feel for the formula used to fill in the entries)

[RoserAncestors]

Thank you Ruskie, I think I may have located the place:

"A’CHAISTEAL 1644, a.k.a. Auchestell, Achiehoistte, Achisle - a place formerly inhabited in Ribigill, between Rhians and Kirkiboll (qqv). In 1801 rental, placed between Blairdow and Ach an t-Strathain (qqv)"

From http://cosuthtongue.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/tongue-place-names.html

[Ruskie]

That sounds like a good fit. 

[terri mcintyre]

Hi there,
I am from Tongue and I remember my father talking of a place no longer inhabited or indeed any homes left, there maybe the barest ruins of the homes. The name sounds familiar to me and would have been located as you said between Rigibill farm and Kirkiboll (now Tongue) there is a headland which has Castle Varrich on the north tip and on the far side of that strip of land I believe thats where Achastel once was. I cant be sure as I was a child when he told me of walking out to it, there is a strip of green cultivated land on the Kyle side of the area and that was where is was. Hope this helps you a little, cheers Terri

[RoserAncestors]

Thank you very much for the local knowledge Terri. You live in a very beautiful part of the world it seems from photos!

[terri mcintyre]

cheers yes it is beautiful wild and remote, no doubt we are related somewhere along the line as the inhabitants are few and families seem all related at some point lol, I was a Mackay before I married and my family on both sides are from Tongue or close by.

[Ruskie]

Somewhere around this area?
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=14&lat=58.4653&lon=-4.4262&layers=6&right=BingHyb

You do notice quite a lot the remains of where farms and houses once stood - now deserted. 

I agree though - what a wonderful place to live.

[RoserAncestors]

An absolutely stunning place!

I should mention for others' reference that I haven't been able to find any headstone/burial records for Donald McPherson and Peggy/Margaret nee Campbell in Tongue. There are some great indexes/photo galleries put together by kind souls but my names don't appear on them it seems: http://burial-grounds-suth.blogspot.com.au/

There is a reference to a Donald McPherson as an Elder in 1795 in some extracts from Kirk Sessions: http://searches2.rootsweb.com/th/read/SCT-SUTHERLAND/2003-01/1043452326

There is also a reference to two daughters of Donald and Margaret dying in 1875 in Braetongue that describe Donald as a tenant: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SCT-SUT-TONGUE/2003-03/1047351210

I have also purchased the death certificate of Jane McLeod nee McPherson, another daughter (my partner's ancestor), who died in 1874 in Canisbay, Caithness. It describes her parents as Donald Macpherson, joiner, and Margaret maiden surname Campbell.