The Rodin, Rathven & Stonyfold, Rathven

[Fordyce]

I'm researching James CLARK in Arradoul in the 1720/30s, wife Isobel RITCHIE (they married before records began but I reckon it was abt 1706). The Rathven Kirk Sessions record him as a Kirk Elder and a heritor, so he was a man of some standing (although he also borrowed money from the Kirk Session in 1720 and didn't pay his share of the Poor money in 1732).

Isobel RITCHIE was buried 9 Mar 1731: she is recorded has "Isobel RITCHIE spouse to James CLARK in Stonyfold". Other records show that Stonyfold, Rathven did exist but where? Was it part and parcel of the Arradoul settlement?

On 20 Dec 1732 the OPR records the baptism of a natural child, naming the parents as "James CLARK & Jean WATSON in Arradoul". Bishop's People of Rathven references this event but only inasmuch that in 1732, Jean WATSON "in the Rodin" was with child, the father being James CLARK "in the Rodin". This event looks as though it came from Kirk Session records, but it is not from the Rathven Kirk Session as far as I can tell. I cannot find any other reference to "the Rodin" - can anyone throw any light on where this place might be? Might "the Rodin" be a colloquial or local version of "Arradoul"?

I'm trying to fathom the identity of the James CLARK in Arradoul (not a 'papist') who married Margaret GREEN ('papist') 13 Aug 1734 and had family. The context is my own 5xgtgdfather James CLARK whose parentage gets more indeterminate the more I research. He married Elspet ANDREW 11 Jun 1751 when he was living at Mains of Buckie, Rathven.

[Forguette]

Hi,
It appears to be in the Buckie Braes area. If you change spelling to Rodden and search that, you may have more success.
Good Luck.

[Fordyce]

Thanks Forguette for the idea. I had tried using all the usual wildcard and fuzzy methods without success. But I do see that 'Rodden' is another word for 'Rowan' - it can refer to both the tree and its berry (https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rodden_n1) - as in Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry!!

Doesn't help identify its or Stonyfold's location but hunting around Arradoul on the OS, there's a Stonie's Bridge and an ancient Stone Circle between Arradoul and Slackhead both with some stands of trees nearby. Probably a false association but not outwith the bounds of possibility.

[GR2]

although he also borrowed money from the Kirk Session in 1720

Some of the kirk session's money was kept in "the box" (whose lock was forever being repaired), some was in the hands of the treasurer and some, taken in by the clerk or the officer, remained in their hands until the regular reckoning. However, if there was a build-up of funds, the session actively sought someone of good credit, often a heritor with land as security, to lend the surplus to at interest. In the days before easily accessible banks, this was seen as a prudent measure.

[Forguette]

Ok, howabout 31/01/1905 Banff Advertiser. Auchlunkart estate, properties to let: Rodin on Finn?  Farm. Sorry I don't have access to the piece to get the real words. Same paper/time a John Fowler Rodin wins 2nd prize in poultry competition. Also same paper 1893 and 1898 mention "Jamie Broon fae Rodin."

[Forfarian]

Ok, howabout 31/01/1905 Banff Advertiser. Auchlunkart estate, properties to let: Rodin on Finn?  Farm.

Bodinfinnoch Farm on Auchlunkart Estate. Parish of Botriphnie.   
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/nj3748
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=57.52394&lon=-3.04139&layers=5&b=1

Same paper/time a John Fowler Rodin wins 2nd prize in poultry competition.

John Fowler, Roslin.

same paper 1893 and 1898 mention "Jamie Broon fae Rodin."

fae Raffin (Rathven).

[Forguette]

Howabout this then: https://calm.abdn.ac.uk/archives/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=SCA+BC%2f2%2f26&pos=1

[Fordyce]

Forguette, thank you. Interesting! And enlightening. Turns out that "William Scrougie, Roddin" was the Minister of Rathven at the time, becoming the Bishop of Argyll.

Here's a bit from the Fasti: "WILLIAM SCROGIE, M.A.; pres. by George Hay of Rannes before 7th March, and ord. 18th April 1649; app. Bishop of Argyll (q.v.) but retained his parochial charge till Lammas 1667." - Fasti.

Cramond has lots on him in his book The Church and Churchyard of Rathven. I cannot see anything which would identify Roddin as such but there's a reference to "the Bigging on the Mans of Rathwen, at Mr Wm Scrogie's entire in anno 1649". Maybe someone can translate this! Earlier "...the whol begging on the mans..." Is Bigging a place or just a way of saying 'making bigger'? Is Mans, Mains or Manse? The context suggests Manse of course.

I don't suppose for a minute the current Manse is on the site of this 1649 Manse, maybe someone will know. But Roddin appears to be the name of the manse in Rathven and/or its associated glebe, and must be basically in the middle of the village close by the old church.

So back to my question: where was "in the Rodin"? (And happily I have found the reference in the now-online Rathven Kirk Session - must have missed it when wading through the actual book in Edinburgh years ago.) The above indicates it being in the middle of Rathven village. Although then I have to ask why the OPR records the parents were in Arradoul when child was baptised (20 Dec 1732), yet the Kirk Session records them 'in Rodin' and 'in the Rodin' (14 May 1732). Maybe I've answered my own question - the couple moved in the summer of 1732. Or: would the Minister live 'out of town'?

Forguette, your persistence has paid off! I've got a lot more background to chew over.

Thanks.

[Forfarian]

there's a reference to "the Bigging on the Mans of Rathwen, at Mr Wm Scrogie's entire in anno 1649". Maybe someone can translate this! Earlier "...the whol begging on the mans..." Is Bigging a place or just a way of saying 'making bigger'? Is Mans, Mains or Manse? The context suggests Manse of course. [/quote A 'biggin(g)' is a building. Nothing to do with enlargement - it's from the word 'big' or 'bigg' which means 'build'. So in this context it's more likely to be a building on the Mains of Rathven than the Manse.

Not sure about 'entire', though. Could it be 'entrie', I wonder? 1649 was when William Scroggie entered the charge of Rathven.