*** COMPLETED *** Ryeston or Pyeston, Markinch?

[Chiad Fhear]

Hi Fifers

A query for you ... I found a birth in GRH yesterday for Christina Lillie - 9 Jun 1866 - daughter of William and Margaret (m.s. Philp) who married James Scott Nicol in The Manse, Ceres, on 9 Sep 1892, that looked like Ryeston or Pyeston, Markinch but, having tried umpteen maps (and Google) can't decide which (if either) is correct.

Is there anyone from that area able to help?

Regards

Chiad Fhear

[hdw]

I don't know exactly where it is or was, but I recognised it immediately as "Pyetstone", a title associated with the Lindsay family of Fife. Patrick, 4th Lord Lindsay, had a younger son called William Lindsay of Pyetstone, and he was ancestor of some of the later Earls of Lindsay.

Do a Google search for Pyetstone, and you'll get further info., e.g. (from a heraldic site I found). (The Lindsay of Pitscottie referred to was Robert Lindsay or Lyndesay of Pitscottie (near Ceres), a Scottish historian of the 16th century) -

Lindsay of Pyetstone, co. Fife

NOTE:...the branch to which the historian

LINDSAY, of Pitscottie, belonged

ARMS:...Gules (Red) a fess chequy Argent

(Silver) and Azure (Blue) between three

mullets in chief anda mascle in base of the

second.

[Chiad Fhear]

Hi hdw

Thanks for the info ... I think?

Given that James and Christina married in Ceres - literally a stone's throw from Pitscottie - there may be something in your 'find' but it's a long way from Markinch by comparison.  I don't connect the name with anything 'locally'.

Co-incidentally - I'm a Crawford with Lindsay connections and live in St Andrews - another stone's throw from both Pitscottie and Ceres!

Slainte

Chiad Fhear

[hdw]

The place-name scholar Simon Taylor (a native of Aberdour) with Gilbert Markus, a fellow-scholar and Dominican priest, both formerly of Edinburgh University, are bringing out "The Place-Names of Fife" in 4 volumes, of which 2 are now out. These volumes are at the cutting-edge of onomastic (place-name) studies. I have copies, and have just found PYESTON in vol.2. It's in the parish of Markinch, National Grid Reference NO316044. Simon says "It appears to be a late medieval division of the lands of Mains of Kirkforthar ... Nothing is marked here on OS 6 inch 1st edn., nor is anything recorded in NMRS (National Monument Record of Scotland?) (although there is an urnfield in the vicinity); and the moss on the lands of Pyeston adjacent to Star Moss is called Burnt Moss."

I can certainly see Kirkforthar and Star and Star Moss on the OS Landranger 59 St. Andrews & Kirkcaldy area map, so PYESTON appears to be in that vicinity.

Harry

[Chiad Fhear]

Harry

Many thanks for that information.  I know the area reasonably well having walked the Star Moss on occasion but had never come across the name Pyeston

It concludes the thread nicely though

Best regards

Chiad Fhear