Place Names in Farr

Photo Loch Naver, C Stokes

Parish of Farr

In 1897 it was estimated that the parish measured 267,040 acres – an extensive parish. It is naturally divided into three parts by the rivers Halladale, Strathy and Naver. In long gone days the bulk of the population lived in those three valleys.  
The following place names are shown here simply as a guide and are taken from ‘Sutherland and the Reay Country’ Topography, edited by Rev. Adam Gunn, M.A., and John Mackay, 1897

ACHINA, Gaelic Achadh, a ford

ACHNABOURIN, Gaelic achadh and buirghean, bvrgs, field of fortifications

ACHNESS, Gaelic, achadh-an-eas, field of the cascade

ACHREDIGILL, gill is Norse meaning ravine – beginning is Gaelic

ALTNAHARRA, harra Norse for heights and alt Gaelic for burn – high burn

ARDACHY, high field, Gaelic

ARMADALE, from Norse armer, arm of sea and dale

BALIGILL, township in ravine, Norse & Gaelic

BETTYHILL, modern name so called from Countess Elizabeth who build an inn there. The Gaelic name is Blaran-odhar, the dun field

BIGHOUSE, Gaelic an Torr, the heap or fortified place, where of old a castle stood to defend the entrance to the bay

BRA-RATHY, Gaelic Braigh-rathie, upper Strathy

BRAWL, Gaelic Braigh-bhile

CRASK, crossway, Gaelic

CROICK, the hand, from the natural configuration, Gaelic

DALANGDALE, langdale, Norse

DALHALVAIG, dale of the sorrel, Gaelic

DALHAROLD, Norse, Harold’s dale

DALVINA, Gaelic, Dalmhine, smooth dale

FARR, village and Farr Point from which the parish took its name, probably from the Gaelic faire, watching, in ancient manuscripts always spelled Far

FORSINAIRD, high waterfall, Gaelic & Norse

FORSINAIN, low waterfall, Gaelic & Norse

GOLVAL, stranger township, Gaelic

GRUMBEG & GRUMBMORE, sometimes called in Gaelic na grumbaichean, are probably of Gaelic origin.  Grum is a variant of drum, a ridge.

INVERNAVER, Gaelic, mouth of the Naver

KEALSEY, narrow stream, Gaelic

KIRTOMY, Gaelic Ciurstamaidh or Norse Kjors – copse wood

KIRKTON, Gaelic Baine-na-h-eaglaise, was the most important township on the Halladale

LEADNAGUILLEAN, Gaelic Leathad, slope – possibly slope of gullies

MELVICH, sand-bank or links bay, Norse

MUDALE, Norse, muir dale

PILLAORISCAIG, seaside hamlet at the back of Armadale, Gaelic and/or Norse, possible pool a river mouth or small bay

PORTSKERRA, port or harbour, a Skerray, Norse

SKELPICK, Gaelic sgeilpeach, shelvy, terraces

STRATH-HALLADALE, valley of the holy dale – Gaelic & Norse

STRATHNAVER, in old manuscripts sometimes Strathnavernia and often Strathnavern, valley of the Naver

STRATHY, Strath + water or stream – Gaelic

SWORDLY, sward dale, Norse

SYRE, doubtful, Gaelic Saghair, probably Norse settr

TRANTLE-mòr = Trau-dal = the lower ground through which a river runs, Gaelic & Norse – mòr = big

TRANTLE-beg as above but beg is small

updated 28/02/2016