Author Topic: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness  (Read 2111 times)

Offline Munro84

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Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« on: Monday 16 April 18 20:06 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I am researching the family of James Mackay and Janet Sinclair who had seven children baptised and recorded in the Thurso parish registers between 1768 and 1778. Three of the first five are given as being born "in town" (Thurso) and two of them do not give the name of the settlement where the parents were living. The sixth and seventh children (George and James) born in 1776 and 1778 were recorded as being in a place called Thurdistoft which can be found on modern ordnance survey maps today and is actually in the parish of Olric, despite the entries being in the Thurso parish register.

I think I have found the parish baptism record for the mother Janet Sincalir dated 1756, daughter of John Sinclair and Janet Water. Yes it would mean that she was only 12 years old when her first child was born but it would be within the law in Scotland at the time that females could marry aged 12, and I beleive I found that her husband James Mackay was born in about 1754 in Dunnet, Caithness which would mean that he was only 14 when their first child was born which again would be in accordance with the law in Scotland at the time that males could marry aged 14.

Anyway, on the 1756 Thurso parish baptism record for Janet Sinclair the parent's location is given as what appears to be "Cairdiscroft". Could this be a corruption of Thurdistoft where Janet Sinclair's last two children were born in 1776 and 1778 ? I have found earlier references to the settlement as Thurdistoft but cannot find any references anywhere to a place called Cairdiscroft and I am wondering if it was just written down wrong.

They sound very similar:

Thur-dis-toft and Cair-dis-croft, and also Thur-dis-toft and Cair-dis-croft

Thanks,

Mike.

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« Reply #1 on: Monday 16 April 18 21:24 BST (UK) »
Cairdscroft means Tinkerscroft! I think.

Skoosh.

Offline Munro84

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Re: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« Reply #2 on: Monday 16 April 18 21:44 BST (UK) »
Well I can't find anywhere called Tinkerscroft in Caithness. What is your reasoning ? Garlic translation ?

Offline DonM

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Re: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 17 April 18 02:12 BST (UK) »
Thurdistoft is an area SE of Castletown about a mile.  Still called that you can see it on Google Maps if you zoom in.  Cairdiscroft or Cardistoft I am unfamiliar with this name but it could well have existed.

Don
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Offline Skoosh

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Re: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 17 April 18 07:48 BST (UK) »
Caird, Ceard is a tinker in Scots & Gaelic, pronounced cyaard in the latter! Doesn't mean your folk were tinkers, could be ancient!

Skoosh.

Offline HeatherConnie

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Re: Thurdistoft and Cairdiscroft near Thurso, Caithness
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 07 June 18 12:17 BST (UK) »
John Thomson's Atlas of Scotland 1832, has a Thurystoft Bleachfield just south of Thurso. There os also a Thurdystoft near Castle town. I can't see a Cairdiescroft or similar. A possibility might be Cairn... ; don't see it on the first O.S. map either. Perhaps it was a small croft, too small to appear, changed name, or it had disappeared when the maps were made.
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