Town of Kincardine

[Jim Murray]

I have just seen a baptism record for 1806 in Fordoun which gives a witnesses address as 'Town of Kincardine'.  Can anyone explain?

Jim Murray

[Nessie]

   I only know of one in Fife and that is usually known as Kincardine-on-Forth,

[ADP]

About 20 miles to the north is Kincardine o'Neil, Aberdeenshire. That seems the best guess. Not to be confused with Kincardine, Ross & Cromarty; Kincardine, Fife; or Kincardine, Stirlingshire.

ADP

[Jim Murray]

Thank you very much for the information - that makes sense now!

Jim Murray

[ron_dem]

"The Town of Kincardine" may refer to the area where the old castle of Kincardine was situated. It  decayed and very little of it remains. The castle was favourite of many Scottish monarchs including Mary Queen of Scots. Hunting was the main pursuit when they visited. That is why you have the nearby lands of Haulkerton where the monarch's Falconer kept the mews. It was the county capital until the capital  moved to Stonehaven. The mercat cross and the fair I believe moved to Fettercairn. So possibly the Town of Kincardine in this instance was actually a fermtoun. For more on the castle and its environs I suggest the book  The Highways and Byways Round Kincardine by Archibald Watt . I think you find it very informative.

[Jim Murray]

Hi  ron_dem,

Thanks very much.  I'm sure this is the right 'Kincardine' just to the east of Fettercairn.  Coincidentally I have recently seen it on an old map of 1850 - http://www.nls.uk/digitallibrary/map/early/coasts.cfm?id=842

By the way what exactly is a 'fermtoun'?

Yours
Jim Murray

[ron_dem]

Prior to enclosed farms that we have now, where there was one owner or tenant with farm labours adjoined.  The landowner would feu (rent) his land  to tenants or crofters but instead of having fields, they had rigs strips of the most arable land and so many rigs were assigned to a farmer for his use, then every year they would switch so that everyone had access to the good land. They all had common land also to graze their kine (cattle). The crofter usually had their crofts together the land tenure was not always fixed and these collection of crofts were called fermtouns.
Ferm from farm and toun from ton or farming hamlet.
That's how I understand it from my reading, I am open to correction.

[Jim Murray]

Thanks Ron_Dem,

Good stuff!

Yours

Jim Murray

[ron_dem]

Thanks Jim: for that great map. did you see the village of Kincardine beside the castle?